Mayor Johnson hosts 30th annual Dallas Mayor's Back to School Fair
DALLAS-Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson on Friday, August 7, hosted the 30th annual Dallas Mayor's Back to School Fair at Fair Park.
For the milestone year, Mayor Johnson partnered with All Stars Project, Inc., to power the event, and he continued his four-year partnership with the Junior League of Dallas to recruit and oversee volunteers. The fair took place in Fair Park's Centennial Hall and Automobile Building following an opening ceremony in front of the Hall of State.
"For three decades, the Dallas Mayor's Back to School Fair has shown how far our community-including individual residents and business and nonprofit supporters-will go to serve our neighbors," said Mayor Johnson. "Through this fair, we ensure that every child in Dallas is prepared for a successful school year and equipped to lead a successful life. Dallas is a city of genuine opportunity, and taking advantage of that opportunity begins with a good education. That's why the Mayor's Back to School Fair is so important and has endured for 30 years."
More than 5,600 families and 12,800 total students signed up to receive free school supplies, backpacks, haircuts, immunizations, health screenings, and other valuable resources to fully prepare them for the upcoming school year. The fair had 183 total booths.
"For 30 years, the Mayor's Back to School Fair has shown what is possible when the entire Dallas community comes together around young people and families," said Antoine Joyce-Roach, Senior Vice President of All Stars Project. "This year, we built on that legacy by helping young people access the school supplies and resources they need, while also providing a stage where they could build confidence, make new connections, and step into new possibilities for their futures-and where the whole city showed up to support them. We are deeply grateful to the Mayor's Office, Junior League of Dallas, Dallas ISD, and all the partners, sponsors, vendors, and volunteers who brought that vision to life."
This year, the Junior League of Dallas recruited and trained over 650 community volunteers-more than ever before.
"The Junior League of Dallas is proud to support the Mayor's Back to School Fair because we believe every student should have the opportunity to start the school year with confidence," said Junior League of Dallas President Lauren Combest. "This partnership reflects our commitment to advancing meaningful community impact through volunteer action. By mobilizing our trained volunteers, we help equip Dallas children with the supplies and resources they need to succeed. Investing in our students today strengthens our community for years to come."
"The Mayor's Back to School Fair is a great example of how the people of Dallas routinely step up when there's a need," said Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde. "Our students succeed in Dallas ISD despite many coming from homes where they don't always have enough money for what they need. Even something as simple as a backpack. That's why this is so important. Thanks to the Mayor's Back to School Fair, these kiddos will begin the next school year with what they need to succeed."
The fair was made possible through the generous support of 58 sponsors, led by Walmart and Sam's Club as the fair's title sponsors. Walmart provided free health screenings and vision checks to families. Immunizations were also available at no cost with most insurance plans.
For the first time ever, the Mayor's Back to School Fair also had a Development and Education Zone sponsored by the Communities Foundation of Texas. The zone featured many of the fair's education and workforce partners including All Stars Project, Dallas ISD, Dallas College, Dallas Works, UNT Dallas, LevelUp, SMU, Educate Texas and Workforce Dallas. It offered resources for kids to not only prepare for a successful school year, but to also prepare for college, long-term academic success, and future employment opportunities.
As an official 30th Anniversary sponsor, Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages has sponsored the Mayor's Back to School Fair for every one of its 30 years, this year donating 200 laptops to high school seniors. NBC5 and Telemundo39 also supported the fair as its media sponsor for the second consecutive year.
Additional 30th Anniversary sponsors include Amazon, Freeman, Hillwood, the M.B. & Edna Zale Foundation, Oncor, and Target. Other sponsors include 97.9 The Beat, AAA Texas, Accident & Injury Chiropractic, Aetna, Armada Analytics, Atlético Dallas, Atmos Energy, Audacy, Bartlett & West, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Children's Health, Club Z Tutoring Services of DFW, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas College, the Dallas Historical Society, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Morning News, Dallas Water Utilities, Energy Transfer, Ex-Saker Student Association USA, F.H. Paschen, Fair Park Dallas, Galleria Dallas, Goodwill Industries of Dallas, Guaranty Bank & Trust, Half Price Books, KJK Security Consultants, LevelUP Texas, Mattress Firm, McDonald's of North Texas, the Men and Women of Hunt Consolidated, MetLife, Jill and Mark Meyer, Mo Gooda Italian Ice, Molina Healthcare, Ogle School, Oscar Health, Parkland Community Health Plan, the Ryan Foundation, Sewell Automotive Companies, Southern Methodist University, Spectrum, the State Fair of Texas, Strive Health Care, the McIntosh Company, the T.D. Jakes Foundation, TXU Energy, and UnitedHealthcare Individual and Family Plans.
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