SCVNews.com | Opinion/Commentary: Ken Striplin | Traveling Back in Time at Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival

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1925 - By letter, Wyatt Earp beseeches his friend William S. Hart to portray him in a movie, to correct the "lies about me." Hart never did. [story]

Ken Striplin | Traveling Back in Time at Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival

By Ken Striplin | Monday, Apr 8, 2024

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Travel Back in Time at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival

Each spring the city of Santa Clarita proudly showcases its cowboy culture and pays homage to its rich Western heritage during the one-of-a-kind Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival. As you enter William S. Hart Park (24151 N. Newhall Avenue) on Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21, you will find yourself immersed in the Old West. This year’s 28th Annual Cowboy Festival will come fully equipped with living history experiences, musical performances and activities for all ages that will take you back in time to our City’s Wild West days.

To fully experience the rich history embedded in the heart of our City, take a stroll with your friends and family through the Santa Clarita History Center, a short walk from the entrance of Hart Park. Learn about the locomotive that proudly rests at the Saugus Train Station, which dates back to 1887. Alongside this historic station stands other carefully preserved structures that will transport you years into the past: the Mitchell Schoolhouse Adobe and the historic Ramona Chapel, to just name a few. The Ramona Chapel has been used as a movie set by John Wayne, and has been visited by notables such as Wyatt Earp, Will Rogers, Joan Crawford and many other early stars of the silver screen. You may even witness a cowboy wedding at the Ramona Chapel!

The Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival wouldn’t be complete without a full lineup of unique cowboy, country, folk and bluegrass performances. With live acts taking to the Mane and Whistle Stop Stages, as well as Hart Hall, you’ll discover a blend of artists and bands to enjoy. For a complete schedule, as well as a biography of each artist, please visit CowboyFestival.org.

Looking to immerse yourself even further into the cowboy way of life? Stop by the blacksmith’s forge to meet Wishbone McCray and Manflo Jones, who are happy to share their stories of life on the frontier. They’ll even make you a custom horseshoe! You won’t want to miss a photo opportunity with Dave Thornbury, the skilled trick-roper who’ll be roaming around the park. Head over to Gilchrist Farm’s Pioneer Corner, where you can learn the art of wool spinning, candle making, leather stamping, panning for gold and more. If you want to freshen up your western style, shop along the vendors row where you can find everything from custom cowboy hats to authentic boots. Then test your wild west skills as you try to stay on the mechanical bull for more than an eight second ride. Next try your luck and aim for the bullseye in hatchet throwing and inflatable archery. There will be no shortage of family-friendly fun and activities at this year’s festival.

I encourage everyone to round up their friends, family and neighbors to come experience all the 28th Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival has to offer, especially the always-popular Cowboy Peach Cobbler. To learn more, visit CowboyFestival.org.

Ken Striplin is the city manager for the city of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.

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