Everyone loved Bella Via – Bella Via was great! The Newhall Land and Farming Company created the event as a marketing tool for Valencia 1n 1999, and in doing so pumped this community full of creative spirit and energy. They shut down Town Center Drive and turned the street into an explosion of color and shape, joy and beauty. The visual artists loved it, the kids loved it, and the public loved it. Newhall Land loved it, but killed it because… well, it’s complicated. They got the pictures and the publicity, but did not get the national sponsorship required to continue the costly festival. There were four good years, though, and when Bella Via went away it was sorely missed. Enter the City of Santa Clarita. After many complaints, the City made the decision to bring the street painting festival back to life in the form of the Santa Clarita Street Art Festival in 2005.
This year marks the third annual Street Art Festival, and while the City is not allowed to hemorage nearly the amount of cash NL did, they will be putting on an outstanding shindig. Main Street (aka San Fernando Road) will be shut down for blocks and the Downtown Newhall area will beam and glow and resonate with art and music and joy and beauty. The backward parking will be obliterated and replaced by works by local and regional artists, and many students of art from local K-12′s, COC and even CalArts. In addition there will be live music and dance on two stages, and roaming live performances throughout the weekend. Five whole blocks of goodness!
Enough jibberjabber. Go and enjoy. The Festival runs from 10am to 9pm on Saturday, and from 10am to 6pm on Sunday. For more information, visit streetartfest.com
Photos by Scott Groller
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