Sunday, October 26, the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC) will be hosting its 5th annual Yes Day! Walk for Autism event at Tempe Beach Park.

The first Yes Day! The event was held in October of 2020, and, according to SARRC’s Director of Individual Giving and Events, Randi O’Connor, the event has grown significantly each year since.

‘’This year, we have 67 different booths and vendors and so finding spots to fit them all is going to be a tall task,’’ O’Connor said.

The event will feature a one-mile walk around Tempe Beach Park, appearances by representatives of the Arizona Cardinals, and an instructor-led stretch workout session, among other festivities.

When asked about Yes Day! Walk for Autism and its meaning, O’Connor told Northeast Valley News, “When you come to Yes Day! You are saying yes to providing children, teenagers, and adults on the autism spectrum with the resources they need to be able to succeed in their lives, such as autism training for first responders, and building more inclusive communities for individuals on the autism spectrum.

O’Connor said people who are attending the event should be excited for this year because it will undoubtedly have ‘’The largest number of autism organizations, there to interact with Arizona autism families and provide potentially life-changing information to a family who needs the information to support themselves in their journey.’’

The true impact of Yes Day! Walk for Autism is seen throughout the event, but perhaps nowhere more profoundly than in the hearts and memories of the families who attend the annual event, whether it was their first time or their fifth time.

Over the past five years, any family new to autism, perhaps because of a recent diagnosis, leaves the event with vital information that goes on to change their lives for the better.

All receive the continued support of a large community with a similar understanding and a growing “family” built on special relationships.

The Yes Day! Walk for Autism will be held on Sunday, October 26, 2025, from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM at Tempe Beach Park.