The City of Santa Clarita’s action-packed Youth Sports and Healthy Families Festival is back for its eighth year with a plethora of activities and sports. The free, family-friendly event will again feature a multitude of sports, activities and healthy lifestyle education from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex, 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway.

This event packs multiple activities into one day, all in one location, for thousands of Santa Clarita residents to enjoy. In addition to being an exciting day for families, the Youth Sports and Healthy Families Festival also provides kids the opportunity to try out new sports and activities for free.

“Our residents love the Youth Sports and Healthy Families Festival,” said Mayor Bob Kellar. “It’s the perfect opportunity for families to spend time together and also a chance for kiddos to try out new sports. Many times a child will try a new sport at the festival and want to sign up to play the next season!”

Families can experience a wide-ranging assortment of activities including kayaking, boxing, futsal, inner-tube water polo, handball, stand-up paddle boarding, hockey, and S.N.A.G. golf throughout the Sports Complex’s 22 acres. Classic sports like basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis can also be enjoyed.

A portion of the festival, the Play Every Day! area, will feature an assortment of back-to-the-basics activities like hop scotch, tetherball, jump rope and hula hoop reminding families of easy ways to stay active on a daily basis.

Living an active lifestyle goes hand-in-hand with healthy eating habits and in support of this, both Kaiser Permanente and Whole Foods will be sponsoring the Healthy Families Experience in The Centre at the Sports Complex during the festival. Families will have the opportunity to learn interesting facts about food, receive tips on how to live a more active lifestyle and interact with various informational and educational displays. Kids are encouraged to partake in the Whole Foods Explore the Store! area, which allows kids to browse fresh fruit and vegetables and participate in the Create Your Plate activity. These activities highlight healthy eating habits and provide tips on how to put together more balanced meals.

The Healthy Families Experience will include a designated area for younger kids, sponsored by My Gym, with activities like running, jumping, hopping, skipping, throwing, kicking and catching games, as well as arts and crafts. Additionally, children will have the opportunity to plant their own herbs with assistance from the Community Garden Club of Santa Clarita and face painting and other activities will be provided by the Santa Clarita Library.

Additional entertainment, sponsored by Brandolino Group Real Estate, will feature high-energy demonstrations from local groups like TK Tae Kwan Do, Ballet Folklorico, Hoop Dance, Shins Martial Arts, Hawaiian Dance, Gym Cheer, Fun and Fit Gymnastics and the Star Dance Center. Newhall Community Center will also hold a demonstration of their popular boxing program.

Throughout the festival, attendees will also have the chance to enter a raffle for the chance to win great prizes including amusement park tickets, restaurant gift cards, and professional sports memorabilia. All raffle proceeds will benefit the City’s SCORE program, which provides recreation scholarships for youth. A variety of food trucks will be on site with food for purchase.

For more information about the 2016 Youth Sports and Healthy Families Festival, please visit santa-clarita.com/YouthSportsFestival or call the City’s Youth Sports Office at (661) 250-3756. For more information about volunteer opportunities at the event, call (661) 250-3708 or visit SantaClaritaVolunteers.com to sign up.