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Thousands of people packed Mount Olive Baptist Church in Centreville on Saturday, Aug. 9, as its second annual Back-to-School Festival distributed 2,725 free backpacks filled with grade-appropriate supplies.
About 3,600 people attended the 2025 festival, supported by 268 volunteers. No registration was required, and each student from pre-K through 12th grade could receive a backpack ahead of Fairfax County Public Schools’ first day on Aug. 18.
The church also provided 1,132 lunches and 1,016 desserts. Free admission, giveaways, food trucks, carnival attractions, a bounce house and entertainment added to the crowds. Attendance was so high that many visitors parked at the nearby Cinemark Centreville 12 theater and rode a shuttle to the church.
Senior Pastor Rev. Jonathan T.G. Wilkins Sr. said the event was intended to ease pressure on families facing rising prices. Families expected to spend an average of $875 on back-to-school purchases in 2025, according to the National Retail Federation.
Wilkins called the scene “organized chaos” and said he was “overwhelmed with joy” by the excitement, relief and affection visible among attendees.
Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill said the turnout also reflected a broader need. He called on government agencies, nonprofits and faith-based groups to focus their efforts on residents requiring the most help, describing that cooperation as central to the One Fairfax mission.
Health screenings and other services
The festival extended well beyond school supplies. Visitors could receive blood-pressure screenings, pediatric dental checks and immunizations, while CPR demonstrations were also available.
Dr. Sharmaine M. McCoy, president of the church’s Health and Wellness Ministry, said people with positive screening results would be connected with federally qualified health centers.
The Potomac Health Foundation supported the work with a $125,000 grant. Its funding backed the Helping Everyone Access Resources for Total Heart Health, or HEART, project, which addresses food insecurity and screens people for previously undiagnosed hypertension.
Giant Pharmacy supplied vaccines, while the Maxey Foundation conducted CPR demonstrations. Visitors could also receive free haircuts and styling, attend a college fair and collect nonperishable food.
Local businesses, organizations and church members funded the festival through donations. Sponsors included United Healthcare, Infinite Legacy, Hamm Consulting Group LLC and the JGH Educational and Charitable Foundation.
Volunteers manage the surge
Fairfax County’s Community Emergency Response Team helped control the large crowds. Operations division lead James Sobecke said organizers used a detailed site plan accounting for capacity, entrances, exits, barriers and staffed tents.
The team also applied lessons from an analysis conducted after the inaugural festival, adjusting the operation based on what had and had not worked during the first year.
Volunteer Coreck Paton said the goal was to help people from every background and remind those in need that their community cares about them.
Wilkins now hopes to expand the effort by partnering with other Fairfax County congregations, potentially doubling the festival’s capacity and sharing its model elsewhere. His long-term goal is to ensure that no child in Fairfax or Prince William County goes without a backpack.