Writer Teresa Mull started out here in Happy Valley — even growing up in the house that Philipsburg’s founder, Hardman Philips, built — before heading off to Dallas, Texas and Rome, Italy, and jobs in Washington, D.C. and Teton Valley, Idaho. And then, she got homesick.

We talked to her about why she’s made Happy Valley her permanent home, her insider picks for culture and fun, and what every Happy Valley visitor has got to try. Read on!

University Park, P.A.- The HUB-Robeson Galleries in partnership with the Graduate School are proud to present the Visual Arts Annual Graduate Research Exhibition. The exhibition will be on display in HUB Gallery from March 25 through April 17, 2022. Established in 1986, the Graduate Research Exhibition hosted by the Graduate School places special emphasis on communicating research and creative endeavor to a general audience and offers an opportunity for professional development by challenging students to present their work to new audiences.

UNIVERSITY PARK — (Tuesday, March 22) — “Hairspray,” Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon, is on sale now. This new North American tour, helmed by original director Jack O’Brien and original choreographer Jerry Mitchell, will play at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, in Eisenhower Auditorium.

The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its popular juried fine art exhibition, Images 2022. Images 2022 will hang in downtown State College for the month of July 2022, and the jurors will award prizes during the Arts Festival on July 14.

HVAB, CBICC announce one-time funding to boost agritourism enterprises, provide for visitor-readiness

State College, PA, March 23, 2022 – The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) and the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC) today announced a one-time Happy Valley Agventures grant program to help local farms, farm stands and other agricultural businesses become more visitor ready, and enhance the visitor/customer experience through facility improvements.

“People are often surprised to learn that I was not born and raised in Happy Valley,” Matt Maris says. Considering that the high school teacher owns and runs Local Historia, an ode to Happy Valley’s historic past, the surprise is legitimate.

Major leaguer Jim Gott to serve as pitching coach, David Valdez named hitting coach

STATE COLLEGE, Pa.

The State College Spikes will have a fleet of baseball veterans at the helm for the 2022 MLB Draft League season. Dave Trembley, who managed the Baltimore Orioles from 2007-10 and brings over 25 seasons of coaching at nearly every level of baseball to Happy Valley, will take the reins as the manager. In addition, former big league pitcher Jim Gott will serve as pitching coach and David Valdez will serve as hitting coach this summer.

When Hector Cruz visited Happy Valley for the first time — visiting his daughter at Penn State — he didn’t know anyone. He says finding a place to eat was tricky. “Reading a review is just not the same as talking to someone about their favorite places to eat,” he says. “You can’t ask them questions or ask for recommendations.”

Eric Loop is the president of the board of directors of the Mount Nittany Conservancy, a public charity dedicated to conserving Mount Nittany in its natural state for the benefit of Happy Valley. For him, it was a natural next step after growing up in its shadow, hiking and camping on it all his life.