Cuties with snow cones include event visitors, from left, Angelina, age 9, Kiara, 10-years old, and Kaia, age 5, who are joined here by Eunice, whose entourage was happy to be gifted with school supplies and some sweet treats at the Nashua School District's 23rd annual Back to School event presented Aug. 19 at Holman Stadium by the City of Nashua, the United Way of Greater Nashua and media partner The Telegraph, based in Nashua. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

NASHUA – Popcorn and snow cones were tasty lures for the Nashua School District’s 23rd annual Nashua Goes Back to School event, a grand gathering of representatives from 42 local organizations whose goal was to supply area students with school supplies while encouraging a sense of excitement for the upcoming school year.

The evening was hosted for the first time at historic Holman Stadium on Amherst Street by the City of Nashua and the United Way of Greater Nashua with media sponsorship from The Telegraph in Nashua and the backing of many other supporters.

Live DJ music by Carryl Roy of Royal Productions & Entertainment kept tykes hopping around on the green grass of the stadium outfield in front of an impressive bandstand. Treats, games and a wealth of school supplies were offered free to hundreds of attendees.

Visitors hobnobbed with members of Nashua South sports teams whose soccer and football players did a bit of community service by assisting as volunteers at the popcorn and snow cone stations.

“We love helping out at this community event,” said Josh Porter, head football coach.

Some in the crowd at the Nashua School District's recent Back to School event smile for the camera as others meander toward the bandstand, or elsewhere, while a snow cone volunteer, far right, finishes his candy and gives a gloved thumbs-up to the 23rd annual gathering. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

“It’s an opportunity for our players to serve the community that supports us every Friday night,” he added.

The occasion offered opportunities for local students to start the new school year with meet-and-greets with school principals.

The science minded sought out exhibits from potential future engineers, members of First Tech Challenge Robotics Team Tesseract. Girl Scouts of the Green & White Mountains and Cub Scouts from Pack 410 were on hand to share membership information, as were many more participants.

The event was documented by a team from Nashua ETV, whose broadcasts, covering everything from school board meetings to high school sports, are provided as a public service by the City of Nashua to viewers who seek out Cable Channel 22 for current programming.

More information from the Nashua School District, based at 141 Ledge St., is available online at welcome@nashua.edu. Calls can be made to 603-966-1000.

Nashua Parks and Recreation Department representatives Meredith Stensaas, left, and Autumn Palmer offered the crowd at the back-to-school event a number of flyers detailing upcoming activities that include Wheels & Wings, a free event on Sept. 19 at the Nashua Airport, and a Halloween Boo Bash, scheduled Oct. 17 at Greeley Park. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

Carryl Roy, local owner and operator of Royal Productions & Entertainment, brought to Nashua School District's Back to School event plenty of rock classics broadcast from a bandstand that drew some young jump-arounders and some teens at the Holman Stadium event. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

Officer J. Page, left, and Officer R. Byron, members of the Nashua Police Department, displayed this police command vehicle, one whose high-tech communication equipment was demonstrated to dozens of inquisitive youngsters at the recent back-to-school event. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON