The Health Equity Health Fair is an annual, community-based event hosted in Manchester, Kentucky. Launched in partnership with the Thompson Scholars Foundation on March 21, 2024, the fair returned for its second year on March 25, 2025, and typically runs for five to seven hours. Each year, the event brings together medical professionals, community organizations and local resource providers to offer free health services, education and support. Since 2024, the fair has completed 81 health screenings and 450 community members have been connected with community care coordinators and local health care resources.

The Fair offers over 26 free services, including health screenings; vaccinations and preventive care education; OB/GYN and maternal and child health information; mental and behavioral health support; specialty consultations; cancer prevention education; eye exams and glasses; smoking cessation and harm reduction resources; domestic violence support; health insurance enrollment assistance; food pantry access; car seat safety checks; and emergency preparedness training. The event is staffed by AdventHealth nurses, advanced practice providers, behavioral health staff and marketing team members.

Why We Did It

The Health Equity Health Fair was created to address health disparities in rural eastern Kentucky by making health care more accessible and approachable. Many community members face barriers to seeking and accessing care, such as distance, cost, scheduling challenges, limited provider availability and lack of information. By bringing multiple services together in a single, accessible community setting, the fair helped reduce these barriers while promoting early detection and prevention through screenings, education and vaccinations. The event also connected participants with local providers and resources they may not otherwise access, supporting whole-person health across physical, mental, behavioral and social well-being. Through a community-centered approach, the fair encouraged engagement between community members and health professionals.