City to host Free to Be Me Festival on May 5

The city of Santa Clarita is scheduled May 5 to host the Free to Be Me Festival for its third year in a row, at a new location this year.

The festival celebrating Santa Clarita’s special needs communities and their families is scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at West Creek Park, 24247 Village Circle Drive.

West Creek Park features an inclusive play area, equipped with ramps for easy accessibility, a roller slide that reduces static electricity buildup for individuals with cochlear implants, a We-go-swing and a We-go-round with abundant room for multiple users. Inclusion aids will be available to ensure smooth operation of the park’s equipment for everyone.

The Free to Be Me Festival will showcase free, live performances and demonstrations featuring organizations that offer programming for individuals with special needs. New this year is a wrestling demonstration. Music from Pop Vision Band and active storytime with the Santa Clarita Public Library rounds out the live entertainment.

In addition, attendees can look forward to multiple arts and crafts experiences, face painting, character appearances and interaction with first responders. Recreational organizations that work with the community with special needs will also offer basketball, volleyball, golf, street hockey and soccer to accommodate the festival’s diverse group of players.

To ensure that all attendees feel comfortable, the Free to Be Me Festival will provide a sensory-friendly Chill Zone for a space to relax quietly, away from any unwanted noise. There will also be therapy animals in attendance, ready to be brushed in a therapeutic and soothing form of relaxation. A fully accessible mobile restroom will be available, alongside the Americans with Disabilities Act accessible restrooms already at the park.

For more information about the Free to Be Me Festival, visit FreetobeMefest.com or contact the city of Santa Clarita’s Arts and Events Office at 661-250-3787 or aeo@ santaclarita.gov.