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Columbus City Schools plans Aug. 16 back‑to‑school fair, aims for 13,000 attendees and 10,000 backpacks
Summary
The district announced plans for its fourth annual back‑to‑school fair on Aug. 16, 2025, at Fort Hayes. Staff expects about 13,000 attendees and plans to distribute roughly 10,000 backpacks; the event will include wellness services, hands‑on CPR training, 100 vendors and expanded ESL/accessibility supports.
The Columbus City Schools Office of Engagement presented logistics and goals for the district’s fourth annual back‑to‑school fair scheduled for Aug. 16, 2025, at Fort Hayes.
Lee Cole said the fair has grown from 7,500 attendees in 2022 to more than 12,000 last year. For 2025 she said the district is targeting 13,000 attendees and planning to distribute about 10,000 backpacks and school supplies. Cole outlined operational changes intended to shorten lines and improve access: multiple, separate backpack distribution lanes (K–2 and grade 3–12 stations), distributed supply stations to spread attendees along vendor rows, bilingual liaisons and section leads equipped with pocket‑talk devices for real‑time language support, and entertainment to hold arriving families in staging areas.
Cole provided a budget estimate of about $51,000 for the event and said $33,000 of a $40,000 fundraising goal had been raised at the time of the meeting. She listed headline sponsors who had committed, including NBC4, Western Governors, OSU, Fifth Third Bank, Nationwide and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce; she asked the committee and community to help recruit volunteers, sponsors and in‑kind donations.
The fair will offer wellness services (Nationwide Children’s Health), hands‑on CPR by the Red Cross, volunteer opportunities for high‑school students who need service hours, and more robust ESL/translation access than in prior years. Registration is requested (one backpack per registered child). Cole said vendors generally provide giveaway supplies that draw families to table rows and that the district screens vendor requests and provides vendor space at no charge.
Cole asked committee members to consider supporting the fair through volunteer shifts, sponsor referrals, or by staffing information tables to help families asking questions about enrollment and district services.
For families: the district asks that households register in advance so planners can manage quantities and staffing.
