Thursday, July 30, 2026

Students Will Choose New Backpacks in UCLA’s Locker Room at the Rose Bowl

[photo credit: Eventbrite]

Organizers say Sunday’s third annual Dena giveaway will include a youth soccer clinic and a roster of elected officials, 15 days before Pasadena Unified reopens

The line for a free backpack on Sunday will run through the UCLA Bruins’ football locker room.

Organizers of the third annual Dena Community Backpack Giveaway say students who have registered will pick out their supplies inside the locker room at Rose Bowl Stadium, then walk through the players’ tunnel onto the field — the route the Bruins charge out every game day.

The free event runs Sunday, August 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., about two weeks before Pasadena Unified School District opens the school year.

The giveaway will reach thousands of students and will offer up live entertainment, games, complimentary food and snacks, resource booths, and a youth soccer clinic and tournament on the north side of the field, along with dozens of nonprofit organizations and community partners.

Organizers describe the event as a way to connect families with educational and community resources and to ease the financial burden of back-to-school costs.

The announcement names the children’s educational character Blippi — billed as a surprise special guest — Paralympic swimmer Jamal Hill, California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, Pasadena City Councilmembers Steve Madison and Tyron Hampton, and UCLA football student-athletes and the UCLA Cheer Squad. 

Several names carry local ties. Pérez represents the 25th Senate District, which includes Pasadena and Altadena, and chairs the Senate Education Committee. Luna’s department serves unincorporated Altadena through its Altadena Station. Madison’s District 6 covers the neighborhoods above the Rose Bowl, and Hampton has represented nearby District 1 since 2015.

Registration is free and required through the stadium’s event page at rosebowlstadium.com and through Eventbrite. Tickets are for students only; parents and guardians do not need one. The stadium has said walk-ups are welcome, and the listing is published in English and Spanish. Rose Bowl Stadium is at 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103; the main number is (626) 577-3100.

Pasadena Unified students return to class on Monday, August 17.