Enjoying a little play every day is good for kids of all ages and the City of Santa Clarita wants to help families find the perfect activity to get them moving.  On Saturday, August 17, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the City of Santa Clarita will host the Fifth Annual Youth Sports and Healthy Families Festival, a free family-focused event that will transform the Santa Clarita Sports Complex into the biggest playground in the City.

The Youth Sports Festival offers the opportunity to run, catch, swing, dance, kick and climb at a variety of sports stations, while learning simple, fun ways to incorporate better food choices into family meals.

“The Youth Sports and Healthy Families Festival is all about showcasing the many options kids and families have when it comes to staying active and enjoying sports in Santa Clarita,” said Mayor Bob Kellar.  “Come out and join us for a day of fun the whole family will enjoy.”

Play every day is part of this year’s event theme and kids of all ages are invited to try traditional sports like golf, basketball, soccer, football, tennis and volleyball, as well as less traditional activities like archery, SCUBA Diving, snorkeling, and Futsal, also known as indoor soccer.  The event will also include the opportunity to try basic activities like jump rope, tetherball, hopscotch, and hula hooping, as well as rock climbing, an obstacle course, tricycle course, boxing, and quad bungee jumping for those who want to push the limits and try something a little more extreme.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to play games and train with the interactive, electronic fitness and sports ExerPro wall.  Returning this year are the Los Angeles Kings, who will be on hand with a portable rink and the JetHawks’ mascot KaBoom.

A raffle will take place throughout the Festival with chances to win prizes including amusement park tickets, restaurant gift cards, and professional sports memorabilia.  All proceeds from the raffle will benefit the City’s SCORE program, which provides recreation scholarships for youth.

The Festival will also include a series of high energy demonstrations showcasing hoop dance, fencing, boxing and Futsal, while local groups from Waller’s Gym, Gym Cheer, TK Tae Kwon Do, Ballet Folklorico, Star Dance, and Shin’s Family Martial Arts Center will perform for attendees.

New This Year: Explore the Store then Create Your Plate

New to the Festival this year is the Healthy Families Experience presented by Kaiser Permanente.  Families will have the opportunity to select flavorful, fresh foods and then create a plate of snacks that provide the perfect amount of energy for active families.  This area will also include a variety of activities for younger kids sponsored by My Gym, including face painting, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, throwing, kicking and catching games, as well as arts and crafts.

For more information about the Youth Sports and Healthy Families Festival, please visit santa-clarita.com/youthsportsfestival  or call the City’s Youth Sports Office at (661) 250-3756.  Volunteer opportunities are also available at the event.  If you are interested in volunteering, please call (661) 250-3708 or visit Santa-Clarita.com/Volunteer.