Summer is officially on its final bell. Whether your kid heads back Monday or squeezes out a few extra days of sleeping in, here's every first day of school in the Memphis area for 2026–27.
Plus… tax-free weekend dates and where to find school supplies before that first alarm goes off.
Last updated July 2026.
📅 First Days of School, District by District
Every public school district in Shelby County starts within the same four-day window this year — Monday, August 3 through Thursday, August 6. Here's who goes back when.
Memphis & Shelby County
Memphis-Shelby County Schools — Monday, August 3. Tennessee's largest district is first out of the gate. Registration for the 2026–27 year is open now through the PowerSchool Parent Portal — knock it out before the last-minute rush.
The Suburbs
Germantown Municipal School District — Wednesday, August 5. The district's back-to-school guide has meet-the-teacher times, calendars, and everything else you need.
Collierville Schools — Wednesday, August 5. Orientation and verification day is Thursday, July 30 at your zoned school — morning and evening sessions for elementary and middle, grade-by-grade time slots for the high school.
Bartlett City Schools — Thursday, August 6. The Bartlett Back to School hub has supply lists by school and grade, plus start times for every campus.
Arlington Community Schools — Thursday, August 6. Registration runs through the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
Lakeland School System — Thursday, August 6.
Millington Municipal Schools — Thursday, August 6.
DeSoto County, Mississippi
DeSoto County Schools — Monday, August 3. Mississippi's side of the metro starts the same day as MSCS — Southaven, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, and Hernando families, your summer ends first too.
Private & Independent Schools
Briarcrest Christian School — Tuesday, August 11. Orientation day is Monday, August 10.
St. Mary's Episcopal School — Tuesday, August 11.
Memphis University School (MUS) — Monday, August 10
Hutchison School — Tuesday, August 11
Christian Brothers High School (CBHS) — Tuesday, August 11
Lausanne Collegiate School — Monday, August 10
Evangelical Christian School (ECS) — Tuesday, August 11
St. Agnes Academy–St. Dominic School — Wednesday, Aug 12
St. Benedict at Auburndale — Thursday, August 6
More Memphis-area independents exist beyond this list — if yours isn't here, let us know and we'll add it.
🎉 Community Back-to-School Bashes & Giveaways
Beyond the district calendars, Memphis's barbershops, churches, and community groups throw some of the best back-to-school events in the city — free haircuts, free supplies, free food, and a whole lot of bounce houses. Here's what's on the calendar this week.
Saturday, July 25 (Already Held)
These already wrapped up before we published — but the organizations behind them deserve the shoutout, and next year's guide will catch them on the "still to come" list.
Back 2 School Drive Thru Day (Princeton Avenue Baptist Church) — 468 Scott St. Free school supply giveaway.
Alpha Memphis Education Foundation (AMEF) Supply Drive (Alpha Delta Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity) — 4122 Barton Dr. Free supplies, haircuts, food, vendors, and music.
Backpacks and Bosses Back-to-School Event (Marineisha Hardrick, founder of Backpacks & Bosses) — 831 Jackson Ave. Free backpacks and supplies, local business vendors, and family activities.
Bridge of Hope Back-to-School Bash (Bridge of Hope Church) — Hickory Hill Community Center, 3910 Ridgeway Rd. Free haircuts and backpacks with school supplies.
Scholar in the Middle's 3rd Annual Back-to-School Bash — Hickory Ridge Middle School, 3920 Ridgeway Rd. Free school supplies, haircuts, food, and fun.
Memphis Health Center Back-to-School Health Fair — 60 E.H. Crump Blvd. Free backpacks with school supplies, immunizations, food, and music.
Nucor Steel Back to School Event (hosted by Mitchell High School) — Mitchell Community Center, 602 West Mitchell Rd. Free backpacks with supplies, food, and snow cones.
Whitehaven School Supply Giveaway (organized by Bridget Bradley) — John P. Freeman Optional School, 5250 Tulane Rd. Free supplies, community resources, and a TV raffle — packed the gym.
West Memphis' 2nd Annual Back-to-School Bash (City of West Memphis, West Memphis School District, Sonny Weems World, ASU Mid-South) — Lehr Arena parking lot, 503 West Broadway, West Memphis, AR. Free school supplies, food, music, and entertainment.
