The event, coordinated by the City of Dunkirk, Dunkirk City School District, and United Way of Chautauqua County, provided families with a chance to connect as one before the school year officially begins.

“This is a great example of the community coming together,” said Amy Rohler, Executive Director of the United Way of Chautauqua County.

Rohler said her favorite part of the event is to “see kids getting excited for school again.” A focal point of the United Way of Chautauqua County is youth opportunity. Rohler called the Back To School Bash “one of the ways we’re giving back to Dunkirk families with resources for youth.”

Bounce houses, provided by Bounce About, were a popular attraction with crowds gathered around to look on or wait their turn. Behind the line was an ice cream truck from Dunkirk’s own Wells Enterprises. Music provided by Deejay Giulia Giuffre of Star Sirch was playing over speakers just a few feet away.

Hundreds gathered at Point Gratiot Park for the Bash Monday.

Haircuts were provided at the pavilion by the Dunkirk Fredonia Lions Club under the theme of “Tame Your Mane”. Hot dogs, chips, and beverages were also available from Personal Touch Food Service.

Guests received backpacks with school supplies to prepare for the new school year, while principals and staff from each of Dunkirk’s schools across the district were on hand to answer any questions families had before the first day.

“It’s nice to see the families ahead of school starting,” said Danielle Russell, Dunkirk School 5 Principal. “It’s a nice event where the whole community comes together.”

More than anything, the event gives students and their families a chance to form a connection with trusted adults before the first day of school, which can help students and families immensely in the early days of the school year. Russell said the event “absolutely” helps make her job easier once school starts.

“When they come to school on the first day, they recognize us. That’s nice for the parents and for the students,” Russell said.

Several children throughout the afternoon enjoyed the bubble machine set up at the resource tent at Monday’s event.

The event launched as a way to bring the community together again coming out of the pandemic. The former Picnic at the Point event by the City and the School’s annual back to school event combined to become one annual tradition, now known as the Back To School Bash. The United Way has joined forces to make the event even bigger each year.

“This partnership between the City of Dunkirk, Dunkirk City Schools, and the United Way, it just makes sense. We’re bringing people to a beautiful space in the city park, giving them resources in the community, and getting them ready for school. We just love doing it, it’s a lot of fun,” Rohler said.

Now that the event has become a regular occurrence each year, students have made a point to return to visit representatives from their current or former schools.

“This brings everybody together from all the different schools and all the different levels. It’s nice that the older kids come back and see their old teachers and principals from years past. It’s really nice to have the community come together as a whole,” Russell said.

While the event was billed as a family-friendly experience, that did not mean it was only focused on supporting Dunkirk children before school begins. Various local agencies set up under a tent near the pavilion to offer support to adults in the community.

Lines formed throughout the afternoon around the bounce houses at Monday’s event.

“It’s not just resources for kids, it’s resources for parents too,” Rohler said.

Several hundred adults visited the tent throughout the afternoon to receive information from the various groups in attendance, including Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Allegheny Highlands Council, Campus and Community Children’s Center, Rural Ministries, Chautauqua Opportunities, Feed More WNY, Good Hope Baptist Church, JCLC, JCC, Nestle Purina, YWCA of Jamestown, Scouts of America Pack 267, NYS Department of Civil Service, Molina Healthcare, The Resource Center, Catholic Charities WIC, Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and The Chautauqua Center.

The event was free of charge thanks to sponsorship from Personal Touch Food Service, Wells Enterprises, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, Cattaraugus County Bank, Refresco, Lions Club, KeyBank, Walmart, Piede Tents, Nestle Purina, Molina Healthcare, Save A Lot, Fredonia Ford, National Grid, The Waterfront Foundation, Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club and Kosciuszko Club.

Coordinators of the event were Kisun Peters, Dunkirk City School District Principal and Director of Family & Community Engagement; Rohler and Dan Siracuse of the United Way of Chautauqua County; and Scott Mekus, Dunkirk Festivals Event Specialist.