(by Don Meador)
Free school supplies, free haircuts, free food, free fun activities, and free giveaways are in the plans for a huge community Back-to-School Bash slated for Wednesday, July 15 at Dugas Park in Scottsville. The focus of the evening will be seeing that Allen County students and families are able to start the 2026-27 school year with backpacks and bags filled with items to help students and families transition back to classrooms on August 13.
“This is intended to be a free community event centered on supporting local families as they head into the school year,” noted planning committee member Rayleigh Holland. “This is completely free. We are giving away school supplies and vendors will be here with giveaways as well. We have free haircuts, face painting, and bounce houses for the kids.”
In an organizers’ prep meeting on June 24, officials discussed the logistics and reviewed tentative plans for the event----expected to be larger than last year. Plans call for school-age visitors to receive a free backpack with school supplies. Free food for those in attendance will be offered with additional vendors on site to hand out additional school supplies, distribute personal items, and relieve the financial pressure on families of having to purchase basic supplies and obtain services.
Community vendors will be on site but unlike a street fair, Back to School Bash vendors will not be selling products---rather giving away items and information. Expected vendors include the Allen County School Districts’ Family and Youth Services Centers, churches, and community and civic organizations. The interactive booths will also have activities and offer encouragement and support for local students and families.
Organizers are working to make the two-and-a-half-hour event as user-friendly as possible. The gate will open by 4:30 with parking under the direction of the Dream Center. Handicapped parking will be in the main parking lot at Dugas Park with additional parking in the new adjacent parking lot at Dugas Park. Overflow parking is slated to be in grassy areas at the park as needed.
Visitors will have access to on-site maps detailing the location of the afternoon’s events. Generally speaking, the giveaways will be in the area to the east side of the pavilion, food under the pavilion, and games and activities to the north and west of the pavilion. Background music will be supplied to create a fun-filled, joyful atmosphere.
Last year, the event is believed to have drawn over 1,000 individuals. No exact numbers were kept but, if vehicles were any indication, the 1,000-plus mark was easily reached.
“We parked about 800 vehicles,” noted Victory Hill Church assistant pastor Trey Harper---who assisted the Dream Center with parking in 2025.
The Back-to-School Bash is a collaboration between JM Smucker, Halton Inc., Dugas Park, Central States Manufacturing/Metal Central, Space Walk of Glasgow, Arrow Safety, Edmonton State Bank, South Central Bank, Dollar General, Sumitomo, Henkel, and Save-A-Lot
The Bash is a come-and-go event which starts at 5 p.m. and lasts until 7:30 that evening. Gates to the park open at 4:30.