In preparation for the upcoming Cowboy Festival, members of the Santa Clarita Valley community gathered at William S. Hart Park on Saturday to spruce it up.
With this being the first year that the festival is being held at Hart Park since 2019, Shaunasey Lane, director of Just Serve Valencia, organized a cleanup effort that saw approximately 60-70 volunteers show up.
One of those volunteers was Erin Wilson, a member of the William S. Hart Union High School District governing board. She said that, especially after the recent storms, removing the weeds and hazards along the trails was needed to beautify the park ahead of the weekend’s big event.
“Everybody was encouraged to bring tools, shovels and picks and gloves, and I saw a couple people with weed eaters along the path,” Wilson said in a phone interview. “Everybody just kind of came in and got to work on whatever it was they had.”
The Cowboy Festival is returning to Hart Park this year for the 28th edition of the event after being held in Old Town Newhall last year, the first year the Western-themed festival took place since 2019.
The park, currently in the hands of L.A. County as Santa Clarita officials are looking to expedite its transfer to the city, holds a special place in Wilson’s heart after attending many of the events held there throughout her life.
“I have a lot of memories and great history there going there as a child, taking my children there when they were children,” Wilson said. “And, of course, having all the events there that have taken place over the years.
“I just have a lot of a lot of good memories there,” Wilson continued. “I feel like it’s an honor to be able to work together as a community to keep it looking beautiful and healthy and safe. I’m looking forward to having an event there that can celebrate our history and bring the community together.”
Lane said the cleanup effort helped get the park ready not only for the Cowboy Festival, but also for the Critter Fair scheduled for May 18. That event, set to be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will include animal adoptions, games, vendors, food trucks and raffles.
The Cowboy Festival is free for attendees and is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information on the Cowboy Festival, visit cowboyfestival.org.
For more information on how to set up a volunteer event in Santa Clarita through Just Serve, email [email protected].
