Art enthusiasts often marvel at everything from brushstrokes on a wall mural to thread patterns in an intricate quilt, and rarely does it stop there. The desire to create is universal, whether with word, brush, hands or lens. Thankfully, Happy Valley has several outlets for you to do just that.

Luke Cimbala has been hyping local bands all his life. “When I was in high school, we would rent out the Boalsburg Fire Hall to put on a concert, and I would stuff flyers in everyone’s lockers,” he said. “It was a long time before social media, but still, it wasn’t hard to get the word out.”

When most people hear IRONMAN, they probably think Robert Downey Jr. or maybe Black Sabbath or even Philadelphia Eagles’ Hall of Famer and the NFL’s last Iron Man, Chuck Bednarik. But for the next three years – and hopefully longer – IRONMAN will have a special meaning here in Happy Valley. Through 2025, nearly 3,000 ironmen and ironwomen will descend upon Happy Valley annually for the IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley Triathlon.

For the more than 2,400 elite athletes that competed in the inaugural IRONMAN® 70.3® Pennsylvania Happy Valley triathlon, crossing the finish line at Beaver Stadium marked a moment of tremendous pride and personal accomplishment. Months and months of preparation and planning were followed by day-of determination and grit to achieve the goal of IRONMAN success. For first-time participants, it was a particularly noteworthy milestone.

What are the best birding areas in Happy Valley? This would have been a tough question to definitively answer a decade ago, but with the advent of Cornell University’s eBird, the process is simple. EBird keeps track of all submitted checklists and compiles the results by state, county and local hotspots.

This summer, our community calendar is full of amazing outdoor events featuring local artists, dancers, musicians and food. Plan your summer vacations accordingly so you don’t miss out on the amazing festivals right here in Happy Valley!

Get ready for an incredible lineup of events and happenings in Happy Valley now through November! Brace yourself for a whirlwind of excitement as we bring you a series of beloved local events that will make your calendar sparkle.

Here in Happy Valley, we have a rich arts community with creations waiting to be discovered. Local opportunities abound in Centre County to view both historic pieces and modern creations while receiving inspiration for your very own works of art. Whether you enjoy walking beside a building mural, taking a garden stroll with marble statues, or gallery hopping with local art at your fingertips (…without making fingerprints, right?), there’s something inspiring about spending a weekend taking in the arts.

For many artists, their work is a labor of love — a fact made all the more apparent when your work consists of a dilapidated historic home that can’t be saved, you’re a one-man show, and there’s no gain in sight other than simply contributing something beautiful to a community. Such is the case with Benjamin Fehl and The Crooked House.