Events in State College

State College always has something going on!
No matter the time of year, there is always an upcoming event to look forward to in this welcoming community.
Check out a calendar of upcoming events here.

Central Pa. Festival of the Arts

Aside from Pa State football games, no other single event brings as much excitement & energy to the SC areas. It returns in July (children’s Days first day) and then Sidewalk Sales & Exhibitions opens. There’s great art & entertainment, a variety of food & plenty of fun. Not only do locals look forward to the Arts Festival, but artists and visitors from Around the World come!

People’s Choice Festival

This great family-friendly event happens every year with over 100,000 visitors over it’s four day stay. Enjoy great kid friendly activities, fabulous entertainment, shopping from local artisans, and of course delicious food offerings. Look forward to this festival in July each year in Boalsburg at the Pennsylvania Military Museum.

Centre County Grange Fair

Each August, you can enjoy the Centre County Grange Fair- the only remaining tenting fair in the nation! Whether you camp out, RV, or just come for the day, there is much to experience. Explore the many amusement rides available, jam out with the packed line-up of performers at the grandstand, and feel the excitement of drag racing in the motorsports arena. Take the kiddos to the Equine Center to see the horse show area and watch skillful riders during daily competitions. There’s so much more to experience, so make sure to check out this year’s full schedule.

Bryce Jordan Center Concerts

Bryce Jordan Center is central Pennsylvania’s premier entertainment facility. It hosts top-name performers, bands, singers, family shows, commencements, comedians, and sporting events. It’s home to Penn State’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams, and can accommodate conferences, trade shows, meetings, training sessions, banquets and more.

Central Pa. 4th Festival & Fireworks Show

• 45 minutes.
  That’s how long the fireworks show runs. That’s about twice as long as your average fireworks show — even 20 minutes longer than the Macy’s fireworks show in New York City.
• 10,000 to 12,000.
  That’s the number of shells that will be set off over the course of the show, with the grand finale featuring as many as 50 shells per second. And you’ll see somewhere between 130 and 170 different variety of shells.
• There’s more than fireworks.
  The day starts at 9 a.m. with the Firecracker 4K or 4 mile race, and later in the day features an Independence Day parade followed by a festival in the area around Penn State’s Beaver Stadium in the hours leading up to the fireworks show. This year the activities include a BMX stunt show, mechanical bull riding, a lumberjack show as well as three stages featuring a variety of bands and musical acts, kids crafts, even balloon rides. And don’t miss out on a bite of the 14-foot American flag cake or the free hot dogs.
• You can watch the fireworks for free from countless spots around State College.
  Bring a radio and tune to 99.5 FM to hear the music to which the fireworks are choreographed. If you want to watch from a closer vantage — the area around Beaver Stadium or the baseball stadium, you can pay a $10 parking fee. That will also allow you to attend the festival and all its entertainment for no additional cost. For the best and closest view of fireworks, you could pay $25 to claim a spot in the VIP viewing area. That’s a spot in a field nearest to where the fireworks are being set off. Each year, the show includes some ground-based fireworks/light displays that are visible only from this area. It also features a quality sound system, so you’ll hear the music to which the fireworks is choreographed.
• It’s an all-volunteer affair.
  Hundreds of volunteers spend the year planning the event, from choosing the music to which the fireworks will be choreographed, to planning and organizing the days event. Dozens of volunteers seven pend the week leading up to the fireworks show helping put the fireworks shells in place for the show. And then there’s the fundraising. The show, with a budget of $350,000 to $400,000, is funded entirely through donations.
• 60,000 to 80,000 people can’t be wrong.
  That’s the estimated size of the crowd that comes to see the fireworks show every year.