Some of you may remember the good old days in Newhall when the area was the bustling center of town for the entire Santa Clarita Valley. Back in the day there was Newhall Hardware, the drugstore on the corner with a soda fountain, the Mahogany & Chiffon clothing boutique... But then so much growth happened in the Valley that this part of town was forgotten.

Well, you know what they say: "What's old is new again!" Now Old Town Newhall is reemerging as a very hip part of Santa Clarita. The little burgeoning neighborhood has such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Thanks to many years of commitment from the City of Santa Clarita and The Old Town Newhall Association, the look of the community is improving and becoming revitalized.

You might have noticed the most recent improvements. They're very visible! Take a look at the street sidewalks reeling with plant life, beautiful new gas lamps, artistically-painted trash cans, parking changes and, now, there will also be the addition of a driving round-about. Keeping in line with the rich history of downtown Newhall, the Cowboy Walk of Fame lines the sidewalks.

Some building owners have refaced their store fronts and many small business owners are grabbing at the chance to acquire a great location with affordable rent. In the last six months there have been three established businesses that moved to Main Street: Luscious Soul, Ma Maison and J. Serraino have all added exposure and foot traffic to the area.

The nostalgia of a small downtown is infectious and many more positive changes are on the horizon, too. Egg Plantation owners Shannon and Simon Mee will be opening a new gastropub on Main Street in May called Newhall Refinery. Plus, there have been some new business additions in the last few months: One Savvy Girl and The Closet on Main. Not to mention the brand new state-of-the-art public library that stands as a shining beacon for Main Street. With so many exciting changes rapidly occurring, there is no limit to how fabulous the area can be!

Many events and promotions have been implemented to increase awareness for Old Town. On a monthly basis there is a food truck, farmers market and live music festival called Senses on Main hosted on the third Thursday and is a real treat for the whole family. The City of Santa Clarita sponsors Art Slams at the corner of Lyons Avenue and Main Street every first Thursday night of the month. Old Town Newhall Association puts on a grand car show that draws thousands in June.

A largely successful Block Party has been hosted by the merchants and everyone is invited to join in on the next one, to be held on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event offers free transportation on the old-fashioned SCV Trolley all around Old Town with convenient on/off stops at many of the local small businesses. Patrons can freely experience the downtown area and all of the offerings. Participating stores will be serving refreshments, offering special promotions and there will be a passport that customers can complete to win free gifts. The library will have activities for the kids and book readings, too. In the evening there will be a live concert featuring the Shoemaker Brothers at Egg Plantation from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is great opportunity to get to know Old Town Newhall all over again!