Santa Clarita: The Most Well Known, Not Well Known City

Almost every Santa Clarita resident I have spoken to always says they answer the question, “Where do you live? Where are you from?” with “Los Angeles.” As they are from Santa Clarita, this is only partly true. To almost every Santa Clarita resident answering, Los Angeles is a lot easier to say rather than explaining what and where exactly Santa Clarita is. If they do say that they are form Santa Clarita, it will more than likely be followed up by, “so you know where Six Flags is? I live there.”

They are right, they do live where Six Flags is, but Santa Clarita is much bigger than that. Santa Clarita is broken down into 5 main categories — Saugus, Valencia, Castaic, Newhall, and Canyon Country. Personally, I reside in Saugus, although Snapchat likes to tell me I live in Canyon Country.

Santa Clarita is about a 45 minute drive, without traffic of course, to Los Angeles and since a lot of residents here commute, that is why Los Angeles is often the answer to the “where do you live?” question.

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Santa Clarita is so much more than a suburb and a close town to Los Angeles. They offer and put on so many events that actively engage the community. One of my favorites is Boots and Brews. I love attending Boots and Brews because it is a great time to spend with family and friends while also attending a really great and cheap concert.

I, Rylee Holwager, (far right) with family and friends at Boots n Bews in 2019. The last Boots and Brews before the pandemic.

Not a lot of people are aware of how big these events actually are. However, with the delta variant taking California in a rapid storm and us still being in this pandemic, all of these music events have been cancelled. Two years of Boots and Brews have been cancelled. I am concerned that even when these concerts open back up, there will still be covid-19 being spread.

Whenever concerts start opening up, as well as more additional community acitivies, I, and many others from the community will for sure be hearing it first on the Instagram page, @whatsupscv.

Via Instagram, Santa Clarita’s most popular Instagram page, @whatsupscv.

Unlike most news where Santa Clarita is referred to as, “the city where Six Flags resides” and “a suburb residing 45 minutes from Los Angeles,” Whatsupscv speaks for the community by the community. They embody what Santa Clarita is and what it has to offer. The page is run entirely by SCV residents and focuses on representing Santa Clarita through all of it’s beauty such as activism, community events, local restaurants, and so much more.

With this new innovation, the community has never been closer. More people are attending these events that are being promoted and end up making more local friends.

Santa Clarita is my home and I am glad to call it such.