The 26th annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, presented by California Resources Corporation, returns to William S. Hart Park and Old Town Newhall on Saturday and Sunday, and thousands of Western fans are expected to visit the area.

Admission to the park and the festival at 24151 Newhall Avenue in Newhall 91321 will be free both days. See road closure, parking and free public transportation details below.

Festival Schedule
The festival opened Thursday afternoon at 5 with the unveiling of new bronze saddles on the Walk of Western Stars for actors James Drury, Robert Fuller and Dan White, followed by a special reception and dinner at Hart Hall attended by members of the honorees’ families.

On Friday morning, the festival presented Californio Fiesta de Rancho Camulos with New West followed by a Tribute to Don Edwards, a concert and lunch at the Rancho Camulos Museum in Piru.

Friday night, Cow Bop will headline the Cowboy Dance at Hart Hall, starting at 6:30. Tickets are still available — just $10 to swing and dance with a hot but very cool cowboy jazz band. Click here to order.

On Saturday afternoon, SCV residents and film historians E.J. and Kim Stephens will lead the Veluzat Ranch Tour; the tour is sold out.

Saturday evening, it’s “A Night with National Cash — A Tribute to Johnny Cash” presented by Friends of Hart Park, also at Hart Hall. They’ll walk the line and burn a ring of fire onstage from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are still available for $15 each. Get rhythm: click here to order.

Sunday afternoon’s tour of the Blue Cloud Movie Ranch with E.J. and Kim Stephens is also sold out.

National Cash

The Cowboy Festival Chili Cook-off hosted by nonprofit homeless services provider Bridge to Home will take place during the festival at Hart Park Sunday afternoon.

The People’s Choice portion will stretch from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees can purchase tickets to sample chili. A $10 purchase will get five 2 oz. samples. click here to order Chili Cook-off tickets.

A VIP package is also available, including access to the VIP Cantina at Hart Park both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., complimentary beverages and snacks, a lunch served each day from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., and VIP shuttle service to and from Hart Park, all for $100. click here to order the VIP Package.

Road Closures
Residents are encouraged to prepare for road closures in Old Town Newhall and plan transportation accordingly this weekend.

Beginning Saturday at 6 a.m., Newhall Avenue, from Market Street to 4th Street, will be closed for festival transportation and set-up. Please plan a different route in advance of the closure, which will last through Sunday at 9 p.m.

Parking
Free parking for the Cowboy Festival will again be offered in the dirt lot located at the bend of 13th Street and Arch Street in Newhall. Guests will be able to take a free shuttle to and from the parking lot.

Limited parking will also available in the city-owned parking structure on Main Street in Old Town Newhall, but shuttle service from the structure will not be available.

No parking will be available at Hart Park.

Public Transportation
Santa Clarita Transit will offer free rides on local routes during the Cowboy Festival on Saturday and Sunday.

This is an excellent opportunity to help reduce traffic in the area by taking advantage of the city’s ADA-compliant transit fleet.

Attendees can easily access the Cowboy Festival by taking Routes 4, 5, 6 or 14 to Veterans Historical Plaza, or by taking Route 12 to the Newhall Metrolink Station in Old Town Newhall.

Both locations will leave you within easy strolling distance to Hart Park.

Intuitive route maps and arrival times can be accessed through the Moovit or Santa Clarita Transit App for iOS and Android devices. By inputting your starting point and destination, users will be provided real-time transit arrival information and easy to follow instructions for first-time riders.

Visit SantaClaritaTransit.com for a complete list of bus schedules and routes.