On one side of Poughkeepsie High School’s track were inflatable attractions that kept kids giggling. On another, a horse-drawn carriage delighted families with hayrides.

A row of tables and trucks with free food faced another row of community organizations across the field, offering free games, produce and advice.

And above it all were clouds that resisted letting go of their rain just long enough for hundreds of Poughkeepsie City School District families to enjoy the party.

The third annual Back to School Bash Saturday welcomed well over 1,000 parents and students to Poughkeepsie High School. The Community Schools-run event featured games, music, food and giveaways of backpacks, school supplies, clothing vitamins and other items.

“It’s a nice family event,” Chevona Barrett said while watching her daughters run from a giant inflatable slide to an equally giant inflatable obstacle course. “I’m having fun. It’s good for the kids. The food was good. We come every year.”

The idea, Community Schools Executive Director Natasha Brown said, is to provide families with a fun event to start the school year off right. All year, Community Schools provides programming – such as Saturday Morning Lights, the spring block party and the Elite Adventure Summer Camp – to engage students outside of classroom hours.

Attendees were treated to ice cream, Italian ice, cotton candy and popcorn, in addition to more substantial lunch food. There was also a petting zoo and demonstrations from the cheerleading team and the AFJROTC.

In all, 700 backpacks filled with school supplies were given away, and Community Schools is obtaining several hundred more for students who were unable to receive one. Families are asked to contact Helen Purnell at the Parent Empowerment Center at HPurnell@poughkeepsieschools.org if they are in need of a backpack.

Thirty community-based organizations also either provided sponsorship, support or had tables at which parents could learn more about services available to them. Dutchess Outreach and the Poughkeepsie Farm Project offered free produce and most of the tables had either a game or a giveaway for kids. The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center stand had a coloring activity, Comunilife’s table had containers of bubbles and the Marist Liberty Partnerships Program handed out ice pops.

Melissa Harris said such community events are a chance for neighbors to come together, and make for an easy afternoon occupying her children. “If we didn’t have events the kids would be all over the place in the house,” she said. “This makes it perfect – they can run, have fun, see their friends and play.”

With gray skies overhead and rain forecast for the late afternoon, Brown was nervous the fun may be effectively washed out. However, “about 10 minutes to noon, the line just kept building,” she said.

It wasn’t until around 3:15 p.m., 15 minutes after the event ended, that the skies opened up for what Brown called “a torrential downpour” on the staff and volunteers cleaning up the space. That, she said with a laugh, was OK. “We made it!”

For next year, Brown said she plans to ask families to register in advance in order to make sure they have enough backpacks and school supplies to hand out. She also plans to work with the schools “to make sure the school supplies we’re getting are in line with what the schools are requesting.”

In the short time it’s existed, the party to kick off the new school year has become a staple for many families in the city. “Every year they’ve had it, we’ve come,” Barrett said. “We’ll be here next year!”