Fair’s goal? Building future leaders!

By Anna Clare Payne

Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson, Dallas ISD Associate Superintendent Dr. Mark Ramirez, and Junior League of Dallas President Tandra Allen recently announced that the 29th Annual Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair will take place on Friday, August 1, at Fair Park in the Automobile Building and Centennial Hall.

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 from Pre-K to Grade 12 and their families.

“The Mayor’s Back to School Fair is one of Dallas’ most impactful annual events — and one of my personal favorites,” said Mayor Johnson. “Each year, the Mayor’s Back to School Fair equips thousands of kids and families with what they need to succeed in the school year ahead. The Mayor’s Back to School Fair exemplifies the very best of the Dallas spirit, showing that our city is committed to supporting our neighbors in need and ensuring that everyone is able to take advantage of the great opportunities Dallas has to offer.”

For nearly 30 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.

“The success of our students is a shared journey, and the Mayor’s Back to School Fair is where our entire Dallas community comes together to ignite the spark for a bright future filled with learning and opportunity,” said Dallas ISD Associate Superintendent Dr. Mark Ramirez.

The Junior League of Dallas (JLD) will execute the event and recruit, train and support the more than 500 event volunteers. “We are proud to collaborate with the Mayor’s Back to School Fair again this year, bringing the power of dedicated trained volunteers who will be ready to serve on August 1,” said Junior League of Dallas President Tandra Allen.

“JLD is committed to the promise of every child’s potential and building future leaders for our community. We believe every child in Dallas should have what they need to start the school year strong,” she added. “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 Dallas Police Department’s McGruff the Crime Dog, Dallas Fire-Rescue’s Sparky the Fire Dog, the City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability’s Dew, Guaranty Bank’s CASH, the State Fair of Texas’ Little Big Tex, SMU’s Peruna, the Dallas Mavericks’ ManiAACs and Half Price Books’ Bookworm participated in Thursday’s press conference.

To receive free school supplies, families must register their students online at mayorsbacktoschoolfair.com. To qualify for free school supplies, 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 2025 Federal Poverty Guidelines.