This fall, a good share of the Santa Clarita Valley's small theater and local art has moved to the mall, to a few storefronts around The Patios at Valencia Town Center that most shoppers walk past on the way to somewhere else.
The fire came early on Monday, Aug. 24, 2026. It destroyed The MAIN, the City's theater on Main Street in Old Town Newhall. It also took Newhall Refinery, Care Tucker Style House, Source Inc., El Trocadero Mesquite Grill and Cantina, and Gary's Auto Collision Center. KHTS reported that the fire and the demolition afterward left the 24254–24274 block of Main Street and 24274 Railroad Avenue as rubble. Two months later, if you live in Valencia, the closest theater seats and the newest local gallery are a short drive down Valencia Boulevard.
The problem the City named in August
The City of Santa Clarita didn't treat The MAIN as a quick fix. At the first council meeting after the fire, City Manager Ken Striplin described the problem in two parts, according to The Signal:
"We have a number of productions and things that were scheduled at The Main between now and the end of the year — that's our immediate focus, it's trying to help them secure alternative locations."
In the same report, he said "The Main's not coming back anytime soon" and that the City would look at long-term ways to replace it. At that meeting, Councilman Bill Miranda suggested his own nonprofit, the Santa Clarita Arts & Cultural Center Inc., as a possible venue. The Signal described the nonprofit as hosted by Valencia Town Center. It launched in June 2025 and had been relatively inactive until then.
So the scramble was over the fall and holiday calendar, and some of it landed in Valencia. Dig Deep Theatre's run of "You Got Older" at The MAIN ended early because of the fire. Its Sept. 5 benefit reading moved to the A404 Black & White Studio at CalArts, per the City. Big Sandwich Theatre took "Change the Station" to the Canyon Theatre Guild on Main Street, the surviving Newhall stage, for Oct. 2–4, KHTS reported. HOPE Theatre Arts moved "The Velocity of Autumn" to The Olive Branch Theatre at Valencia Town Center for Oct. 9–11 and 16–18, according to an SCVNews venue roundup.
Why the mall already had the rooms
The mall could take in displaced shows quickly because the rooms were already there before August.
Olive Branch Theatricals opened its Valencia Town Center pop-up in July 2024. Its first production was "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," which began performances July 6, The Signal reported at the time. MOSAIC, the gallery run under Miranda's arts center, had an exhibit on its walls by July 2026. The Santa Clarita Artists Association called it "the brand-new temporary home of the Santa Clarita Arts & Cultural Center." And the large space that once held The Canyon, which The Signal reported was closing in January 2023, is where this year's Festival of Trees will be held.
Because these rooms were already open and staffed, the mall could respond faster than any new venue.
Finding each room
These spaces are spread across the property, and the outdoor and indoor halves of the mall don't connect in an obvious way.
- The Olive Branch Theatre. It sits outside the main mall building on the Patio Shops. Olive Branch's ticketing page lists the address as 24201 Valencia Blvd. and the box office phone as (661) 505-8733.
- The Nook. This is Olive Branch Theatricals' 30-seat theater inside the mall, space 2301, at the east end near Bearies Acai. It recently hosted a locally set radio-play version of "War of the Worlds" around Halloween, with $20 tickets.
- MOSAIC Santa Clarita Arts & Cultural Center. It's at Suite 3324 on the outdoor patios, to the right of the turtle pond, per the gallery's release in The Signal. The Valencia Town Center directory lists its hours as Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The former Canyon space. This is where the Festival of Trees runs Nov. 20–22.
If you go to a matinee at The Olive Branch Theatre, you're on the same patio walkway as MOSAIC. That makes a show and a gallery stop easy to pair on a weekend afternoon.
The calendar from here to mid-December
These dates come from the venues' own ticket pages and announcements as of late October. Small-venue schedules change, so check the linked page before you go.
| Date | What | Where | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through Sat., Nov. 7 | Fatima Aya Kian, featured artist, shown with resident artist Naomi Young | MOSAIC | Free |
| Sat., Nov. 7 and Sun., Nov. 8, 2 p.m. | "And Lightning Struck: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Creation" | The Olive Branch Theatre | $28 online, $32 door; seniors and vets $23 online, $28 door |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Bridge to Home Turkey Trot 5K | The Paseo Club | See organizer |
| Fri., Nov. 13 at 7 p.m.; Sat., Nov. 14 at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. | "Every Brilliant Thing" | The Olive Branch Theatre | $20 online, $25 door; students 16–20 $18 online, $23 door |
| Fri., Nov. 20 through Sun., Nov. 22 | Festival of Trees | Former Canyon location, Valencia Town Center | Gala and community hours listed below |
| Dec. 5–17 | "The Farnsdale ... Christmas Carol" | Olive Branch Theatricals | Seven performances; tickets "available soon" |
A few details from those pages are worth knowing before you buy. On Olive Branch's two November shows, children under 15 are free with a paid adult, but every seat still needs a ticket. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain, seating starts 15 minutes before, and if you arrive 10 or more minutes late, you may have to wait for a break in the show. "Every Brilliant Thing" runs about 80 minutes with no intermission, so it fits easily before a late dinner on The Patios. Tickets for both are on the Olive Branch Theatricals box office for "And Lightning Struck" and the box office for "Every Brilliant Thing".
The Kian exhibit at MOSAIC closes Saturday, Nov. 7. That's the same day as the last Saturday matinee of "And Lightning Struck" and the Turkey Trot at The Paseo Club, which makes it the busiest day on this list. The Nov. 1 artist reception has passed, but the work is up until then.
Festival of Trees in the old Canyon room
The 24th annual Festival of Trees takes over the former Canyon location Nov. 20–22, and proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley, KHTS reported. The Magic of the Lights Gala is Friday, Nov. 20, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Community hours are Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., then Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you're going to the 2 p.m. "Every Brilliant Thing" matinee on Nov. 14, you'll be a week too early. A December "Christmas Carol" performance and a Festival weekend visit are each a separate trip.
How long the stage stays in Valencia
The Valencia arrangement is a stopgap. The Santa Clarita Artists Association calls MOSAIC a temporary home. In Newhall, the possible long-term answer is the old Newhall Hardware building on Main Street, which most recently housed radio station KHTS. The Signal reported on Oct. 22 that the City was looking at buying the property for a new theater. Mayor Laurene Weste called the possibility a "Main: Take 2." The report also said the property's future was expected to come up at the Oct. 27 City Council meeting. That's a potential purchase, not a finished deal. Even if it moves forward, building a new theater takes longer than one holiday season.
Until then, the valley's small theaters and local galleries are concentrated in Valencia. If you live nearby, that's a short drive from home through the end of the year.
If you're a Valencia homeowner wondering how things like a theater on the Patio Shops or a gallery by the turtle pond show up in what your neighborhood is worth, Bri King and the team at Prime Real Estate are glad to talk it through without any pressure. Start with an instant home valuation whenever you're ready.
