Mountain’s Edge set to host Family, Fur & Fun fest Oct. 20

Exploration Park in Mountain's Edge will be the backdrop for the Family, Fur & Fun Festival. The annual free event promotes kindness and humane treatment to animals with a variety of activities, booths and exhibits. This year, it will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 20. Well-behaved, leashed pets are welcome, too.

Located at the entrance to Mountain's Edge, a master-planned community in southwest Las Vegas, the 80-acre park includes picnic areas, playgrounds, splash pad, walking trails, replicas of a Western town and American Indian village, archaeology dig site and outdoor amphitheater. Its signature feature is Exploration Peak, a 2,846-foot-tall, fully restored natural mountain park with bicycle, jogging and walking trails leading to the top and views of the community and the Las Vegas Valley.

Mountain's Edge, developed by Focus Property Group, is at 9275 S. Buffalo Drive, at the Buffalo and Blue Diamond Road intersection. Exploration Park is just south of the community's entrance.

This is the sixth Family, Fur & Fun Festival, and it particularly celebrates the lives of rescued animals.

"All animals need a forever home, and there are great rescues at this event every year with so many furry friends waiting to be adopted," said Donna Stidham, the festival's organizer. "The festival also allows us to spend one day with people who have the same wonderful appreciation for animals."

This year's beneficiary is the nonprofit Little Friends Foundation, a no-kill animal shelter that helps dogs and cats until permanent loving homes are found and works toward making Nevada a no-kill state.

Big Dog Sportswear is providing free T-shirts at the Little Friends Foundation booth to those who sign up for information or to help - adopting or fostering a pet, spaying and neutering, volunteering or donating. There are limited quantities of T-shirts.

Other festival activities include Canine Good Citizen testing, naming new animals at Little Friends Foundation, raffle prizes and refreshments. There will be several demonstrations, including some that invite participation by attendees' dogs. They include agility, disc and flyball demos and lure racing and weight pull.

Arica of Pet'ographique will offer special pricing for pet portraits with proceeds benefitting Little Friends Foundation. Attendees also will learn about keeping pets safe during Halloween, making pets part of the family and providing proper animal care, the latter from Drs. Jason and Jamie Sulliban of Aloha Animal Hospital.

Event proceeds support low-cost spay, neuter and vaccination services; shelter and adoption of animals and educational programs. For information, sponsorship, vendor and volunteer opportunities, visit www.familyfurandfun.com, call 702-444-3713 or email info@familyfurand
fun.com.

Current Family, Fur & Fun Festival sponsors include Law Office of Donna Stidham LLC, Mountain's Edge, Aloha Animal Hospital, Pet'ographique, NutriSource Premium Pet Food, English Garden Florist, Amica Insurance, Big Dog Sportswear and Wild Adventures Zoo.

Mountain's Edge homebuilders include Beazer Homes, Discovery Homes, D.R. Horton, KB Home, Lennar, Meritage Homes, Pardee Homes, Pulte Homes, Richmond American Homes, Ryland Homes, William Lyon Homes and Woodside Homes.

To learn more, visit the Mountain's Edge New Home Information Center, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. It is at 9275 S. Buffalo Drive; call 702-898-5777 or visit www.mountainsedge.com.