Mountain’s Edge holds annual event

Mountain's Edge held its third annual Country in the Park Festival May 2. The free event, which was open to the public, drew thousands of attendees to the southwestern, 3,500-acre master-planned community's Exploration Park, according to organizers.

"We heard about Country in the Park and decided to take a look around the community before stopping by the park for the entertainment," said Adam Courrier, a broker salesman with Southwest Commercial Real Estate, who toured Mountain's Edge with his wife, Jennifer. "It was great to be able to see so many different neighborhoods with beautiful model homes we could tour, and the event was held in a park unlike any in Las Vegas."

Perhaps the most memorable portion of the day was found when a hawk soared across the sunny skies before landing on stage to punctuate Country in the Park's signature music and dance performance "The Spirit of the Land." According Barry Smith, producer of the entertainment for Country in the Park, the hawk was an integral part of the show, which was intended as a tribute to the history of the Native American culture and the gifts they bring to enrich this land, and inspire art and dance.

The event included many activities for all ages including a Western stunt area, pony rides, Western bounce house, udder relay, hip-a-dee-hops relay, rodeo roper, inflatable mountain and Western slide, mining for gemstones, mechanical bull and a Western obstacle course.

Live musical performances were a big hit and featured the Tony Marques Band and The Patty Janura Band. The concert featured two choreographed production shows that incorporated line dances to get the crowd on their feet and dancing to the music.

In addition to the music and entertainment at the event, attendees enjoyed the park's many amenities including open, grassy spaces, volleyball courts, picnic areas and horseshoe pits. The park's attractions also include trails leading up to the top of Exploration Peak, the area's first mountain park.

Exploration Park's Western Theme Park blends the natural elements of the community's geography and history, according to event organizers. Focus Property Group, master planner of Mountain's Edge, created an Old West Village that has building facades that can be used as climbing structures and slides.

Dirt streets line the town square. They lead to a children's playgrounds, including an area with covered wagon play structures and a splash park that is a replica of a water tower, which incorporates spray jets to keep kids cool in the warm summer months.

"We had a great time at the Country in the Park event listening to the music and just spending time in the park," Jennifer Courrier said. "From concerts and festivals to hiking and walking on the many trails, it's amazing how many options there are at Mountain's Edge for people to enjoy being outside."

The master-planned community was certified by Robert Charles Lesser & Co., a leading independent real estate advisory firm, as the No. 1 master-planned community in the United States in 2008.

One of the community's highlights is the Desert Demonstration Garden, located behind the Home Search Café. It was built as a resource center to teach residents about the various drought-tolerant plant materials that can use to create a landscape for all four seasons. In the garden, residents can walk meandering paths filled with desert-adapted landscaping, all of which are identified.

When fully developed, Mountain's Edge is planned for four elementary schools -- two of which are already open -- two middle schools and a high school. The community is planned to have shopping centers, restaurants and commercial office space.

Homebuilders with actively selling subdivisions include: Amstar Homes, Beazer Homes, Engle Homes, KB Home, Meritage Homes, Pardee Homes, Phillips Homes, Pulte Homes, Ryland Homes, Toll Brothers, Warmington Homes Nevada and Woodside Homes.

For more information, visit Home Search Café, located at the community's entrance on Buffalo Drive and Blue Diamond Road, or visit mountainsedge.com. The Café is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and can be reached at 898-5777.