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Dallas and Tarrant County host back-to-school events for families

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FOX 4
Education
Published August 7, 2026 9:21 AM CDT
Published August 7, 2026 9:21 AM CDT

The Brief

    • Dallas and Tarrant County are hosting large annual back-to-school events on Friday to help local families prepare for the upcoming school year.
    • Both events provide free school supply kits, backpacks, laptops, health screenings, haircuts, and access to community resources to ease budget pressures.
    • The Dallas Mayor's event at Fair Park and the Tarrant County Roundup at TCC South Campus both accept walk-ins and run through 2 p.m. Friday, with supplies served on a first-come, first-served basis.

DALLAS - Big back to school bashes are being held in Dallas and Fort Worth on Friday. They’re a way to help families save on school supplies while also getting access to free resources and health screenings.

Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson hosted the city’s 30th annual Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair on Friday morning.

Every year, families gather at Fair Park to make sure they have the chance to get everything they need for the school year such as school supplies, backpacks, and even laptops.

In recent years, the Dallas Independent School District has also added free health screenings, hair cups, and community resources.

Mayor Johnson said he’s glad to see the city is meeting a crucial need.

"It started off as a basic school supply drive and now, like I said, it's turned into a full blown deal were we've got hundreds of vendors and we've got everything under the sun that you could possibly need. And that's a reflection of how this community comes together to help everyone," he said.

Families were asked to register in advance, but walk-ins are still allowed.

The fair will run through 2 p.m.

Tarrant County Back to School Roundup

Thousands of Tarrant County students will also get help preparing for the new school year at the 20th annual Tarrant County Back to School Roundup.

People began lining up early on Friday morning for the event at the Tarrant County College South Campus.

Families who preregistered got access to free school supply kits and access to health services starting at 8 a.m. 

The event will open to walk-ins beginning at noon, with supplies available on a first-come, first-served basis until 2 p.m. after that point.

"It really is a one-stop shop today. So think, if you had a family of four children, you can come today and knock it all out in a day," said Faye Austin, a board member. "Prices aren’t going down. They just keep climbing. So, for someone to come in and get those supplies that they need to get ready for school, we’re hoping to alleviate some of the pressure on those parents budgetwise."

Organizers were expecting more than 2,400 students and their families at Friday’s event.

The Source: The information in this story comes from new releases and interviews with organizers at the events.

EducationDallasTarrant CountyDallas ISDFort Worth ISD