Celebrate New Cultures Together
By Councilmember Laurene Weste
You don’t have to buy a plane ticket to experience an abundance of cultures and customs when you can find them right here, in Santa Clarita. Returning for its much anticipated second year, Santa Clarita residents will once again be able to travel across the world to several key destinations and absorb breathtaking culinary wonders, music, dance, art, educational experiences and more. This is the beauty of the Celebrate event series, taking place on the second Friday of each month through September at the Canyon Country Community Center from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
You can ditch the plane ticket and crowds because Celebrate offers a diverse lineup of featured countries, cultures and customs that are all very unique, and it brings me so much joy that Santa Clarita residents are able to experience them all. With live entertainment, fun activities, exotic foods and more, Celebrate makes you feel like you just stepped into another world.
As you arrive at the Canyon Country Community Center, you will find an expansive event with live music and performances on the outdoor event stage, along with a grand field space with activities such as arts and crafts, language lessons and more. We had an incredible first Celebrate event to kick off the year that highlighted Egyptian culture, and from here on out, there is a great lineup of wonderful destinations to experience.
On May 12, Celebrate will feature West Africa, a region of Africa that is made up of 16 different countries including Guinea, Cape Verde, Liberia and Nigeria. West Africa is known for its different climates, which will transform the Canyon Country Community Center into an array of habitats, from tropical rainforests to the dry Sahara. Also, learn the fundamentals of West African music with a drum circle demonstration by Rhythm Arts Alliance. This will be a breathtaking sight to see and hear!
On June 9, we travel to Peru, home to a section of South America’s magnificent Amazon rainforest. Peru is filled with an entirely different culture and I know Santa Clarita residents will relish the opportunity to learn about it. After we see Peru, on July 14, we go to the other side of our planet, over the Atlantic Ocean, hop on a plane and travel almost 6,000 miles to a country famous for its beaches and Flamenco dancing – Spain. With famous cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, this is sure to be a popular Celebrate.
One culture that Santa Clarita residents should be sure to learn about is that of the Tataviam, a Native American group whose ancestral land was at the center of our very own Santa Clarita Valley. On August 11, Celebrate gathers us together to honor the Tataviam people, and there is always something to learn from this amazing and fascinating group, and also one of the earliest residents of the Santa Clarita Valley! The last Celebrate of 2023, on September 8, takes us across the world to China, a country with an illustrious history and culture. Visit the Great Wall, see the famous and amazing ancient Terracotta Army, feast on your favorite kind of Chinese cuisine and learn how to write the various characters of the Chinese language.
Celebrate is a wonderful family event that brings the community together each month to experience new cultures from places most of us have never been. From trying new food, to learning different languages and discovering new sights, it is so important to immerse ourselves on how other cultures live their daily lives. I encourage all residents, especially families, to come out and learn together about what makes Santa Clarita so unique and rich with culture. Everything you need to know about the 2023 Celebrate event series lineup, including the featured destination, can be found on the City of Santa Clarita’s website at santa-clarita.com/Celebrate.
I can’t wait to see you there and experience the many cultures together!
