Winter Community Day 2027
Bishop Backers Invite Nonprofits, Businesses to Register Now for Expo Space at Jan. 23 OWU Event
DELAWARE, Ohio – The Bishop Backers invite you to save the date for Winter Community Day 2027, a countywide Delaware celebration featuring free admission (with a canned food donation) to an Ohio Wesleyan University women's and men's basketball doubleheader and a Delaware Expo that showcases local nonprofit organizations and businesses.
Bishop Backers Winter Community Day 2027 will be held Saturday, Jan. 23, at Ohio Wesleyan's Branch Rickey Arena and Gordon Field House, 105 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. In addition to free admission, the event features free on-campus parking.
Organizations wishing to have a table at the Delaware Expo are asked to register online now at owu.edu/BishopBackers. Tables are $25 for for-profit businesses, payable at the time of registration, and free for nonprofit organizations. The registration deadline for both groups is Jan. 4, 2027.
All participants are invited to collect canned goods in advance at their locations to contribute to the day's food drive, which will benefit the Delaware County Hunger Alliance, a United Way of Delaware County initiative.
During the family-friendly Bishop Backers event, the OWU women's basketball team will take on the Wittenberg University Tigers at 1 p.m., and the men's team will battle the Denison Big Red at 3 p.m.
The Delaware Expo will be open from noon to 3 p.m. Jan. 23 and is expected to feature:
- Animals from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
- A children's play area from the Delaware Community Center YMCA
- Dogs from the Humane Society of Delaware County
- An inflatable fire safety house from the Delaware Fire Department, with free helmets and stickers for children
- CPR and AED training from Delaware County Emergency Medical Services
- Officers and equipment from the Delaware Police Department
- A free raffle for a big-screen television, sponsored by First Commonwealth Bank
- 50/50 raffles benefiting the Hunger Alliance
Community Day brings people together for a free afternoon of entertainment and education, building on the strong sense of cooperation and collaboration that makes Delaware such a great community. The expo also helps businesses and nonprofit organizations to connect with potential customers and volunteers, including Ohio Wesleyan students and alumni.
The Bishop Backers is an organization of community advocates interested in sharing information about athletics and other events at Ohio Wesleyan and in connecting potential student-volunteers, interns, and employees with local organizations. Learn more at owu.edu/BishopBackers.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is America's University for Ambitious Self-Discovery. At the private liberal arts university in Delaware, Ohio, students find their purpose and build the skills to pursue it through the OWU Connection, which links classroom learning to research, internships, travel-learning, and service. Ohio Wesleyan offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III sports. The university is featured in "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report "Best Colleges" list. Connect with OWU expert sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu/admission.