RiverPark, the great new community coming to life in Oxnard, has announced the launch of RiverPark Alive — a series of free, "full-blast" family entertainment events. The first event is the Family Faire from noon to 4 p.m. today at RiverPark's new East Park.

The RiverPark Family Faire will be a day of fun, food and live entertainment, showcasing the wide green spaces of East Park and the rest of the RiverPark community. RiverPark neighbors and the public will have an opportunity to create and fly their own kites, climb the towering climbing wall, play carnival games and take a fun souvenir photo at a specially designed photo booth. Highlights will include live musical performances and a unique, high-flying Frisbee dog demonstration team.

Tram tours of the RiverPark neighborhoods, the new Rio del Mar elementary school and brand new Rio Vista middle school also will be available. Two other exciting events, Movie under the Stars and the Harvest Festival and Concert, set for Sept. 8 and Oct. 13 respectively, will round out the initial RiverPark Alive series.

"RiverPark Alive offers everyone the chance to experience all the uplifting, positive energy of this community's homes, parks and schools," said Angelica Mendoza, RiverPark's community ambassador. "As we like to say, you don't have to live at RiverPark to enjoy it. But once you're there you might wish you did."

The community includes about 1,800 attached and detached homes, as well as 1,000 apartments in village-style neighborhoods. It also will offer 880,000 square feet of retail; a hotel and convention center; and community service facilities such as city and county fire stations. An extensive open-space system encompasses nine parks, tot lots, jogging trails, pedestrian paths, shared-use playgrounds and water features.

The first 10 RiverPark neighborhoods are now open and selling. Many of these new home neighborhoods have furnished models open for tours as well. Prices for residences within RiverPark begin in the mid-$300,000s. Several of its neighborhoods have already sold out.

As the RiverPark neighborhoods continue to evolve, additional community amenities will unfold. Subsequent residents also will be able to take advantage of retail shops and restaurants.

The RiverPark builders — each award winners in their own right — have created architectural designs that encourage neighborly interaction and socializing. The builders' accolades include: Builder of The Year by Professional Builder magazine, America's Most Admired Companies by Fortune magazine, and America's Best Big Companies by Forbes magazine.

RiverPark homes provide ample space for growing families and they feature top-of-the-line amenities for entertaining and enjoying all of life's celebrations. All its homes and neighborhoods reflect its forward-thinking community design.

RiverPark was awarded the Comprehensive Planning Award from the California Central Coast Chapter of the American Planning Association. The plan employs significant elements of "Smart Growth" design by developing the human and natural environment to improve neighborhood livability.

RiverPark's developer is a consortium of three homebuilders — Shea Homes, Centex Homes and Standard Pacific Homes — working in concert with the City of Oxnard and other public entities. Residential designs are by William Hezmalhalch Architects; Woodley Architectural Group; Bassenian Lagoni Architects and Lim Chang Rohling & Associates; commercial designs are by MBH Architects; and school designs are by WWCOT.

To visit RiverPark and participate in the RiverPark Alive Series, take Highway 101, exit Oxnard Boulevard and head north. Follow directional signage to neighborhoods or the RiverPark Welcome Center. For more information on the RiverPark Alive Series, visit www.RiverParkAlive.com or call (805) 988-3848.