08/11/2026
1,422 people. 💗
That is our final estimated attendance for Friendship Fest 2026, making this the largest Friendship Fest in our eight-year history.
And somehow, the number still isn’t the part that means the most to us.
The day started with rain. Real rain. ☔ We watched people arrive with umbrellas and rain boots, still determined to come out and be part of Friendship Fest. We didn’t know what the weather would mean for the day, so seeing our community friends show up anyway meant more than we can say.
Then the rain cleared.
And y’all CAME. 🥹
As the crowd grew, we started noticing something that reminded us exactly why Friendship Fest has become what it is.
Yes, the backpacks are appreciated. The Look Good, Feel Good bags are appreciated. The resources and everything that goes into helping people prepare for back to school are important.
But community is the heart of Friendship Fest.
There were people who came who didn’t need a backpack or anything else we were giving away. They came to see people they knew. They came to catch up. Some met new people. Others simply spent a Saturday hanging out with their community.
Watching people laugh, talk, reconnect, meet their neighbors and just enjoy being together was a beautiful sight.
Eight years ago, we could not have imagined Friendship Fest growing into a day that would bring an estimated 1,422 people together.
Thank you for showing up in the rain. Thank you for staying when the rain cleared out. And most of all, thank you for reminding us that Friendship Fest is about exactly what its name says.
Friendship. Community. Us. 💗
See you Friendship Fest 2027!
