Thousands of Santa Clarita residents gathered in Old Town Newhall Saturday to take part in the annual “Light Up Main Street” event to marvel at the light displays twinkling up and down Main Street.

In their annual tradition to kick-off the holidays, the City of Santa Clarita transformed Old Town Newhall from Market Street to Lyons Avenue into a festive experience for both children and adults to enjoy. 

“After a virtual event last year, it’s wonderful to be back in person to celebrate all of Santa Clarita,” said Mayor Bill Miranda. 

Last year’s holiday season was celebrated virtually to accommodate for social distancing requirements, but “Light Up Main Street” was able to officially return in 2021 to kick off the season’s holiday cheer. 

Surrounding the Old Town Newhall Library at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, thousands of Santa Clarita residents gathered around the 25-foot-tall Christmas tree to witness the momentous lighting that would kick start the event.

See Related: Virtual ‘Light Up Main Street’ Brings Holiday Cheer To Old Town Newhall

Ribbon arches and light tunnels led the community through a plethora of activities including performances, dancing, snowball fights, snacking, crafting and meeting Santa Claus as well as the Grinch.

Main Street went through an over 10-hour transformation process into a holiday celebration that incorporated a patch of snow for children to play in.

Dispersing across Main Street, residents were met with surprises at every corner with two reindeer settling across the way from The Old Town Junction as well as street-style games of archery and shuffleboard scattered across Main Street. 

The main performance by “Electric Vinyl” had people between the ages of 2-years-old and 70-years-old dancing for hours and continued several songs more than expected due to a boisterous encore. 

Residents were encouraged to support local Old Town Newhall businesses, but also offered choices from approximately ten food trucks as restaurant wait times heightened. 

The 12-hour full street closure of Main Street also allowed small business vendors to showcase their one-of-a-kind work to those looking to get an early start on holiday shopping.

Lyons Avenue between Railroad and Newhall Avenues had been closed as well as the full closure of Main Street between Lyons Avenue and the roundabout to properly facilitate the event, according to the City of Santa Clarita.

Residents were diverted to Railroad or Newhall Avenues as a detour with both closures expected to begin at 10 a.m. and end at midnight, according to the City of Santa Clarita.

To find more information about Light Up Main Street, click here.

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