Activities aplenty offered in Aliante

Farmers market, movies, concerts in works

Residents of Aliante wanting to savor the tastes of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables won't have to drive around the valley anymore looking for the closest open-air farmers market.

The North Las Vegas City Council is expected to introduce a citywide ordinance governing farmers market operations in the weeks ahead. Adoption of the ordinance would allow North Valley Enterprises LLC, master developer of the 1,905-acre Aliante project, to add yet another event to the master-planned community's already busy schedule.

"Actually, we're quite excited about it since this would fit in well with Aliante's goals," said Brenda Johnson, an assistant who handles administrative duties in city manager Gregory Rose's office. "Right now, the ordinance is in the city attorney's office for review, but we expect the council will pass it by the beginning of September so the farmers market could kick off in late September and October."

NVE's Community Marketing Manager Kimiko Peterson has arranged for Las Vegas Farmers Market, a highly successful local operation for the past five years that recently added a third market to its lineup, to operate the Aliante farmers market.

No specific dates or locations have been set pending adoption of the ordinance.

It can reasonably be expected, though, the first such market would be held at Aliante's social/recreational focal point, the 20-acre Nature Discovery Park.

Las Vegas Farmers Market days at its other locations are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, which leaves the question of on what day the Aliante market would be held.

"It's hard to do double markets on the same day," said Ginger Johnson, co-founder of LVFM and no relation to Brenda Johnson. "Whatever day it will be will be up to the farmers and what they want to do. It will also be based on the number of farmers we have and how far they have to travel."

A farmers market at Aliante is yet another in a series of events master-minded by Peterson that are meant to foster and arouse a genuine sense of community among today's residents and, ultimately, the area's 17,500 inhabitants.

If one thing is true about Aliante, it's that when it comes to community-wide cultural and social events, the 1-year-old development focuses on family regardless of size.

"All of our events are based around the family," said Peterson. "We have things for couples, singles and families. That way we can encourage families of all sizes to come out to the park.

"Aliante is a community where people really enjoy participating in outdoor events."

And outdoor events aplenty they have. One and sometimes two events are scheduled each month, except for December, which brings neighbors, relatives and "outsiders" together for a day or evening of fun, frivolity, friendship and family.

New to the lineup of events this year is the Movie Madness Series to be held in cooperation with the city of North Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Department.

A giant screen, chairs, free popcorn and beverages will await moviegoers eager to watch the stars come out under the stars.

The first cinematic offering is scheduled Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. when T- rex, velociraptors and triceratops spring to life in Steven Spielberg's 1993 box office smash "Jurassic Park."

Other movies planned for the remainder of the year are Littlefoot's search for the Great Valley in the 1988 hit "The Land Before Time," on Aug. 13, and the "Circle of Life" of Prince Simba and his sidekicks, Pumbaa and Timon, in the 1994 hit "The Lion King" on Sept. 11.

Following "Jurassic Park" will be the Second Annual All That Jazz concert July 31, again in cooperation with the city's parks and recreation department.

Rocky Gordon and the Killer Groove Band will belt out jazz renditions with Billy Ray Charles and his smooth-sounding guitar headlining the Courtyard Concert Series.

The successful Second Annual Ice Cream Sunday and Pet Adoption, which will be co-sponsored by Sunny 106.5-FM and the Lied Animal Foundation, is set for Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"This is a great event because so many pets get adopted," Peterson said. "We had more than 20 dogs and cats adopted last year. And this year, coming right before school starts, kids especially love to participate since there's free ice cream, too."

In October, there are two Saturday events planned -- the Walk the Dinosaur walk on Oct. 2 and the Second Annual Pumpkin Painting Contest on Oct. 23.

"We provide those foam dinosaurs on a leash that the kids walk around on the trail system, learn a lot about health and fitness from vendors along the one- to two-mile walk, and it all ends up being a great outing for the entire family," Peterson said. "When it comes to pumpkin painting, we provide the pumpkins and the paint, and the kids go at it."

On Nov. 20, the Second Annual Kick Off the Holidays at Aliante party, joins food vendors with carolers and bell ringers to put those partaking in the old-fashioned holiday event in the spirit of the season.

All events are free and will be held at Nature Discovery Park on Aliante Parkway, one block south of the Bruce Woodbury Beltway.

NVE's Peterson can lay claim to having one of the most successful community-oriented programs in Southern Nevada since she has the facts to support it.

"The feedback we've received from residents and visitors has been extremely positive," she said. "So, it's really encouraging to keep the community events alive."


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