Is it just us or is shopping for school supplies actually fun sometimes? Writing always goes better with colored pens. And back-to-school clothes aren't just a necessity for growing kids — they're an opportunity to try something new. But getting the right erasers...okay, it can pretty tedious.

Barton Creek Square, a shopping mall where the MoPac Expressway meets the Barton Creek Greenway, is heralding the new season with a back-to-school festival that makes the obligatory shopping a lot more engaging.

In partnership with its "anchoring retailer" Nordstrom and the Kindness Campaign (TKC), the mall is holding its annual "Barton Back to School Bash" on August 5. There will also be an opportunity to donate school supplies for other kids.

The main event is a fashion show in front of Nordstrom, showing off "the latest trends" available from onsite retailers. The event continues with "lively music," balloon and temporary tattoo artists, and some deeper thinking exercises. Kids are encouraged to be kind, aided by TKC's activities and Enoughie's Magic Mirror.

The Magic Mirror seeks honest self-reflection from users, and gives affirmation in return. A demo on the Kindness Campaign's website shows an earlier iteration for adult women that reminds them of actual successes they've experienced — not just one-size-fits-all encouragement. The activities through the KindArt initiative give a tangible chance for kids to reflect while being creative.

For more tangible bits of kindness, TKC is running a school supply drive with the local branch of Communities in Schools. An online list shows what supplies are still needed, from now until the Back to School Bash. If donors want to get creative — or are prone to impulse buying markers and stickers — they can bring their wares to the event and drop them in the bin inside Nordstrom.

The donated supplies "will go directly back to the Central Texas school districts," according to a release.

The "Barton Back to School Bash" will be held on August 5 from 10 am to 2 pm at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. More information about the event is available at simon.com. There are few school supplies sold at the mall, so attendees who plan to donate in-person should pick those items up before the event.