Enjoy the Warm Summer Nights at SENSES and Celebrate!

School is out for summer and it is time to enjoy the long sunny days and warm nights. With June right around the corner, get ready to join your friends and family for two of the City’s most popular outdoor events. We are in the middle of the line-up for both the Celebrate series at the Canyon Country Community Center and the lively SENSES Block Parties that take over Main Street in Old Town Newhall.

You don’t need to take a 16-hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean to travel to the Scandinavian nation that’s known for its legendary Vikings. Instead, head on over to the Canyon Country Community Center (18410 Sierra Highway) on Friday, June 14, where from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. the Celebrate event series will be showcasing an evening of Swedish festivities. Have you ever tried Kubb, a lawn game where the objective is to knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden batons at them? Neither have I, but there’s a first time for everything! This is what Celebrate is all about – experiencing new cultures, customs, trying new foods, sports and other learning opportunities. In addition to participating in a Kubb tournament with your friends and family, there will be a wide range of activities and experiences for attendees to look forward to as we celebrate Sweden. Unleash your creativity at the arts and crafts station and make flower crowns, Viking helmets and Dala Horses. Sit back and take in the warm evening air or dance along to live music from Andrea Hoag, a Grammy-nominated performer of Scandinavian traditional music. If you work up an appetite, grab a bite to eat from one of the on-site food trucks or look out for the free samples of Swedish meatballs and pastries.

The following week, on Thursday, June 20, it is only fitting to throw a Summer Solstice SENSES Block Party, on not only the longest day of the year, but the official start of summer. To revel in the fact that the summer season has begun, head over to Old Town Newhall, where from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Main Street will be transformed into the ultimate Summer Solstice celebration. Did you know that cultures around the world have celebrated the solstice for thousands of years? It has been marked by festivals and rituals, emphasizing themes of growth, renewal and fertility.

From the instant you walk onto Main Street, the vibes of summer will start to take over. Fairy street performers will be roaming the event, and if you forget your flowery headdress, don’t worry, you can make one at the arts and crafts booth! Grab a beverage from the on-street bar and raise a glass to the Black Stripes, as they take the stage and perform alternative and dance cover songs that will get everyone singing and dancing along. Whether you’re craving savory or sweet, you have your pick from one of the food trucks on site. As you walk up and down Main Street with your friends and family, try your hand at one of the many fun activities and make it a solstice to remember on the longest day of the year!

There is so much to enjoy in our City during the summer. In addition to Celebrate and SENSES, the hometown favorite Concerts in the Park returns in July! These community events are one of the many factors that make our City the ideal place to enjoy summertime. For more information about these two popular event series, visit SantaClarita.gov/Celebrate and SantaClarita.gov/SENSES.

Mayor Cameron Smyth is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at csmyth@santaclarita.gov.