Wednesday, July 29
Hanley School Back to School Family Night — Welcome Back Bash — 4:30–6 PM at Hanley School. All families welcome, not just Hanley students: face painting, food, raffles, school tours, and on-the-spot registration for 2026–27. Free.
Saturday, August 1
Memphis Fire Department Back-to-School Giveaway — 9 AM–12 PM at Ed Rice Community Center, 2907 N. Watkins St. Free school supplies and haircuts.
All-N-One Community Back-to-School Event (All-N-One Bail Bonds) — 9 AM–3 PM at Bluff City Barber College, 1333 Jackson Ave. Free haircuts and backpacks.
Diamond Event Center Back to School Supply Giveaway — 10 AM–2 PM at 3885 S. Perkins, Ste. 7. Free school supplies and food while they last; kids must be present to receive supplies.
Greater Mt. Moriah's 1st Annual Community Fair (Greater Mt. Moriah Potter's House) — 10 AM–3 PM at 489 Edith Ave. Free school supplies, new and gently used uniforms, face painting, vendors, and health screenings.
Back 2 School Supply Drive (Heal the Hood & New Life of Memphis, hosted by Fat's Perfect Pair) — 11 AM–4 PM at Hickory Ridge Mall, 6075 Winchester Rd. Goal is to serve 500 kids with free supplies; every kid gets a hot dog and juice.
Back to School Giveaway (Thumbnthroughit, MikeyFreshCobar, HomieeP, and other local vendors) — 12:30–4 PM at 4941 Breckenwood. Vendors, shopping, food trucks, inflatable bouncers and waterslides, flag football, basketball, and kickball — plus a raffle for a free flat-screen TV.
Back to School Community Festival (Ray of Sun Events) — 1–4 PM at 781 South Highland St. Free school supplies, food, and haircuts, plus local vendors and activities.
Kaiser's Playland Back to School Bash — 2–7 PM at Hickory Hill Community Center, 3910 Ridgeway Rd. Free food, free fun (including a ball pit), and school supplies while they last, for K–8 kids.
South Memphis Back to School Collabo (Life Academy-Memphis) — 4–7 PM at Pullman's Barbershop, 237 Vance Ave. One-on-one basketball, backpacks and supplies, cash prizes, bounce houses, a food truck, and live local music.
Lunnmy3 D'zignz 1st Annual Back to School BBQ — Rodney Baber Park, 2283 James Rd. Free BBQ, snow cones, moon bounce, face painting, and a basketball tournament — plus free backpacks for the first 50 kids.
Back 2 School Giveaway – Quitman County (Ebony Johnson) — 11 AM–1 PM at 429 MLK Jr. Drive, Marks, MS (about 75 miles south of Memphis). Free school supplies for Quitman County families; parents or guardians must be present with children.
Sunday, August 2
5th Annual Back 2 School Haircuts and Hairdos ("Poundcake," sponsored by 360 Taxes) — 11 AM–4 PM at 2956 Elmore Park Rd, Bartlett. Free haircuts and hairdos for kids preschool through high school, plus free school supplies while they last, games, and food.
Back 2 School Drive: Community Giveback (Endo Cutz by ErinB, Kinks & Styles, Agape Roots Hair Studio, Professor Avery) — 10 AM–3 PM at 2389 Lamar Ave. Free hot dogs, chips, and drinks with any donation or hair service; kids haircuts $20, braids from $45. Walk-ins welcome — call 901-859-7425 with questions.
🚨 Details for these grassroots events come from flyers circulating on Facebook and Instagram — always double-check times and locations with the host before heading out, since community events can shift.
🛍️ Tax-Free Weekend: July 31 – August 2
Supply shopping without the sales tax is nearly 10% back in your pocket. Tennessee's sales tax holiday runs Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 2: clothing and school supplies $100 or less per item, plus computers and tablets up to $1,500.
And yes, online orders count.
🎒 Free Supplies, Backpacks & Shots
Backpack packed, budget intact.
United Way of the Mid-South's Stuff the Bus wraps with a donation drop-off Friday, July 31 (12–3 PM) at the Memphis Sports & Events Center, and families in need are invited to Family Day on Saturday, August 1 to pick up free supplies.
Beyond that, ABC24's roundup tracks additional giveaways and clinics all over the Mid-South, including MSCS's free immunization event.
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