By City Manager Ken Striplin
From live music under the stars and cultural celebrations to outdoor movies, family traditions and community events, there will be something happening in every corner of the City throughout the summer months.
SENSES Block Party has already returned to Old Town Newhall, transforming Main Street into a themed nightlife experience. Held on the third Thursday of each month through September, each SENSES will feature live music, dancing, food trucks, activities and an on-street bar hosted by local restaurants. Each month brings a different theme, including Honey I Shrunk SENSES on June 18, Christmas in July on July 16, Time Machine on August 20 and Oktoberfest on September 17.
Celebrate has also returned to the Canyon Country Community Center on the second Friday of each month through September. Residents can experience live music and dance, authentic cuisine, arts and crafts and cultural activities inspired by countries around the world. Featured cultures this summer include Indonesia, Argentina, Jamaica and Mexico, and you can travel to all of them with the popular Celebrate Passport program.
Beginning June 26, City Cinemas, presented by The Rodriguez Agency at State Farm, returns with family-friendly outdoor movies at parks throughout the City on the fourth Friday of each month through September. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, while enjoying food trucks and an evening outdoors with family and friends.
Before summer temperatures peak, residents are invited to the City’s Summer Fire Safety Day and Press Conference at Towsley Canyon Trailhead on Saturday, June 27, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The event will include emergency response demonstrations, CPR education, wildfire preparedness information and a live hillside water drop demonstration.
Summer would not be complete without Santa Clarita’s Fourth of July celebrations, beginning with the Santa Clarita Runners Club Independence Day Classic at 7:30 a.m., followed by the SCV Fourth of July Parade through Old Town Newhall at 9:00 a.m. and concluding with the City’s Fireworks Show at Valencia Town Center at 9:15 p.m.
There’s still so much to look forward to after the Fourth of July in Santa Clarita. One of the longest-running traditions, Concerts in the Park, presented by Logix Federal Credit Union, returns to Central Park in July. The free concert series brings live music under the stars every Saturday night from July 11 through August 29. This year’s lineup includes tributes to Selena, Elton John, Paramore and Panic! At The Disco, along with Top 40 country hits and classic R&B and Motown favorites.
The City’s summer programming also includes our Annual Pet Adoption Week from July 20 through July 25. Adoption fees will be covered by the City throughout the week, culminating in a community adoption event at the Newhall Community Center on July 25.
There is much to enjoy in Santa Clarita this summer. For full schedules and additional information, visit SantaClarita.gov/Events.
Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.
