Nearly two weeks after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the East Valley is still celebrating the former civil rights leader.
Tempe residents will don their tennis shoes Saturday for the first East Valley Regional Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Walk.
The walk, between one and two miles long, will begin in various Tempe locations and will end when walkers arrive at the central location: Tempe Beach Park.
Tempe postponed the walk to Saturday, 12 days after the observed holiday, because so many events honoring King took place Jan. 19, said Ginny Belousek, city spokeswoman.
Belousek said the Unity Walk is unique because it includes rivaling Valley cities.
"This is the first time all of the East Valley cities have come together, despite all of our conflicts dealing with sports stadiums, freeways and aviation," she said. "It's a great opportunity for everyone to come together as a community and celebrate diversity."
When participants reach Tempe Beach Park, they will spend the rest of the afternoon celebrating.
The celebration will last from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature live multicultural music, international vendors, food booths and a variety of cultural performances by local and international guests.
"We'll have some great guests," Belousek said. "[Gov.] Janet Napolitano will give all of the Valley's seven mayors a state proclamation for participating in the first Unity Walk."
The festival also will include a performance by the ASU Hip-Hop Coalition.
"We're very happy about being able to perform," said Tina Lee, the group's choreographer. "It's about diversity, equality and all that [King] stood for."
Participants should meet at 9 a.m. Saturday at one of the following locations: Westside Community Center, 715 W. 5th St., ASU's Lot 59 at Scottsdale Road and Rio Salado Parkway, Daley Park at College Avenue and Encanto Drive or Tempe Papago Park at Curry Road and College Avenue.
The walk is free.
Reach the reporter at milos.podmanik@asu.edu.
