The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is adding a new feature this summer when it returns as an in-person event for the first time since 2019.
Arts Fest is partnering with the Central PA Tasting Trail to offer a designated craft beverage area where visitors can try locally made beer, wine and cider.
State College Borough Council on Monday night unanimously approved an exception to the open container ordinance for the Tasting Trail to serve alcohol from noon to last call at 6:30 p.m. July 14 to 16 (Thursday through Saturday) in an enclosed area at the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on South Fraser Street.
Bands and DJs may provide music from the plaza’s main stage during the service hours and food or other vendors might also be invited to participate, according to the application.
The Tasting Trail, a group of local craft beverage purveyors, is comprised of 13 Centre County breweries, cideries, distilleries and wineries. Up to six members will be on site each day offering samples and purchases by the bottle or glass.
State College does not provide exemptions for serving spirits on public property, though it was not immediately clear if unopened bottles of liquor may be sold for take-home purchases.
The craft beverage area will be fenced off and Tasting Trail staff will require attendees to present valid identification verifying their ages to be able to receive a wristband and enter. Wristbands will then be required to be served alcohol. Staff also will prohibit open containers from being taken outside the designated area.
Servers will be certified by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s Responsible Alcohol Management Program.
The Downtown State College Improvement District is co-sponsoring the craft beverage event, as is required for open container exemptions.
Borough council also unanimously approved the traditional use of streets, sidewalks and Sidney Friedman Park for the festival, which kicks off on Wednesday, July 13 with Children and Youth Day and continues through Sunday, July 17.
