FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2023

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Maddy Madrazo
Chief of Policy & Communications
maddy.madrazo@dallas.gov | (214) 803-6048

DALLAS — Mayor Eric L. Johnson, Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) Superintendent Dr. Stephanie S. Elizalde, and Junior League of Dallas President Christina N. Eubanks on Thursday announced that the 27th Annual Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair will take place on Friday, August 4 at Fair Park inside the Automobile Building and Centennial Hall.

This was the mayor’s first official speaking engagement of his second term as Dallas’ 60th mayor.

The fair — hosted by Mayor Johnson — is a collaborative effort between the City of Dallas, Dallas ISD, nonprofits, corporations, and community volunteers. Each year, it serves more than 10,000 economically disadvantaged students in grade levels pre-K to 12 and their families.

“I am consistently reminded that Dallas is strong because our people are strong,” Mayor Johnson said. “The Dallas community’s support of this event is further proof. Together, we will ensure that Dallas children have the opportunities they need to learn and grow this upcoming school year.” 

“The Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair shows how committed Dallas is to getting all our kids what they need to succeed in school,” Dr. Elizalde said. “Other cities don’t have mayors this dedicated to education, and we couldn’t be more grateful for Mayor Johnson’s partnership.”

For 27 years, the fair has served as a one-stop shop for school supplies, valuable services, and community resources. Pre-registered Dallas students and their families will receive school supplies at the fair and access to immunizations, dental screenings, vision exams, and other health and social services provided by more than 100 vendors.

This year, the Junior League of Dallas will power the event and recruit, train, and support the more than 500 event volunteers.

“We are excited about this renewed partnership with the Office of Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson, as it will allow us to do what we do best – voluntarism, leadership, and community collaboration,” Eubanks said. “Education is one of our core impact areas, and we strongly believe that our children should have all the necessary tools to be successful in school. This annual fair is the perfect way to serve our community and leverage our trained volunteers to alleviate the financial burden of school supplies and other preparations required for students to achieve and excel throughout the school year.” 

Representatives from all of the following companies participated and shared remarks: Amazon, Santander Consumer USA Foundation, City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability, Walmart, Dallas Mavericks, Texas Health and Human Services, Target, Spectrum, and Half Price Books.

Additional event sponsors include Accident & Injury Chiropractic, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Children’s Health, CocaCola Southwest Beverages, Davis Vision by MetLife, Energy Transfer, Greater Texas Credit Union, H-E-B, Mattress Firm, Oncor, Ryan Foundation, Sewell Automotive, Southern Methodist University, TXU, and WFAA.

The State Fair of Texas’ Little Big Tex, the Dallas Police Department’s McGruff The Crime Dog, the Dallas Stars’ Victor E. Green, the Dallas Mavericks’ Champ, the City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability’s Water Conservation Dew, and the Half Price Books Bookworm also joined the celebration in addition to students from the East Dallas Boys & Girls Club and Dallas Works, the mayor’s summer youth employment program.

“This family-friendly fair has become a beloved annual tradition here in Dallas before the start of each new school year,” Mayor Johnson said. “I look forward to welcoming more than 10,000 participating Dallas students and their families to Fair Park in August.”

To receive free school supplies, families must register their students online at mayorsbacktoschoolfair.com or at one of three upcoming in-person events. To qualify for free school supplies, students must live in the City of Dallas or attend a Dallas ISD school. For Dallas ISD students, families must provide proof that their student attends a Dallas ISD school by providing a student ID number. For students who live in the City of Dallas but attend other schools, families must provide a valid photo ID, City of Dallas proof of residency (e.g., a utility bill, rent, or mortgage statement), and verify their household income is equal to or less than the 2023 Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Volunteers and vendors should also register to participate at mayorsbacktoschoolfair.com. For more information about volunteer opportunities, email mbtsf@jldallas.org. For relevant updates between now and August, follow the new Dallas Mayor’s Back To School Fair Facebook page.