Students gear up for school at annual Marshall County fair
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MOUNDSVILLE -- Hundreds of Marshall County Schools students lined up to get the supplies they need for a successful 2026-27 school year during the 26th annual Back To School Fun Fair on Wednesday in Moundsville.
Children picked out backpacks, notebooks, folders, crayons, pencils and other school supplies during the event at the John Marshall Field House.
They also received food, hygiene items, haircut vouchers and other necessities. Children and parents were treated to doughnuts and milk for breakfast, and fresh lemonade was available afterward.
Fair organizer Susie Baker said the line for the event stretched to the nearby football field, but moved steadily.
“It’s year 26. It’s unbelievable,” she said. “This is our first time in this location. It’s not as big as we’re used to, but we’re grateful to have it.”
The fair was moved to the field house because the Moundsville Center, located inside the former West Virginia Penitentiary, no longer hosts public events. The facility is now used only for training by the Northern Regional Jail.
“We have about 60 vendors, outside agencies, to meet with the parents,” Baker said. “We see new faces every year. For a while it was usually the same families, but it seems like it changes now with people moving in and out.”
Baker said she receives support each year from family members and friends to organize the event.
“Each year they still answer their phones and I know they have caller ID,” she quipped.
Baker founded the fair and also serves as the school district’s parent educator.
Among the vendors was Ashley Morris with the WV Birth to 3 program. Morris said WV Birth to 3 is an early intervention program for children through age 3 who may be experiencing developmental delays.
“It’s 100% free regardless of income,” she said. “We don’t charge insurance or anything like that.”
The program includes an evaluation of each child and helps connect families with the appropriate therapists. Referrals can come from physicians, family members, child care providers or other agencies. For information, call 800-619-5697.
Marshall County Schools’ first day of school is Aug. 18.