Hundreds of Santa Clarita Valley residents poured into West Creek Park on Sunday afternoon for “FestAbility,” an event aimed to celebrate the special needs community and their families and offer them the opportunity to interact with inclusive organizations at booths, participate in hands-on arts and crafts and enjoy performances.
This is the fourth year this festival has been offered, said Cali Nocella, an arts and events coordinator for the city of Santa Clarita. It was formerly known as the “Free to Be Me” festival.
Although there was a name change, the festival still provides an inclusive atmosphere. Nocella said the festival featured performances from local community groups like Major Impact Theater, Bright Star Martial Arts, and Include Everyone Project, an adaptative rock wall, food trucks and the mobile library express.
Attendees were also able to interact with the local organizations that had booths at the festival, said Nocella. She said the booths ranged from resources to arts and crafts to programs to help engage and provide inclusion to the community.
“What is so special about this event is that it brings so many people together,” said Nocella. “The opportunity for groups to perform that don’t always get the opportunity to perform is just wonderful. And it allows people to see different organizations that they can be a part of or support or align with. And so, bringing people together and creating an environment that is inclusive and being at a park that is inclusive has just made it what it is.”
Attendee Katie Ker was admiring and cheering on her daughter, Audrey Ker, 4, as she rock climbed up the adaptative wall to the top and hit the bell.
Ker said she was interested in going to the event to look at more support and to get more information on local organizations to support her son who was diagnosed with autism.
“It means a lot to have an event like this because we are always looking for more inclusive opportunities for our son,” said Ker. “We are looking for more community for our son. It’s just a really nice event that they can bring everybody together and educate everybody about special needs.”
One of the performances and booths were put on by Bright Star Martial Arts students. Maria Hanscom and Hanne Murphey, two parents whose sons performed, also said they were happy about how inclusive the event was.
Hanscom said the atmosphere the event created was good for the boys’ first public performance in front of people.
“When you want them to be accustomed to being surrounded by strangers, because sometimes they get very shy and they don’t want to, it’s a good, easy way, because it’s not that overwhelming,” Hanscom said.
She added that she wishes there were more events similar to the festival at different times of the year because of how well it celebrated the special needs community and allowed them to get comfortable in front of new people.
“It’s good for people to be notable of the different things that are going on and like the opportunity for people that are non-neurotypical,” said Hanscom. “And how challenges can present itself in many different ways.”
Both Hanscom and Murphey said their sons have been in the martial arts program since they were younger and it has helped their sons learn how to be independent, teaches them discipline and how to help other students in the program.
They added the program instructors are very positively constructive and adaptative to their students. They encourage their students to keep trying again and again until they get better.
The location was another favorable aspect of the festival because of the inclusive playground at West Creek, said Murphey.
Nocella said the city was thankful for the community and the support that has shown up the past four years the event has been held. She said the festival’s success was all due to the community’s involvement.
