After an absence of a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, First Night State College will once again provide central Pennsylvania with a great way to mark the passing of the old year and the ringing in of the New Year. This alcohol-free community celebration of the visual and performing arts will take place in downtown State College and on the University Park Campus of Penn State on December 31, 2021.

Local author and historian Rebecca Inlow wants to tell you about Philipsburg, and specifically about its movie palace The Rowland Theatre. A longtime volunteer for the theatre, Inlow has authored the book “The Rowland Story: Beauty from Ashes,” a labor of love that took 3 ½ years to complete (you can buy a copy at the theatre, or at Shindig Alley on the corner of Front and Pine in Philipsburg). She says it was worth it all to discover “little pieces of history that you can find around every corner.”

Duke Gastiger has been part of the Happy Valley food landscape for more than 50 years. His culinary footprint started when a friend asked him,“If you could buy any bar in State College, which one would it be?” “The All-American Rathskeller, of course,” he answered, and when he found out it was for sale, he bought it. In the years after that, he also debuted Spats Café and Speakeasy on College Avenue, then in 2019, he and his wife Monica pioneered a new culinary experience: RE Farm Café.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve the Happy Valley way! First Night State College is back in person for 2021, and it’s better than ever.

Get involved with Happy Valley entrepreneur networks, Bellefonte’s burgeoning downtown, social media in this area … or really anything involving growth and community in Happy Valley … and it’s just a matter of time before you run into Ellen Matis. She’s the founder of Hello Social Co., a bespoke social media service, serves as Board President for Downtown Bellefonte Inc., and is a member of the marketing committee for the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Hear why Ellen chose Bellefonte and what every visitor should do when they are in town. Read on!

In collaboration with students, artists, and student-curators, HUB-Robeson Galleries are hosting two student led exhibitions in the HUB-Robeson Center. The exhibitions, titled FRESH and Inside the Frames, exemplify the beauty of personhood and evoke powerful sentiments of self-identity and perception.

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, joined by Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, announced a formalized effort to elevate Happy Valley’s standing as a premier sports and entertainment destination through the creation of the Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Commission.

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. (Nov. 11, 2022) - Penn State Homecoming is excited to announce Emily Sawtell as Logistics Officer and Hannah Gizenski as Outreach Officer for Homecoming 2022. This announcement follows the selection of Tim Nevil as Executive Director for Homecoming 2022.

The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State will present a hybrid spring 2022 season of ticketed on-stage and free “Up Close and Virtual” programs, including touring Broadway musicals, classical music ensembles, New Orleans and New York-style jazz, and interpretive dance.