Holiday Celebration: Summerlin shares patriotic spirit

Three special events have been planned to highlight Summerlin's observance of the Fourth of July.

The master-planned community will sponsor a patriotic parade; an evening concert by the Las Vegas Philharmonic, followed by fireworks; and a free weekend viewing at the Las Vegas Art Museum of the famous "Lansdowne" portrait of George Washington.

The public is invited to participate in all of these activities.

"July Fourth has always been a big holiday in Summerlin," said Tom Warden, a spokesman for The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin. "But we know this year will be extra special. The surge of patriotism America has experienced since the tragic events of Sept. 11, along with the unique and rare opportunity to see an important piece of American history firsthand, will make this year's celebration even more memorable and meaningful."

Hughes Corp. is underwriting the parade and concert, and made a donation to the Las Vegas Art Museum to facilitate the no-admission weekend, which is July 4-7. The museum, located at 9600 W. Sahara Ave., will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 4-6, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on July 7.

"We want the community to take advantage of the opportunity to see the famous Lansdowne portrait of George Washington that stands eight feet tall," Warden said. "Las Vegas is the second stop on an eight-city tour the portrait is making before it arrives at its permanent home in the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian (Institution). The Howard Hughes Corp. is proud to be involved in making it accessible to all Southern Nevadans."

The portrait holds special meaning for Daniel C. Van Epp, president of Hughes Corp.

As a fifth-grader in McLean, Va., Van Epp recalls a field trip to Washington, D.C. A fan of American history, he purchased a series of souvenir books, including one that featured the Lansdowne portrait.

"The book with the Washington portrait was in such a place on my bedroom bookshelf that it was the first thing I saw every morning when I awoke, and the last thing I saw each night when I fell asleep," Van Epp said. "The Lansdowne portrait is indelibly etched in my mind. So, when the opportunity arose for The Howard Hughes Corp. to provide a free weekend of viewing during the July 4 weekend, I jumped at the chance.

"George Washington is much more than just the first president of our country. His valor in the fight for independence, his clarity of thought in the early formation of our country's government, his noble presidency, and his influence on me as a young man will be with me forever."

The portrait, named for its recipient, the marquis of Lansdowne in England, was painted in 1796 by American artist Gilbert Stuart. Last year, the painting was "saved" from auction with a $30 million donation from the Las Vegas-based Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.

The portrait will be on display at the Las Vegas Art Museum from June 28 through Oct. 27.

The seventh annual Summerlin Patriotic Parade will kick off the July 4 celebration in the master-planned community. Each year, the parade draws nearly 20,000 people from throughout the valley who come to see more than 50 entries, including floats, cars, trucks, golf carts, bikes, and walking and marching groups decked out in red, white and blue.

The parade will begin at 9 a.m. at Hillpointe Road and Hills Center Drive, then head south to Village Center Circle and past Trails Village Shopping Center. It will disband at Trailwood Drive and Spring Gate Lane.

The Las Vegas Philharmonic will perform a "Star Spangled Spectacular" concert at 7:30 p.m. on July 4 in The Hills Park. Entertainer Clint Homes is scheduled to make a guest appearance. The fireworks show will follow the concert.

Concert-goers are encouraged to bring a picnic, or they may purchase refreshments at the park, which is located at 9100 Hillpointe Road, just west of Rampart Boulevard.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for ages 18 and under. Kids under 5 are admitted free. For ticket information, call 895-2787.

Summerlin has been ranked as the nation's best-selling master-planned community for nine of the past 10 years. It aligns the western edge of the Las Vegas Valley. Summerlin features eight golf courses, nearly 100 neighborhood and village parks, nearly 100 completed miles of trails, 16 schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical facilities, cultural facilities, business parks and nearly 100 model homes.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000. Custom lots from one-half acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the high $300,000s to more than $1 million, while predesigned custom homes are priced from $500,000 to more than $1 million. Apartment homes offer monthly rents starting from the high $700s.

To visit the community's home finding center, take Sahara Avenue west past Hualapai Way to Town Center Drive. Or, take Interstate 215 to the Sahara exit. Office hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

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