A popular back-to-school event will have a new location this year.

The “Unity in the Community” event will be Saturday, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., at Grace Fellowship. There will be regular shuttles from Houston Avery Park, starting at 10:30 p.m.

The Concerned Citizens of Atmore, Grace Fellowship and the Brewton District Missionary Department are sponsors of the event. Planned activities include free food, free carnival activities, free entertainment, free uniforms and free school supplies. One scheduled guest is Ryan and Friends, a popular Christian-themed ventriloquist.

Ruth Robinson, children’s ministry director at Grace Fellowship, said the event is designed to get kids excited about going back to school.

“It’s a carnival-type atmosphere to get kids excited, but it’s also a chance to hand out uniforms and school supplies to kids in need,” Robinson said. “It’s just about promoting education in the community, and everyone coming together.”

There will also be information booths, and parents will receive “credits” for visiting these educational stations. Those credits can then be redeemed for the free uniforms and school supplies.

Robinson said some of the information booths will include HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters), Save-A-Life, Atmore Public Library and other community organizations. Deputy Danny Lambert of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will be there with his drug police dog, “Ajax,” and there will be information about drug abuse and prevention available as well.

In previous years, the event had been held at Houston Avery Park. However, this year organizers moved it to Grace Fellowship.

“I met with Sandra Gray, with the Concerned Citizens of Atmore, and we talked about the pros and cons of each location,” Robinson said. “We decided to try and hold it here at Grace, because we have a kitchen and indoor facilities. It’s August, and it’s hot.

“This way, we’ll be able to have some events inside with the air conditioning, while at the park that wasn’t really an option. We’ll just try it this year and see how it goes; we can always move it back to the park in the future if it doesn’t work out.”

Robinson said that there will be regular shuttles in place to transport kids and parents to and from Houston Avery Park, as well. The first shuttle will leave at 10:30 a.m., and they will run on a continuous loop at least every half hour.

For more information about the event, call Robinson at (251) 368-4463.