LEWISTON — On Friday, Maine Immigrant & Refugee Services will hold its annual “Back to School Bash” to help prepare kids returning to the classroom in coming weeks.

The event will feature games, food and back-to-school supplies handed out for free to local youngsters.

It ought to be a fun and easy affair, but in the past couple years, things have gotten harrowing.

Last year’s event took a dangerous turn when rounds of gunshots were fired in the area near Mike McGraw Field on Bartlett Street just as the back-to-school gathering was getting underway.

Nobody was seriously injured in that shooting, but at least one vehicle was struck by gunfire and one event participant was treated for a respiratory problem after panic rolled through the crowd.

Since then, three more shootings have been reported in the area, which is also home to Masjidu Salaam Mosque, located just down the road from Mike McGraw Field.

Organizers from MEIRS, though, did not consider canceling this year’s event. Instead, they’ve taken precautions to prevent violence from breaking out while children and their families are gathered at the field.

For one, they’ve hired a detail of uniformed Lewiston police officers to monitor the event. Additionally, according to Lewiston police Lt. Derrick St. Laurent, beat officers working that side of the city will be dropping in on the event just to maintain a greater presence.

Between the hours of 5 and 7 p.m. on Friday, in other words, that location would be a terrible place for someone out to cause mischief.

“We just wanted to make sure that everyone is safe down there and having fun,” said MEIRS Director Rilwan Osman.

In addition to school supplies giveaways, the event will also feature music, face painting, henna tattoos and general celebrations for the return of another school year.

“An evening of fun activities, community gathering, school supplies, and much more,” according to the MEIRS event description. “Let’s kick off the school year right and equip our youth with the tools and resources they need to succeed.”