By City Manager Ken Striplin
It is Cowboy Festival weekend! Dust off your boots, put on your cowboy hat and head over to the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival at William S. Hart Park (24151 Newhall Ave). It is going to be a weekend full of live music, Wild West activities, mouth-watering barbecue, shopping and Rotary Club of Santa Clarita’s famous Dutch oven Peach Cobbler. As the festival transforms Old Town Newhall back into its storied past, visitors are encouraged to plan ahead for road closures and select transportation options to ensure a smooth and safe experience.
To accommodate festival setup and activities, several road closures including Newhall Avenue between Market Street and 4th Street along with Main Street from 6th Street to the Roundabout, will be closed. Closures will go into effect beginning Friday, April 11, from 8:00 p.m. through Sunday, April 13, to 8:00 p.m.
While Railroad Avenue and Lyons Avenue will remain open, residents should anticipate delays and allow extra travel time when navigating through Old Town Newhall during this time.
To simplify attending the event, participants can park for free at the Cowboy Festival Shuttle Site (13th Street and Railroad Avenue). Free shuttle services will be offered to and from the festival grounds on Saturday, April 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and on Sunday, April 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., ensuring easy access to all of the festival’s activities.
Guests are encouraged to take advantage of alternative transportation options to avoid traffic and parking congestion. Santa Clarita Transit will offer free rides to festival-goers wearing western attire on Routes 4/14, 5/6 and 12 throughout the festival weekend, making public transit a convenient way to attend. The GO! Santa Clarita rideshare service will also be available for those looking for a flexible and on-demand travel option. Additionally, Metrolink riders can take the train from Via Princessa, Vista Canyon or Santa Clarita stations to the Newhall Metrolink Station, which is just a ten-minute walk to William S. Hart Park.
In partnership with Metrolink, the City of Santa Clarita is offering an exclusive giveaway for festival attendees. Two lucky Metrolink subscribers will win Cowboy Cantina passes, granting them special VIP access within the festival. Those interested in entering the giveaway can subscribe at SoCalExplorer.MetrolinkTrains.com for a chance to win.
The City of Santa Clarita encourages all festivalgoers to plan their routes in advance, anticipate some delays and take advantage of the free transit and shuttle services available. By planning ahead, you can make the most of your time enjoying all the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival has to offer! For more details on transportation and event logistics, visit SantaClaritaTransit.com or CowboyFestival.org.
Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.
