Tips to Enjoy the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival!
By Councilwoman Marsha McLean
The world-famous Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival makes its much-anticipated return to Old Town Newhall this weekend! If you are like the many who are planning to head to Main Street for this trademark Santa Clarita event, I’d like to be sure you have the details you need to make the most of your time at the Cowboy Festival.
You don’t have to wait until Saturday to get in on Cowboy Festival fun. In fact, tonight’s Wild Wild West SENSES Block Party will have you on your feet, line dancing like an expert while listening to some outstanding country music. SENSES is held on the third Thursday of the month through October on Main Street from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. and features a new theme each month.
Tomorrow evening, I invite you to join a celebration of Western entertainment as the City Council formally unveils the newest addition to the Walk of Western Stars. A special ceremony will be held on Main Street in front of Reyes Winery on Main at 5:00 p.m. During the ceremony, you will hear about the wonderful contributions of Billy Burton and Walter Scott to the history of Western film/television and watch as they are forever immortalized in bronze and terrazzo. Following the unveiling ceremony, those who have purchased a ticket can join the reception at Reyes Winery for an evening of wonderful food and company.
These two events lead us into a one-of-a-kind weekend that celebrates Santa Clarita’s rich Western heritage.
Before you leave home on Saturday to head to the Cowboy Festival, being familiar with what you can expect is a sure way to have an experience that is unforgettable. It all starts by visiting the Cowboy Festival’s website – CowboyFestival.org – and taking a look at the event map. You can pick up an event map at the Cowboy Festival info booth.
The event map shows you everything you need to plan your weekend. From the locations of family-friendly activities and living history, to where you can find the best food to eat and rustic artisan items for sale – you can find it all on the map. The map also shows the location for the parking shuttle pick-up and drop-off point, so you know how to navigate the Cowboy Festival.
Speaking of parking, attendees are once again encouraged to park at the Cowboy Festival satellite parking lot on 13th Street and Railroad Avenue. Santa Clarita Transit buses will provide regular shuttle service between the parking site and Main Street beginning at 9:30 a.m. both days so you won’t need to worry about finding street parking or getting around festival road closures. Limited parking is also available at the Old Town Newhall Parking Structure on 9th Street and Railroad Avenue.
As you drive to the Cowboy Festival, it is important to be aware of road closures that will be in effect. Main Street will be closed to vehicles from 8th Street to the roundabout. 6th Street will be closed from Railroad Avenue to Newhall Avenue, while Market Street will be closed from Railroad Avenue to Walnut Street. Newhall Avenue, Lyons Avenue and Railroad Avenue will all be open to through traffic.
Public transportation is available to conveniently get you to and from the Cowboy Festival. Santa Clarita Transit Routes 5 and 6 offer weekend service and travel along the main east/west corridor in Santa Clarita, taking residents all the way from Shadow Pines to Stevenson Ranch. Along the way, buses on these routes pick up and drop off passengers at the Newhall Community Center, which is just steps from where the Cowboy Festival will be held.
Metrolink train service is another option on Saturday and Sunday for residents located east of Railroad Avenue and Bouquet Canyon Road. Hop aboard the Metrolink at the Via Princessa or Santa Clarita stations and in just a few minutes you will be in Newhall, ready for everything the Cowboy Festival has to offer!
I know we are all looking forward to the return of this fantastic event. To see everything you need to know about the Cowboy Festival, please visit our website at CowboyFestival.org
Marsha McLean is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at mmclean@santaclarita.gov.
