The Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida has set the date for Lee County’s 12th Annual BIG Backpack Event , a community-wide back to school festival and outreach program. Save the date for this year’s event, which will be held on Sunday, July 24 from 11 a.m. 3 p.m. at Harborside Event Center in Downtown Fort Myers.

The event is open to the public at no charge. The Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida’s main goal is to support students in need while celebrating the diversity in our community.

The BIG Backpack Event draws a crowd of 12,000 to 15,000 people, and provides backpacks and school supplies to the first 2,000 or more elementary school age children who attend. Children must be present with their parent or guardian to receive these supplies. The BIG Backpack Event also provides free services such as eye exams, haircuts and fingerprinting. Festivities include face painting, bounce house, inflatable slide, and a full day of live multicultural entertainment on the main stage.

The Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida is a 501c3 organization that raises funds to support students in need with their back-to-school needs. The Adopt-A-Student fundraising campaign is now underway with opportunities for members of the community to adopt a student in need for a $10 donation, or to become an event sponsor or vendor.

Event sponsors include Harborside Event Center, City of Fort Myers, Lee County Public Schools, Woman’s Life of SWFL, Ameri-Dry, Hispanic American Business Alliance, Harry Chapin Food Bank, CRE8 Salon & Spa and CONRIC PR & Marketing.

For more information about the BIG Backpack Event or to make an online donation please visit www.multiculturalcentre.org, call 239-561-7345, or email multicultural@juno.com. Tax deductible donations can also be made payable to The Multicultural Centre of SWFL and mailed to them at P.O. Box 61713 Fort Myers, Florida 33906.