Community hosts festival in the park

More than 4,000 people attended the second annual Country in the Park festival May 3 at Mountain's Edge, a master-planned community in the southwestern valley.

The free event was held in the community's Exploration Park, and included live music from top local country and western bands, an American Indian dance troupe, country line dancing and trick roping demonstrations.

The daylong outdoor festival included live musical performances from The Patty Janura Band and Tony Marques Band, along with a live broadcast from KWNR-FM 95.5 radio. During the broadcast, the radio station gave away tickets to concerts by Tracy Lawrence and Gary Allen.

This was the second year that Country in the Park was held at Mountain's Edge's Exploration Park.

The event celebrated the community's top ranking as the nation's fastest-selling project of its kind.

Mountain's Edge was certified by Robert Charles Lesser & Co., a leading independent real estate advisory firm, as the No. 1-selling master-planned community in the United States in 2007. In 2006, the community ranked as the No. 2-selling master plan in the nation.

Last year's festival marked the grand opening of Exploration Park and was attended by more than 3,000 people.

Participants at the event enjoyed Western-themed performances and live music with local country and western bands, mechanical bull riding, pony rides, udder (simulated cow-milking) relay races, rock climbing, rodeo roping, mining for gems, line dancing lessons and an array of booths offering food and refreshments. A portion of the proceeds benefited the Nevada chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

"It's been wonderful watching the Country in the Park festival grow in just two years to become a community fixture, with thousands of people of all ages enjoying a fun-filled day in one of the most beautiful parks in the Las Vegas Valley," said Deonna Stocker, manager of information center operations at Mountain's Edge's Home Search Café. "Residents of the community enjoyed another great event right in their backyard, and those interested in living at Mountain's Edge found another reason why this is such a special place to live."

Children could be found throughout the park participating in udder races, mining for gems, jumping in bounce houses and interacting with cowboys who taught them rope tricks from days of the Old West.

"Our daughters had a great time playing in the park, with all of the entertainment and activities that were there for them to enjoy," said Debbie Lehman, who brought 5-year-old Chloe and 2-year-old Kenzie out to the event. "The girls also loved the music and watching all of the talented performers singing and dancing on stage."

In addition to the entertainment and festivities at Country in the Park, attendees were able to take advantage of the park's amenities including wide-open grassy spaces, volleyball courts, picnic areas and horseshoe pits. The park's attractions also include trails leading to the top of Exploration Peak, the city's first mountain park.

The most unique feature in Exploration Park is a Western Theme Park designed for children that blends the natural elements of the community's geography and history, Stocker said.

The building facades are climbing structures, slides and other equipment where children can play.

Dirt streets line the town square leading to playgrounds, including an area with covered wagon play structures and a replica water tower splash park with spray jets.

"The Country in the Park theme is a natural extension of the themed amenities of the park, as well as the 'New Southwest' lifestyle that's integrated into the design of the master plan," Stocker said. "This active outdoor lifestyle can be enjoyed not only in the parks, but in the walking trails that wind throughout the community."

According to Stocker, these walking trails are found in the form of a series of paseos that have been built throughout the community, connecting residents and their neighborhoods and recreation areas. With several paseos already complete, the trails integrate the existing desert landscape into paths that are designed to be easily navigable for people of all ages.

When fully developed, Mountain's Edge is planned for four elementary schools, one of which is already open with a second school under construction, two middle schools and a high school. The community is planned to have a fire station, shopping centers, restaurants and commercial office space.

Builders with actively selling subdivisions are Amstar Homes, Avante Homes, Beazer Homes, D.R. Horton, Engle Homes, KB Home, Kimball Hill Homes, Lennar, Meritage Homes, Pardee Homes, Phillips Homes, Pulte Homes, R/S Development, Ryland Homes, Toll Brothers, Warmington Homes Nevada and Woodside Homes. For more information on Focus Property Group visit focuspropertygroup.com.

For more information, visit the development's Home Search Café located at the community's entrance on Buffalo Drive and Blue Diamond Road, or visit online at mountainsedge.com.

The Café is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., daily, and can be reached at 898-5777.