By Ken Striplin
City Manager
The holiday season means something different to everyone. People celebrate a variety of holidays in a variety of ways.
For me, the holiday season means a calendar chalk full of school performances, where I get to see my kids all dressed up, singing classic holiday songs. It means gathering with loved ones for good food and good company. As I look forward to this festive time of the year — the landmark event that kicks it all off is our always popular “Light Up Main Street.”
This much anticipated event grows every year and has become Santa Clarita’s official start to the holidays. This year, Light Up Main Street will take place on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. New and exciting elements have turned this tree-lighting ceremony into a community-wide holiday celebration that everyone will enjoy.
Prior to Light Up Main Street, business owners in Old Town Newhall will hold their annual Sip ‘N’ Shop, which offers shoppers discounts and incentives on handcrafted gifts and other products and services. This is a great way to strengthen our local economy by supporting those who do business in Santa Clarita. Sip ‘N’ Shop will take place from 2-6 p.m.
Light Up Main Street is a popular event because it brings together residents from throughout the community and surrounding areas to enjoy music, performances and holiday activities. Main Street will be transformed with lights and decorations and children will have an opportunity to take a photo with Santa. This year there will be a new, chilly addition to the festivities… snow! That’s right, a blanket of white wonderfulness will cover a portion of Main Street for a real winter feel. While kids indulge in a snowball fight — real live reindeer will be on standby to report back to Santa who has been naughty and nice.
Members of the Santa Clarita City Council will officially flip the switch to light up the 23-foot tall Christmas tree in front of the Old Town Newhall Library at 7:30 p.m. You’ll want to stick around after the tree lighting, because Prussia will perform a special holiday concert.
I’d like to take a moment to thank our community partners for their support of Light Up Main Street, including Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, Re/Max of Santa Clarita, Snow Orthodontics and Valencia Auto Center.
There is much to do in Santa Clarita to get ready for the holidays, and it all starts at Light Up Main Street. I hope to see you and your family in Old Town Newhall this Saturday.
Ken Striplin is the Santa Clarita City Manager and can be reached at [email protected].
