Millheim's annual music festival will return on the weekend of July 29 and 30. Visitors to previous Walkfests can expect a few changes for this year's event, which has been rebranded as Millheim SummerFest in recognition of the smaller footprint of the festival. SummerFest will focus on what makes Millheim a beloved destination: it hosts a vibrant music scene, homegrown food, wine, and beer, in a beautiful valley close to State College, Lewistown, Lock Haven, Lewisburg, and Bellefonte. This is a free event with free parking.

"We are excited to have a community-wide music fest rolling again in Millheim," said Tim Bowser, proprietor of Elk Creek Cafe+Aleworks. "We have so much home-grown musical talent in Penns Valley and we are honored to have played a role in that development. Our Elk Creekside Bandstand will be rocking on Saturday and Sunday with some of that talent. And Chef Cuttysan is going to serve Koya Ramen in the izakaya style of a Japanese pub where you can grab an Elk Creek brew and get comfortable."

Andy Pisano, owner of Pisano Winery, is also looking forward to SummerFest. "This is the biggest event of the year for the winery; the whole family will be here working. We're going to have music all weekend with a great lineup of vendors." Chris Bell will headline Saturday, and the Donnie Burns Duo on Sunday. Pisano Winery, now in its fourth year of operation, offers wine slushies, wine cocktails, and beer on tap. Pisano is looking forward to seeing visitors, musicians, and vendors from past years. "We're really happy to have landed here in Millheim, and we get a lot of support from the community."

Millheim Hotel, established in 1794 and the oldest bar in Centre County, will host an array of different musicians and artisans. "We're going to make wood-fired subs and pizza, sirloin steaks, and smoked BBQ chicken on the back patio," said Beth Cowher, owner of the hotel. "The outside bar will be open as well as the wine shop." Musical acts will range from Americana and acoustic rock to hardcore rap.

SummerFest is coordinated by the Valley Community Business Alliance (VCBA) with support from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners, and officially kicks off the Rt. 45 Getaways event that encourages visitors to explore sights, sounds, and tastes of businesses along the Rt. 45 corridor.

"Last year's WalkFest had to compete with other great events in Penns Valley, and we tried to do too much over too large an area," said Karl Leitzel, an organizer of the event since its inception. "This year we're spotlighting the musical venues at Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks, the Millheim Hotel, and Pisano Winery, which have been the source of live music in our community for years. We'll have a few local artisans and keep it closer to the main part of town."

Also happening

The East Penns Valley Library will hold its BIG summer book sale at the Millheim Fire Hall Saturday 10-5 pm and Sunday 10-3 pm. The Millheim Pool will be open (there is a charge) if people need to beat the heat. Downtown Millheim is also home to the Meandering Mallard Coffee House, the Penns Valley Meat Market, the Green Drake Gallery, and much more.

"We have a lot of hidden gems here in Millheim, and we hope folks will come check out what we have to offer as a community," said Lew Bryson, local author. Bryson's podcast "Seen Through A Glass," is about good drinks and food in central Pennsylvania with new episodes every other Thursday.

If you are interested in participating or want more details, email welovethevalley@gmail.com or follow Millheim Area Events on Facebook.