MARE, a mountain climbing festival was initiated by the government at Idanre, a mountainous community last year.According to the state, the 23 kilometre Mare Marathon on December 10, 2010 will cover from Akure, the state capital to the ancient city of Idanre.Idanre hills is the highest mountains in the southern part of Nigeria.
The maiden edition of the festival featured cultural and traditional heritage of the people with the sports-inclined mountaineering. It drew participants from across Nigeria, South Africa and Europe, while a native boy, Sunday Akinwumi, who won the mountain climbing competition got scholarship and overseas trips from the state government.
