The Rob Levine Free Backpack Giveaway Is Back in 2026: 2,000 Backpacks, Two Cities, One Weekend
Every August, Rob Levine shows up. For the past five years, that has meant a free afternoon with a DJ, carnival games, face painting, food trucks, and 1,000 backpacks packed with school supplies for families who need them. No tickets. No registration. No catch.
This year, he’s doing it twice.
This year the Rob Levine Gives Back backpack program is expanding beyond Rhode Island, adding a second Family Fun Fest at Polar Park Stadium in Worcester, Massachusetts. Two thousand backpacks across two cities in one weekend, and both events are completely free.
Rob Levine Family Fun Fest India Point Park, Providence, RI Saturday, August 22, 2026 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
The Providence event returns to its home at India Point Park. The first 1,000 children in line receive a backpack filled with everything they need to start the school year: notebooks, folders, pencils, crayons, scissors, glue sticks, and a water bottle. The day also includes a live DJ, carnival games, face painting, food trucks, a petting zoo, performers, and giveaways. Free and open to all families.
Rob Levine Family Fun Fest at Polar Park Polar Park Stadium, 100 Madison Street, Worcester, MA Sunday, August 23, 2026 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
The Family Fun Fest comes to Massachusetts for the first time at Polar Park, home of the Worcester Red Sox. One thousand backpacks will be distributed to local families on a first-come, first-served basis. The afternoon also features youth sports clinics, live music, food vendors, and family field games.
Who Is Rob Levine?
Rhode Islanders know him from the billboards. The full story goes deeper.
Rob Levine started giving back before he had anything to give. As a seventh grader he struggled in school, skipped classes, lacked confidence, and eventually got kicked out of public school. A transfer to a small private school changed everything. He went on to serve as an EMT at 16, a military police officer, a paramedic, and a police officer in Central Falls before building one of the most recognized legal brands in New England.
“My whole life is about giving back,” Levine has said. “I’m fortunate. I just want to be able to give back to the community and this is a chance to help the kids.”
The backpack program launched in 2021 at Roger Williams Carousel Village with 8 community organization partners. It moved to India Point Park in 2023 and has grown into one of the largest free back-to-school events in Rhode Island, drawing hundreds of families each year. Thousands of local students have started the school year with a Rob Levine backpack in their hands.
This year the program takes its next step. For families in Worcester, the Heavy Hitter is coming to town.
Both events are free. Backpacks are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information visit Rob Levine’s website here.
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