Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) is not just trying to draw Olympian equestrian athletes to Polk County.

A family friendly and free community event called Saturday Night Lights will begin this Saturday, May 16 with kids activities, including face painting, carousel rides on a carousel hand-painted and constructed in Italy, street performers, a band and food.

Parking as well as the activities are free and open to the community for Saturday Night Lights, which will be held every Saturday during the 2015 spring and summer equestrian season.

Gates will be open to the public at 5 p.m. with the equestrian competition beginning at 6:30 p.m.

TIEC, located at 4066 Pea Ridge Rd., Mill Spring (immediately off the Pea Ridge Road exit of US 74) began equestrian shows last fall. Construction of the 1,400-acre facility continues, with upscale hotels planned, a sports complex (pool, tennis courts and sports gym) as well as shops and restaurants and a residential community.

Tryon Equestrian Managing Partner Mark Bellissimo, 53, a former software company entrepreneur, has said from day one his mission is to open the center up to the community for the love of horses.

Bellissimo plans to do for the Polk and surrounding communities what he did in Wellington, Fla., near Palm Beach. Bellissimo also had Saturday Night Lights there for the community. Approximately 300,000 visitors go to Wellington each year, which hosts the January-March Winter Equestrian Festival.

Bellissimo said he sees the same potential for TIEC as an economic engine for the area.

Other plans at TIEC are to have the same type of charity event here as in Florida. Wellington hosts an annual charity horse race that has raised $8 million for more than 120 organizations.

Bellissimo says the charity event for area organizations will be held at TIEC as well.

Dates for the spring series at TIEC are May 16, May 23, May 30 and June 6. Dates for the summer series at TIEC are June 27, July 4, July 11 and July 18.

TIEC also hosts a show jumping class and ice cream social on Sunday afternoons during the series.

For more information about TIEC visit www.Tryon.com.