Not only am I fortunate to live here in our vibrant city, I am honored to serve as its mayor. The city of Santa Clarita is proud to offer a wide range of programs and services to our residents. From smooth streets maintained by our Road Rehab program and educational storytimes at our library branches, to an incredible trail system and diverse programming at our community centers, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

With all of these services and resources, you may be thinking…how can I learn more about what my city does on behalf of residents? You are in luck. Each fall the city hosts the annual State of the City event to share information about city programs, projects and much more. This year’s event will take place on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 3 p.m. at the Canyon Country Community Center, with the theme of “Event Extravaganza.” In addition to hearing city updates, you will also get to take in highlights from all the world-class events hosted by the city each year.

Santa Clarita boasts a year-round calendar chock-full of engaging and entertaining events. The spring is when we welcome the always popular Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival and the return of event series like SENSES Block Parties and Celebrate.

In July, residents flock to Central Park to enjoy live music with family, friends and neighbors at Concerts in the Park. September marks the annual River Rally and Environmental Expo where participants not only get to engage with the community, they also get to help our environment by cleaning trash and debris out of the Santa Clara Riverbed. Then the holiday season officially begins in Santa Clarita with Light Up Main Street in November. This family-favorite event features snow, live music, arts and crafts and of course, the illumination of the beautiful Christmas Tree in front of the Santa Clarita Public Library Old Town Newhall Branch.

State of the City will shine a spotlight on all of these amazing events that contribute to the high quality of life we all enjoy in Santa Clarita. Besides these exciting events, State of the City will also highlight crucial projects and programs that have been recently completed or are about to get underway.

Your city council will present video clips showcasing all the progress that has been made. These updates will share information on new city amenities like the Vista Canyon Multi-Modal Center, which will offer transportation services to residents beginning Oct. 23. You will also get all the details on the Central Park Buildout Project which will be complete mid-October, bringing with it four new multipurpose fields, additional parking, a new restroom facility and enhancements to the dog park.

Plus, you’ll get information on upcoming city projects like the new Valencia Community Center, the roller rink and city park improvements. In addition to getting to hear from the city council firsthand, guests will also get a commemorative gift and enjoy beverages and appetizers on the Terrace following the presentation.

There are still some tickets available to the 2023 State of the City, for more information or to purchase tickets please visit the city’s new website at SantaClarita.gov. However, if you can’t make it in person, we encourage you to watch the event broadcast live on the city’s Facebook page and on SCVTV channel 20.

I am so proud of everything the city of Santa Clarita has been able to offer our residents over the past year and I look forward to what the future holds for our beautiful community. I’ll see you at State of the City!

Mayor Jason Gibbs is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at jgibbs@santaclarita.gov.