Cave Creek Luminaria Run set for 9th year

MARC BUCKHOUT ~ MANAGING EDITOR~ 11/30/2011

The Cave Creek Luminaria Run will celebrate its 9th anniversary event at 5:15 p.m., Saturday beginning at the Cave Creek Rodeo Grounds.
The event, which has drawn as many as 1,200 runners in past years, is back under
the leadership of Carefree native Meribeth Reeves who handed the event over
in recent years.
“We draw from all over the world, Canada, Australia, Great Britain,” she said. “It’s a unique kind of run. There are very few evening runs. It’s a beautiful unique experience.”
This year’s event will be the first time the event has used the current course, which features city views, rolling hills on an out and back course.
“It’s a little easier in avoiding traffic,” Reeves said. “We also think it’s a really quiet, nice run that the runners will enjoy.”
Proceeds from the event will support Desert Foothills Theater, DFT Gecko Teatro as well as Hayley’s BMT
Buddies at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The effort supports bone marrow transplants.
Registration is $22 for adults in the 5K Run/Walk, $20 for adults in the 1-mile fun
run/walk, $15 for youth ages 18 and under.
Day of the event registration is $25 for adults, and $15 for youth 18 years and
under. Participation packets can be picked up at Roadrunner Sports, located at 7077 E. Mayo Blvd. in Phoenix.
Following all the races there will be an awards ceremony at 6 p.m. Bart, the owner of Indian Village, will be on hand to serve fry bread and chili.
 In addition to looking for runners the event also is seeking volunteers and sponsors.
“We have a lot of different positions we need to fill,” she said. “Luminaria crews meet at 1:30 p.m. the day of the race, four to a pickup. They fill bags with sand and a candle and place them along the parade route. Then they go get something to eat and comeback around 4 p.m. and light the candles.
For information on getting involved or to register to run go to luminariarun.org or call 480-488-1981. There will be free parking for the event. Those attending are asked to enter the fairgrounds north on 24th Street on East Maddock Road rather than 32nd Street.
“Registration is higher by 100 runners than where we were last year,” Reeves said. “The nice thing about the race is it has that small town feel. We want to build it back up to around 1,200, but we don’t want to get any bigger than that. There’s a quiet, calm, feel about the night time event, but there’s still a fun aspect to it. When you get too big you can lose some of that.”