Parade highlights Summerlin's Fourth of July celebration

As the Summerlin Patriotic Parade rolls through the master-planned community in all of its red, white and blue glory on the morning of July 4, America's best-selling master-planned community will be transformed into one of the country's most patriotic communities, according to Larry Brocato, executive vice president of The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin.

"It will be hard to deny the spirit created by the parade's colorful and visual show of patriotism," Brocato said. "Now in its ninth year, the 2003 parade will include nearly 60 entries, including floats, decorated vehicles of all kinds, walking and marching groups, performing groups, horses, boy and girl scout troops, mascots, elected officials, and even a few celebrities, including The Scintas and Lalaine of "Lizzie McGuire" fame. We are proud the Summerlin parade ... has become one the valley's most popular Fourth of July celebrations."

Participants include schools, Little League, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Miss Nevada Teen USA, children on bicycles, the "Big Red" fire engine from the city of Las Vegas Fire Department, area businesses, and even Uncle Sam.

Rachel Oliphant of The Summerlin Council, the nonprofit arm of the Summerlin Community Association, has been coordinating the event since July 5 of last year.

"It's a labor of love," Oliphant said of her year-round job as parade organizer. "All the work and worry is worth it when I see how much people enjoy the parade and feel the patriotism shared by all who attend. I can't help but want to do it all over again.

"Putting on an event of this magnitude, one that attracts more than 25,000 parade-goers, is no easy feat. But it's something for which the community has become known and something that continues to grow in popularity thanks to tremendous support and interest from the business community."

Sponsors include Hughes Corp., Summerlin, Cox Communications, Sprint, Richmond American Homes, Woodside Homes, The Trails Village Shopping Center, and Summerlin Hospital Medical Center.

Although many of the floats are professionally designed and built, Oliphant said others are homemade, assembled in garages and neighborhoods by friends and family who have a desire to show their patriotism.

"It creates a colorful and eclectic mix of parade entries that, together, create a parade with a real hometown feel," she said.

Serving as grand marshal will be Maj. Gen. Stephen Wood of Nellis Air Force Base, which will provide a color guard.

"We are particularly proud to include so many of our servicemen and women ...," Brocato said. "Twenty-one troops that recently returned from Iraq will be marching in the parade surrounding The Howard Hughes Corporation and Summerlin float, which is being designed as a salute to our country's military heroes."

The parade begins at 9 a.m. at Hillpointe Road and Hills Center Drive in The Trails village. The route extends south to the Village Center Circle roundabout then goes west on Trailwood Drive. The procession ends at Trailwood and Spring Gate Lane.

The event will be broadcast live on Las Vegas ONE.

Summerlin aligns the western edge of the Las Vegas Valley, and is comprised of villages. It is home to two Tournament Players Club golf courses, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Bear's Best course and five others.

There are 107 neighborhood and village parks, 107 completed miles of trails, 16 schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical and cultural facilities, business parks and more than 150 model homes.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000.

Custom-home sites in The Ridges are priced from the $500,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $2.1 million.

Apartments offer monthly rents starting from the high $700s.

For more information, visit www.reviewjournal.com/realestate and click on the Summerlin link.

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