By Michelle Talsma Everson

In the world’s original blue zones, people are known to live longer, healthier lives; wellness is not treated like something separate from everyday life. Movement happens naturally, meals are often shared and purpose is woven into daily routines. Friendships and familiar faces keep people connected over time.

These ideas sit at the center of Blue Zones Project Scottsdale, a community-led well-being initiative working to make healthier choices easier across the city. Inspired by research into longevity regions including Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California, the project looks beyond individual willpower and toward the places, policies and social networks that shape how people live.

This summer, Scottsdale is implementing one of these concepts in a simple form: a weekly indoor walk.

Beginning Thursday, July 9, Blue Zones Project Scottsdale will launch its Indoor Walking Moai at Scottsdale Fashion Square, a free 10-week Thursday morning series designed to help residents move, connect and build routine without braving the Valley’s summer heat.

The program borrows from the Okinawan concept of a moai, a small group formed around shared support and purpose. In Scottsdale, the idea has been translated into meeting at the mall, walking at your own pace, talking with other participants and coming back the next week.

“Indoor Walking Moai is simple on purpose,” said Sarah Kearney, executive director of Blue Zones Project Scottsdale. “People come to walk, but what often happens is bigger than that. They start talking, recognize each other week after week, and real friendships begin to form.”

A Scottsdale Take on a Longevity Practice

As Scottsdale moves toward becoming a Blue Zones Community, the focus is on the everyday places and habits that make healthier choices feel easier. In blue zones, connection is not treated as a bonus to a healthy life. It is part of the rhythm of one.

The project also tracks Scottsdale’s well-being. Through the Gallup Well-Being Index, which measures areas such as social, physical, financial, career and community well-being, Scottsdale continues to score well above national averages. In 2025, the city’s overall Well-Being Index score was 67.9, compared with 60.1 nationally.

While Scottsdale remains strong in several areas, the data points to a need many communities are feeling right now — more chances for people to connect in real life.

One Walk Started a Community Habit

Blue Zones Project Scottsdale first partnered with Scottsdale Fashion Square and Capital One Café on an indoor walking moai in 2024. After that initial program, a group of participants continued walking at the mall every Tuesday through Saturday, with many building friendships outside of the walks.

“Loneliness and isolation are real issues locally and across the country,” Kearney said. “In Scottsdale, about one in three residents have no one or only one person they can call in a time of need. A 10-week moai gives people time to move together, talk together and create the kinds of relationships that can support well-being long after the series ends.”

How Walking Moai Works

After check-in, walkers are divided into pace groups. Most participants walk two to three laps around the mall, creating about 45 minutes of indoor movement in a cool, familiar setting. Capital One Café will provide free coffee each week, and many walkers gather afterward to keep the conversation going.

Participants are encouraged to attend all 10 weeks, but drop-ins are welcome.

The Indoor Walking Moai meets Thursdays, July 9 through Sept. 10, from 9 to 10 a.m. at Scottsdale Fashion Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road. Participants should meet outside Capital One Café. Same-day sign-up begins at 8:45 a.m. The series is free, with advance registration requested through Eventbrite.

For Blue Zones Project Scottsdale, the walking series reflects a larger philosophy.

“Community health is not only about big programs or major lifestyle overhauls,” Kearney said. “It is also about making the healthy choice the easy choice. Walking indoors with friendly faces, in a place people already know, creates a low-pressure way for residents to take one step toward a healthier, more connected Scottsdale.”

For more information about Blue Zones Project Scottsdale, visit Blue Zones Project Scottsdale.