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After nearly two years of construction, the Oak Ridge Town Park’s opening celebration — Ridgefest — will be Saturday .

“We are going to have many fun events and activities for families to enjoy,” said Terry Lannon, the parks and recreation director.

The fun starts at 6:30 a.m. with hot-air balloon rides. A one-mile fun run starts at 8 a.m., followed by a 5K run at 8:30 a.m.

Entertainment includes cheerleaders, characters and clowns, face-painting, train rides, musical acts and speakers. A fireworks show will be at the end of the day.

“In addition to all of the various activities, they will also have a Girl Scout’s butterfly release, a Native American ceremony, and the Oak Ridge Youth Association awards ceremony,” Lannon said.

The park was paid for using a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant of $500,000 from the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation, along with money from the town’s capital reserves.

The park includes two football/soccer fields, two baseball/softball fields, paved and unpaved walking trails, picnic shelters and a pond. Athletics fields will not be available until the fall, but the park is now open. The fields will be open to the public at no charge and to organizational groups by reservations for a fee.

“The Oak Ridge Youth Association will be having games on the fields, and we will also offer adult flag football and softball leagues for people to join,” Lannon said.

Picnic shelters will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for Oak Ridge residents at $35 for four hours. Others can reserve the same amount of time for $37.50.

Contact LaPorsha Lowry at 373-7088 or laporsha.lowry@news-record.com