(Special to The Dallas Examiner) – Mayor Eric L. Johnson, Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie S. Elizalde and Junior League of Dallas President Tandra Allen announced on Tuesday that the 28th Annual Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair will take place Aug. 2, at Fair Park in the Automobile Building and Centennial Hall.
The back-to-school event – hosted by Johnson – is a collaborative effort between the city of Dallas, Dallas ISD, nonprofits, corporations and community volunteers. Each year, it serves over 10,000 economically disadvantaged students from Pre-K to Grade 12 and their families.
“The Mayor’s Back to School Fair is one of my favorite annual Dallas events,” Johnson said. “It’s also one of the most important, equipping thousands of children to take full advantage of the school year ahead. Here in Dallas, we believe in helping our neighbor, and the Mayor’s Back to School Fair testifies to Dallas being a city of genuine opportunity for everyone.”
For 28 years, the fair has been a one-stop shop for school supplies, valuable services and community resources. Pre-registered Dallas students and their families will receive school supplies and have access to immunizations, dental screenings, vision exams and other health and social services provided by more than 100 vendors.
“Successful public schools are a team sport, and the Mayor’s Back to School Fair is an indispensable part of every school year,” Elizalde said.
The Junior League of Dallas will execute the event and recruit, train and support the more than 500 event volunteers.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Mayor’s Back to School Fair again this year to bring the power of trained community volunteers who will be ready to serve during the Fair on Aug 2,” Allen stated.
“JLD is committed to the promise of every child’s potential – empowering future leaders, trailblazers, and change makers. We believe every child in Dallas should have what they need to start the school year strong. We are committed to advancing education and equity in our efforts to create meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration and training. We wholeheartedly believe that when communities come together, we can make a powerful, lasting impact.”
Mascots including the State Fair of Texas’ Little Big Tex, the Dallas Police Department’s McGruff the Crime Dog, the Dallas Mavericks’ Mavs Man, the Dallas Stars’ Victor E. Green, Half Price Books’ Bookworm and Guaranty Bank’s CASH participated in Tuesday’s press conference. Representatives from Atmos Energy, Charter/Spectrum, Energy Transfer, TXU/Vistra Energy, and the Dallas Mavericks Foundation also shared remarks.
To qualify for free school supplies, students must reside in the city of Dallas or attend a Dallas ISD school. During registration, families must confirm that their student attends a Dallas ISD school or is a city of Dallas resident. In addition, participants must confirm their household income is equal to or less than the 2024 Federal Poverty Guidelines. For more information and registration, visit https://www.mayorsbacktoschoolfair.com.
Volunteers and vendors should also register to participate on the official website. For more information about volunteer opportunities, email mbtsf@jldallas.org. For relevant updates follow the fair’s social media page at https://www.facebook.com/mbtsf on Facebook.