St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children’s ‘Back-to-School Carnival’ returns for 14th annual celebration

It’s that time of year when kids and parents begin preparation for a return to school. To help make that process easier, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children is once again hosting a Back-to-School Carnival for local families.

The 14th annual Back-to-School Carnival will take place, rain or shine, on Friday, Aug. 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Lighthouse Field. Thousands of free backpacks will be distributed to the surrounding community, each stuffed with various school supplies, including notebooks, pencils, and folders. Younger kids will receive a complimentary toy.

Since the carnival’s inception, the free event has hosted more than 20,000 children and their families and provided school supplies to almost 15,000 kids.

More than 40 health and social service agencies from across the Philadelphia area will also be in attendance in order to offer information on children’s health. Among those agencies attending will be the PEAL center, Elwyn, the American Red Cross, and the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania.

This year’s carnival will include games, food, a DJ, water ice, an ice cream truck, face painters, a magic show, moon bounces, and a video game truck. The Phillie Phanatic and Marshall from Paw Patrol will also be on site for a meet-and-greet, along with various costumed superheroes.

“This has become an important event for the community that St. Christopher’s serves,” said Renee Turchi, MD, medical director of St. Christopher’s Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs. “A number of families might otherwise struggle to provide the supplies their kids need to be ready for the new school year. The carnival is a fun day for the whole family and a great way to help them get started, as well as providing health screenings and access to valuable resources through our community partners.”

For more information, visit stchristopherscarnival.com