Gary Abdullah Jr. was born in the shadow of Beaver Stadium, went to State High, and married his childhood crush who lived down the street … but he never intended to stay in Happy Valley. Today, he will tell you that he has made Happy Valley his place — and it’s his life’s work to make it a place for everyone. Because in his words, “Happy Valley isn’t happy for everyone.” And he wants to change that.

When Tanya Campbell was a little girl, her grandmother walked her dogs on Charcoal Flats, a trail in Shingletown. Tanya, her mother, and her daughter also enjoyed hiking along this same trail. The trail, just past Pine Grove Mills near the small town of Shingletown, is known for its series of four charcoal flats — large, circular flat areas where logs would be piled and allowed to smolder to create and one that was used to make iron ore. Or, in the words of little girl Tanya, it’s a place that is “rocky and awesome.”

Join ClearWater Conservancy at 3 Dots Downtown on February 17 from 4-8 p.m. for cocktails, sweet treats, and gallery show for everyone. You can reserve your own box of treats by purchasing a Super Sweet ticket online!

The Happy Valley Comic and Collectibles Convention will be coming to State College Saturday, February 25 to Sunday, February 26. The two day event will be hosted at Nittany Valley Sports Centre, and the event will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In the summer of 2022, Leah Mueller, a State College local and former State College Area School District performing arts teacher, purchased the local musical theatre training studio Singing Onstage. While the match was a great fit, the timing wasn’t perfect. Mueller was about to start her last year as a graduate student in Indiana University’s MFA in Acting program. Upon her graduation from the program in May 2023, Mueller will be returning to State College to begin teaching at Singing Onstage full-time.

We Are Inn
Owner and Chef Pat Romano is a long-time Penn State super fan who built his Philipsburg inn and restaurant with his family around the theme of the university. His love for his family, career, Penn State, visitors and patrons is evident in all his work, and is one reason he received the inaugural Peter Walker Spirit of Hospitality Award by The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau in fall 2022.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and Downtown State College has over 300 businesses to check out for a perfect day. And with so many options throughout Happy Valley, where does one start? Luckily for you, we have your day planned for every type of couple.

Come on out to The Queen this February and March! Tune in for nights of mystery and excitement as well as a romantic two-night weekend stay during the month of February.

Happy Valley has an abundance of history with African-American Civil Leadership, from Fredrick Douglas speaking in Bellefonte at Reynolds Hall in 1872, to Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at Recreation Hall in 1965.

Join the Downtown State College Improvement District in the observation and celebration of Black History Month. A plethora of events and resources are available to inform, educate, and inspire State College residents and visitors alike throughout the month of February.