What a weekend! From Saturday’s chilly, overcast skies to Sunday’s beautiful sunshine and fresh fall air, Buckley’s 53rd annual Fall Fair was a reminder that nothing outshines the spirit of our school community.
 
Thanks to the generosity, enthusiasm, and hard work of our parents, faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and student volunteers, this year’s Fair was a tremendous success!

In true New York! New York! style, this year’s Kickoff Party was a showstopper, setting the stage for a weekend to remember—while also proving that even Yankees and Mets fans can get along when the occasion calls for it!

Lindsay Camerata, Nikki Dabissiere, and Vicky Dabissiere outdid themselves delivering another spectacular event, complete with a lively crowd and plenty of Big Apple spirit. Both the silent and live auctions were hugely successful. A sky-scraping thank you to Auction Committee Co-Chairs Helen Rallakis and Sara Vassos, and Parents’ Association leadership Salvatrice Acquista and Eleni Mathioudakis Kaynak ’99 for overseeing the auctions, and to Buckley’s CFO Dan Schultz, who joined Dr. Juhel on the mic to help get the bids rolling on some truly priceless experiences. Thank you also to Chef Jacek and the SAGE Dining staff for the outstanding canapés and desserts that fueled an evening of music and celebration.
 
To Yuki Sugiyama and Arianne Long goes our deep appreciation for coordinating this year’s beautiful class creations, and another shout-out to Nikki Dabissiere and Vicky Dabissiere for decorating the school with all our NYC-themed Buckley family banners.
 
View Kickoff Party photos here
View Kickoff Party Photo Booth photos here
View Kickoff Party 360 videos here

 
The Fall Fair’s success depends on the efforts of countless volunteers. Our sincere thanks go to every parent, student, faculty/staff member, grandparent, and friend of the school who volunteered their time and energy before, during, and after the weekend, and to Eleni Mathioudakis Kaynak ’99 for coordinating all our volunteers.
 
Thank you to all the parents, grandparents, and friends who cooked, baked, and brought food to Buckley. We had African, Caribbean, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Latin American, and Native American cuisines, alongside burgers and hot dogs grilled to perfection at The Grill, and sweet treats at the Bake Booth.
 
A special thank you to our Committee Chairs whose dedication made this year’s Fair possible:
 
Advanced Ticket Sales—Ashley Dorimé and Francesca Caliendo
African Table—Emilienne Brown and Angela Oduro
Arts & Crafts—Adrienne Murphy
Bake Booth—Jessica Garg and Sonya Javian
Buckley Spirit Store—Reshma and Eamon McGowan
Caribbean Table—Minerva John-Stull and Juliet Orr
Chinese Table—Connie Fang and Emily Xu
Class Baskets—Jennifer Bradish and Allison Weitz
Class Creations—Arianne Long and Yuki Sugiyama
Family Banners—Nikki Dabissiere and Vicky Dabissiere
Golden Ticket—Robert Liebross
Grandparent Committee—Susan Camerata and Jamie Pistilli
Greek Table—Bessie & Aris Georgelis and Helen & Bobby Rallakis
Grill—Peter Pecora and Michael Reali
Italian Table—Franco and Francesca Caliendo
Kickoff Party—Lindsay Camerata, Nikki Dabissiere, and Vicky Dabissiere
Latin Table—Yokasta Espaillat and Paula & Fernando Lopez
Line Dancing Lessons—Marilyn Chandler and Evrod Sonson
Little Buckley Bullpen—Lindsay Camerata
Native American Table—Natalie Moore-Lopez ’98
Silent Auction—Salvatrice Acquista, Eleni Mathioudakis Kaynak ’99, Helen Rallakis, and Sara Vassos
Sports Challenge—Christine Barnett, Ylana Holtz, and Reshma McGowan
Ticket Booth—Greta Arenas and Suzanne Chan

View photos from the Fall Fair – Saturday
View photos from the Fall Fair – Sunday

 
As always, it was wonderful to see so many Buckley students and alumni families enjoying the Fair together, making memories to last a lifetime. They are the reason for all we do.
 
We are thrilled to share that the 2026 Fall Fair netted $385,000. Fair proceeds support Buckley’s operating budget, funding vital programs, professional development, and enhancements that benefit every student. Thank you to all of you for your unwavering support of our children’s school, your donations to the silent and live auctions and your generous bidding, your gifts to the class baskets and food tent, and your underwriting and general donations to help reduce our overhead and maximize our revenue.
 
View our Fall Fair underwriting supporters here.
 
Thank you to the Development Team, Suzanne Bossé and Holly O’Brien for their indefatigable Buckley spirit, inexhaustible enthusiasm, and organization. They have our enduring gratitude.
 
We also recognize the Business Office—Colleen Crowley, Sara Sweeney, Arline Frangos, and CFO Dan Schultz; the Facilities and Security team—Rick Foy, Brendon Shunk, Terrance Draddy, Noel Morales, and Ronnie Stibritz.
 
Thank you to our Technology Team Sam Oppedisano and Jack Doyle for keeping us all connected, and photographer Stephanie Long for capturing every moment of our Fair.
 
Finally, an enormous thank-you to Parents’ Association President Salvatrice Acquista and Vice President Eleni Mathioudakis Kaynak ’99 (and their families!) for all they brought to this year’s Fair. Sal’s one-of-a-kind spirit and instinct for bringing people together along with Eleni’s remarkable focus and can-do attitude make them an extraordinary team. Their vision, dedication, and countless hours behind the scenes helped make this year’s Fair a sky-scraping success.