Summerlin goes Fourth

The Summerlin master-planned community will celebrate the Fourth of July this year with a parade, an outdoor concert with fireworks, and a free weekend viewing of the visiting "Lansdowne" portrait of George Washington.

"July Fourth has always been a big holiday in Summerlin," said Dan Van Epp, president of The Howard Hughes Corp., which is the developer of Summerlin. "This year's celebration is planned to include a spectacular display of patriotism and spirit."

Kicking off the July 4 celebration will be the seventh annual Summerlin Patriotic Parade, which began as a small bike parade in 1996. Today, 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. The parade will begin at 9 a.m. at Hillpointe Road and Hills Center Drive.

At 7:30 p.m., the Las Vegas Philharmonic will present a Star Spangled Spectacular concert at The Hills Park, 9100 Hillpointe Road, just west of Rampart Boulevard, featuring such patriotic tunes as Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" and "1812 Overture." Clint Holmes also is scheduled to appear, and the show will end with a fireworks display. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring a picnic, or may purchase food at the park.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for ages 18 and under, and kids under 5 are free. The event typically sells out, so early ticket purchases are recommended.

Hughes Corp. will underwrite the concert and parade. The company also will make a donation to the Las Vegas Art Museum to underwrite a free-admission weekend from July 4-7. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 4 through 6, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on July 7.

Museum visitors will have the opportunity to view "Lansdowne," a life-size portrait of George Washington painted in 1796 by Gilbert Stuart. The painting will be on display through Oct. 27.

"We want the community to take advantage of the opportunity to see the famous `Lansdowne' portrait of George Washington that stands 8-feet-tall," Warden said. "Las Vegas is the first 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."

Summerlin is unfolding in villages along the western rim of the valley. It is home to eight golf courses, nearly 100 neighborhood and village parks, nearly 100 completed miles of trails, 16 public and private schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical facilities, cultural facilities, business parks, and nearly 100 model homes.

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

To visit the community's home finding center, travel west on Sahara Avenue, past Hualapai Way, to Town Center Drive. Or, take Interstate 215 to Sahara and go east. The center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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