Northeast Houston is where the fun is.

It’s only natural that The Groves would celebrate its first birthday with an Earth Day event and an open invitation for everyone to come visit. The northeast Houston community is built on nature and neighbors.

Everyone is invited to bring their friends and family to The Groves Earth Day Birthday to enjoy live music, food trucks, a rock wall, face painting, a photo booth, a bounce house, and more, on Saturday, April 23, from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. at the community Welcome Center at 16807 West Lake Houston Parkway in Humble.

Guests are welcome to tour the inspiring model home designs of all six top-rated builders available in the unique community, including Darling Homes, David Weekley Homes, Highland Homes, Taylor Morrison, Trendmaker Homes, and Village Builders.

Some special guests will be on hand for the celebration including MIX 96.5 Morning Show personalities Dave, Mahoney and DK who will be serving coconut water to guests from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – and giving away prizes every 15 minutes. Emerging songwriter-musician Jered Jones will will offer up a spectacular live performance for the whole family.

There will be free pine seedlings (one per guest as long as supplies last) and the opportunity for children to make a distinctive tree marker craft.

The Groves took on the challenge of preserving and protecting a lush canopy of mature trees, natural reserve spaces, parks, and Madera Creek that runs through the entire 1000-acre community. Rather than clearing lots to build, each home is carefully sited in consultation with an arborist to maintain the maximum number of healthy trees.

Neighbors have quickly discovered that the shaded trails, ample play area, and a full calendar of activities at The Groves have created a small-town feel – with the latest in new home design and energy efficiency, as well as easy access to Houston’s world-class cultural and economic opportunities.

The Groves residents are a mix of native Houstonians and inbound transferees from all over who largely agree they didn’t realize this type of nature-centered community would be available in this region until they discovered their new home.

The Earth Day Birthday Festival is set to remind us of our place in the natural world and the need to protect it. At The Groves, honoring the natural ecosystem is a daily way of life. Innovations include a timber harvest program that repurposes trees that must be cut for various projects in the neighborhood. “Stepping stones” and parts of playgrounds there are made from wood from the site. These materials are a key component in the natural design of the latest amenity under construction, a Fish Camp—offering residents the old-fashioned fun of a community fishing hole with eco-smart design and educational opportunities for children.

Roadways and utility corridors are planned around specimen trees, and set-aside forested reserves maintain both the community character and ecosystem.

For more details about the Earth Day Birthday Festival, visit http://www.thegrovestx.com/play/earth-day-birthday-event.