Monthly Message Mayor Laurene Weste A Very Special 30th Anniversary of the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival

It is time to dust off your boots, turn back the clock and experience what life was like in our Valley more than a century ago. The 30th Anniversary of the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival is taking over William S. Hart Park the weekend of April 18 and 19, bringing our community’s Western roots to life in the very place where cowboy legend William S. Hart once lived in the mansion on the hill.
All your favorite Cowboy Festival favorites are back, from live music to hands-on Wild West activities, line dancing, barbecue and don’t forget the Cowboy Cobbler. It’s a celebration of the grit, spirit and storytelling that built the American West and shaped the Santa Clarita Valley in a big way.
This year is even more special as we celebrate the 30th Anniversary with the grand reopening of William S. Hart’s mansion. Hart wasn’t just a movie star. He was Hollywood’s first great cowboy hero and one of the world’s biggest film actors from 1914 to 1925. When he retired, he didn’t just ride off into the sunset — he gave his home and nearly everything inside it to the public.
That’s what makes this mansion so rare. You’re stepping into Hart’s actual home, filled with his furniture, books, artwork, clothing and movie memorabilia. The house reflects his deep love for the West, with Western art, Native American beadwork and textiles throughout. You’ll even spot gifts from famous friends like Will Rogers, Wyatt Earp and Amelia Earhart. And all around the park, more stories await — from the Ranch House and its saddles and poker table, to the quiet Dog Cemetery that shows just how much Hart loved his four-legged companions. You can experience it all at this year’s Cowboy Festival. For more information, please visit CowboyFestival.org.