KTAR: Downtown Phoenix StoryWalk debuts at Arizona Center on Saturday
PHOENIX — Families will be able to read a story while enjoying a walk through Arizona Center beginning Saturday with the debut of StoryWalk.
A grand opening ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. for the outdoor literacy installation that features each page of a children’s storybook displayed on 18 signs throughout Arizona Center’s grotto area.
The StoryWalk will be managed by Downtown Phoenix Inc., with the organization selecting popular children’s books on a rotating basis.
“Downtown Phoenix is a wonderful place for children and families to live and visit, with multiple parks, cultural amenities and wonderful schools,” Sara Scoville Weaver, business development director for Downtown Phoenix Inc. said in a press release.
“Creating interactive, engaging streetscape installations has been a cornerstone of DPI’s work. This StoryWalk project is an exciting addition to that.”
Each book will be available in English and Spanish, the organization said, and include educational prompts and questions on each page.
The first 50 guests on Saturday will receive a copy of the first book to be featured at StoryWalk, “Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match” by author Monica Brown.
Brown will also be in attendance to sign books and meet fans during the ceremony that lasts until 11 a.m.
Other festivities of the grand opening include a ribbon cutting with Mayor Kate Gallego, free treats from Bosa Donuts, a Cold Stone Creamery gift card giveaway, kite decorating kits and other family-friendly activities, the organization said.
StoryWalk can be found in hundreds of cities across the country, the organization said, first starting in Vermont in 2007 by a specialist in chronic disease prevention who wanted to encourage families to be active while engaging in literacy.
A StoryWalk is also available at Cesar Chavez Park, which the Phoenix Public Library implemented in March of last year.