Fun for all promised at autism fair

The Red Robin Country Cares Foundation will hold its inaugural Autism Aware Family Fun Fair on May 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Red Robin Country Day School, 878 Jericho Tpke. in Westbury.

Foundation president Michael Cohn, 42, said the event will include rides, a petting zoo, games, face painting and pony rides. All the rides will be be suitable for both special needs and typically developing children.

“It’s a day for typical children as well as children for special needs to feel normal," he said. "Just to be a child for the day."

All rides and the petting zoo are covered by a $15 entry fee for children, and are free to adults. Proceeds from the event will benefit Autism Speaks, New York Families for Autistic Children and the Nassau-Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America. This is the organization’s first major event since Cohn, Red Robin Country Day School's director, founded the organization this past June.

“For us as people who are focused on working with children, autism is such a relevant subject,” Cohn said. “We wanted to do our part to raise awareness and support for these families.”

Find more information here or call 516-334-1144.