More About Back-to-School Events - Free Backpacks, Supplies, Giveaways & Family Fun! πποΈ
π Ready to kick off the new school year? Whether you're looking for free backpacks, school supplies, health resources, haircuts, family fun, or community celebrations, Northwest Indiana has plenty of back-to-school events to help families prepare.
We've rounded up giveaways and activities happening across the Region, with many events offering free supplies while they last.
π¨ Many backpack and school supply giveaways are available while supplies last. Arriving early is recommended.
ββββββββββββββ
π 3rd Annual Back to School Fest
GARY
July 25
π 9-11am
β¨ FREE backpack giveaways, haircuts, music, local healthcare, food trucks & more
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Life Sanctuary Back to School Community Event
MERRILLVILLE
July 25
π 12-2pm
β¨ FREE backpacks & school supplies (Pre-K β 5th grade), bounce houses, games, giveaways, food
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Tye's Bounce Parties 4th Annual Back to School Bash
HOBART
July 27
π 3-6pm
β¨ FREE backpacks & school supplies while supplies last, bounce houses, foam party, photo booth, meals for kids, raffles & more
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Fresh County Market Back to School Fair
GARY
July 29
π 3-6pm
β¨ FREE backpacks & school supplies, giveaways, community resources, raffles, prizes, food, music & games
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π K-POP RUMI Back to School Karaoke & Brunch Meet & Greet
CROWN POINT
August 1
π 10am-1pm
π΅β¨ FREE K-Pop drawstring backpack, accessories & school supplies with paid admission (ticketed event)
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Back to School Bash
HOBART
August 1
π 10:30am-12pm
β¨ FREE shoes (K - 5th grade), foam party, snow cones, inflatables, games, hot dogs & more
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π 2nd Annual Back to School Carnival
MERRILLVILLE
August 1
π 11am-1pm
β¨ FREE school supplies (Pre-K β 6th grade), food, free resources, fun for all
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
CHESTERTON
August 3
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
PORTAGE
August 3
π 2-4pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
MERRILLVILLE
August 4
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
LAKE STATION
August 4
π 2-4pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
DEMOTTE
August 5
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
CROWN POINT
August 5
π 2-4pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
GARY
August 6
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
HAMMOND
August 6
π 2-4pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π LifeWise Academy Back to School Bash
LA PORTE
August 6
π 3-7pm
β¨ FREE backpacks, school supplies, toiletries, pizza
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
LA PORTE
August 7
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Lake Ridge Volunteer Fire Dept Back 2 School Bash
GARY
August 8
π 12-4pm
β¨ FREE school supplies, carnival style games, concessions, meet local heroes & tour fire trucks
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π New Revelation Missionary Baptist Church Back to School Bash & Community Health Fair
GARY
August 8
π 10am-2pm
β¨ FREE back to school supplies, children's activities, health screens, wellness information
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π City-Wide Back to School Rally
MICHIGAN CITY
August 8
π 11am-3pm
β¨ FREE school supplies, vaccinations, games, food & fun
π¨ For Michigan City & MCAS families, guardians will be asked for ID
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π The Father's Heart Church Back to School Event
GARY
August 15
π 11am-3pm
β¨ FREE backpacks, school supplies, giveaways, food, bouncy houses, basketball contest, live entertainment
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Back to School Bash
MICHIGAN CITY
August 16
π 1-5pm
β¨ FREE school supply giveaway, barbers for boys, stylists for girls, food, music, games, activities, giveaways & prizes
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Tips for Back to School brought to you by Northshore Health Centers
β¨ All school-aged children who have a wellness visit or sports physical are eligible to get a FREE backpack filled with school supplies
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
πππππ§ππ’π‘ππ ππ’π π π¨π‘ππ§π¬ π₯ππ¦π’π¨π₯πππ¦:
Click for Details
We've rounded up giveaways and activities happening across the Region, with many events offering free supplies while they last.
π¨ Many backpack and school supply giveaways are available while supplies last. Arriving early is recommended.
ββββββββββββββ
π 3rd Annual Back to School Fest
GARY
July 25
π 9-11am
β¨ FREE backpack giveaways, haircuts, music, local healthcare, food trucks & more
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Life Sanctuary Back to School Community Event
MERRILLVILLE
July 25
π 12-2pm
β¨ FREE backpacks & school supplies (Pre-K β 5th grade), bounce houses, games, giveaways, food
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Tye's Bounce Parties 4th Annual Back to School Bash
HOBART
July 27
π 3-6pm
β¨ FREE backpacks & school supplies while supplies last, bounce houses, foam party, photo booth, meals for kids, raffles & more
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Fresh County Market Back to School Fair
GARY
July 29
π 3-6pm
β¨ FREE backpacks & school supplies, giveaways, community resources, raffles, prizes, food, music & games
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π K-POP RUMI Back to School Karaoke & Brunch Meet & Greet
CROWN POINT
August 1
π 10am-1pm
π΅β¨ FREE K-Pop drawstring backpack, accessories & school supplies with paid admission (ticketed event)
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Back to School Bash
HOBART
August 1
π 10:30am-12pm
β¨ FREE shoes (K - 5th grade), foam party, snow cones, inflatables, games, hot dogs & more
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π 2nd Annual Back to School Carnival
MERRILLVILLE
August 1
π 11am-1pm
β¨ FREE school supplies (Pre-K β 6th grade), food, free resources, fun for all
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
CHESTERTON
August 3
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
PORTAGE
August 3
π 2-4pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
MERRILLVILLE
August 4
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
LAKE STATION
August 4
π 2-4pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
DEMOTTE
August 5
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
CROWN POINT
August 5
π 2-4pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
GARY
August 6
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
HAMMOND
August 6
π 2-4pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π LifeWise Academy Back to School Bash
LA PORTE
August 6
π 3-7pm
β¨ FREE backpacks, school supplies, toiletries, pizza
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Northshore Health Centers National Health Centers Week
LA PORTE
August 7
π 10am-12pm
β¨ FREE backpacks for the first 50 children, while supplies last, health resources & blood pressure screenings
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Lake Ridge Volunteer Fire Dept Back 2 School Bash
GARY
August 8
π 12-4pm
β¨ FREE school supplies, carnival style games, concessions, meet local heroes & tour fire trucks
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π New Revelation Missionary Baptist Church Back to School Bash & Community Health Fair
GARY
August 8
π 10am-2pm
β¨ FREE back to school supplies, children's activities, health screens, wellness information
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π City-Wide Back to School Rally
MICHIGAN CITY
August 8
π 11am-3pm
β¨ FREE school supplies, vaccinations, games, food & fun
π¨ For Michigan City & MCAS families, guardians will be asked for ID
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π The Father's Heart Church Back to School Event
GARY
August 15
π 11am-3pm
β¨ FREE backpacks, school supplies, giveaways, food, bouncy houses, basketball contest, live entertainment
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Back to School Bash
MICHIGAN CITY
August 16
π 1-5pm
β¨ FREE school supply giveaway, barbers for boys, stylists for girls, food, music, games, activities, giveaways & prizes
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
π Tips for Back to School brought to you by Northshore Health Centers
β¨ All school-aged children who have a wellness visit or sports physical are eligible to get a FREE backpack filled with school supplies
Click for Details
ββββββββββββββ
πππππ§ππ’π‘ππ ππ’π π π¨π‘ππ§π¬ π₯ππ¦π’π¨π₯πππ¦:
Click for Details
Date & Time
July 25, 2026
Additional Dates
This event also occurs on:
07/27/2026, 07/29/2026, 08/01/2026, 08/02/2026 and 8 other dates
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Indiana 46383
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