With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, what better way to show your love for that special someone than saying “I do”? The city of Santa Clarita’s City Hall Ceremonies program has married over 330 loving couples since its inception in 2020.

I encourage residents to take advantage of our convenient one-stop service which provides a marriage license and ceremony on the same day. The happy couples will have their choice of several beautiful locations at City Hall for their nuptials, including Council Chambers, in front of our lobby mural or outside with the fountain as a backdrop.

This year, Valentine’s Day will be extra special for several local couples who have decided to get married as part of “The Big I Do.” This unique event will give these couples a dream wedding without the hassle of planning, seating charts and coordination. The wedding experts from the City Hall Ceremonies team are putting together the whole celebration – complete with a beautiful ceremony, flowers, delicious brunch, professional photographer, DJ, dancing and more. Make sure you follow the city on social media at santa-clarita.com/Social for unique opportunities like “The Big I Do” and other special location wedding offerings.

Whether you’re married or not, there are plenty of fun activities to do with that special someone around the city. Grab your sweetheart and head over to The MAIN Theatre in Old Town Newhall to experience an eclectic blend of live theatrical productions, comedy nights, live music and variety nights. Recurring art exhibits are also featured every month in The MAIN’s lobby. You can enjoy light refreshments and meet talented artists during the free art receptions held on every third Thursday of the month. After taking in one of these entertaining shows, I encourage you to take a walk down Main Street and enjoy some delicious food from one of our local restaurants and see what the amazing shops have to offer. Please visit AtTheMAIN.org for more information.

The city also offers a multitude of fun classes – like yoga, painting and dancing – that provide couples additional chances to spend more time together while learning something new. For a list of class opportunities, visit santa-clarita.com/Seasons.

If you’re like me and enjoy spending time under the sun, Santa Clarita has plenty of outdoor options for you to enjoy as a couple, or with friends and family. Experience green hills and breathtaking views while exploring a variety of hiking trails at one of the many open spaces that surround the city. You can even pack a basket with your favorite foods and drinks and enjoy a romantic picnic in the great outdoors. For a list of open spaces and hiking trails please visit HikeSantaClarita.com.

Later this month, the Newhallywood Silent Film Festival takes place from Feb. 24-27. This festival highlights the thousands of dialogue-free films that were shot in the area around Newhall from 1895-1930. For more information, visit SantaClaritaArts.com/Newhallywood.
From weddings and hiking to classes and arts and entertainment, there’s much to love about Santa Clarita.

Ken Striplin is Santa Clarita’s City Manager and can be reached at kstriplin@santa-clarita.com.