MARYSVILLE Two very important diversity events are scheduled for this week, but youve got to get the dates correct.
Marysvilles first Cinco de Mayo Community Festival will be held May 4, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at the Marysville Junior High School campus at Seventh Street and State Avenue.
The event was started by a ninth-grader at the school who felt alienated by recent discussions about race, immigration and culture. Jessica Tapia got the ball rolling in late March and many businesses and groups have signed on as sponsors, including several Mexican restaurants, the city of Marysville, Camp Fire USA, Sea Mar Community Health Centers, the Marysville Soroptimists as well as the Marysville School District and the YMCA of Snohomish County. The free event will include several speakers and City Council members have said they will attend.
And that brings us to our second event the next day, on May 5, the third annual YMCA of Snohomish Countys Diversity Celebration.
The free event is held at the Y on 64th Street in Marysville and will feature many multicultural performances, exhibits, dances, story telling. There will also be food, arts and crafts and other activities. Other branches in Monroe, Mukilteo and Everett will have similar events with performances varying from branch to branch.
The Marysville event will feature Hawaiian dancers and the Heather Clan Dancers. Past performances included colorful costumes representing ethnic groups from around the world.
The Marysville YMCA is located at 6420 60th Drive NE in Marysville.
Marysville Junior High School is located at 1605 Seventh Street, in Marysville, on State Avenue.