A grant program supporting local events and projects that drive Centre County tourism reached a milestone figure for 2025-26.
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Centre County Board of Commissioners on Monday announced 81 marketing and tourism enhancement projects will receive a record $1,100,750 from the Tourism Grant Program this year. It marks the first time more than $1 million has been distributed in a single year and the largest number of recipients in the program’s 23-year history.
“Topping the 1 million mark is a tremendous milestone for the Tourism Grant program,” HVAB President and CEO Fritz Smith said. “It’s a visible example of how a strong tourism economy, particularly overnight stays, benefits the entire community.”
The grant program is funded by a portion of the 5% local hotel occupancy tax authorized by the county —so the more hotel rooms are booked, the more money available for the program designed to boost initiatives and facilities that drive tourism and improve quality of life.
It is the third consecutive year that a record total has been awarded as Centre County tourism experiences an ongoing upswing. HVAB previously reported that Centre County exceeded its goal of 5 million visitors and $1 billion in visitor spending in 2024.
“The benefit to the tourism ecosystem has been tremendous,” Centre County Board of Commissioners Chair Mark Higgins said. “It is exciting to see total Centre County tourism revenue exceed $1 billion dollars and the Tourism Grant pool exceed one million dollars. The grant recipients have much to offer to the people of Centre County and those who want to visit.”
The grant awards unveiled during an event at Rolling Rails Lodge in Port Matilda included 11 first-time applicants and recipients.
Among those is the Happy Valley Latin Festival, which will celebrate its fifth year on Sept. 20 on South Fraser Street and the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in State College.
Its $4,000 marketing grant will help to expand the event to a wider audience, festival founder Ady Martinez said.
“This milestone year is particularly special as we celebrate five years of bringing together our community through vibrant Latin music, arts, food and culture,” Martinez said. “We’re excited to welcome both returning friends and new families to this bilingual, inclusive celebration of Latinx and Hispanic heritage in central Pennsylvania. Thanks to this grant’s support for targeted advertising, we expect this to be our biggest and most diverse celebration yet.”
The Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society was another first-time recipient, with two grants totaling $15,000. The funds will help to promote its “Explore Centre County” historic train rides and America250PA Centre County Bells Across Pennsylvania art installation at the historic Bellefonte Train Station. The latter is part of a statewide initiative to place artistic Liberty Bell replicas in every Pennsylvania county for the celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday, with grants also awarded for bells in Boalsburg and at Curtin Villagebe.
The bulk of BHRS’ operating revenue comes from its Christmastime train rides, which currently have a primarily local demographic.
“Funds provided by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau give us much needed ability to create opportunities to draw in ridership from beyond central Pennsylvania,” BHRS President Dan Durachko said.
Since its inception in 2003-04, the Tourism Grant program has now awarded $9.4 million.
“The purpose of the grant program truly is about cultivating our tourism assets,” Smith said. “The revenue generated by visitors who stay in our hotels and lodging properties helps our events, attractions and programs grow and flourish and provides a necessary boost to new projects that emerge each year.”
Only nonprofit organizations were eligible to apply for 2025-26 grants after some exceptions had been made for for-profit entities in recent years.
“The grant program was established to help nonprofit event organizers, museums and other attractions with their marketing and tourism development efforts,” Smith said earlier this year. “However, due to an influx in for-profit applications for projects that are potentially not eligible under Act 18, the state law that governs the hotel occupancy tax, the decision was made to again limit applications to qualifying nonprofit entities.”
Complete list of 2024-25 Tourism Grant recipients:
*First-time recipient
- BPOE 1173 – $5,000, rebuild historic Philipsburg Santa Claus*
- Latin Vibe – $4,000, Happy Valley Latin Festival marketing*
- MTB50 Inc. – $7,500, Tussey Mountainback Ultra Marathon
- Centre LGBTQ+ – $10,000, State College Pride promotion
- A Way to Help (Way Fruit Farm) – $7,000, Art in the Orchard promotion
- Burning Ma’aM – $5,000, music festival operational support*
- Burning Ma’aM – $10,000, music festival marketing*
- 3 Dots Downtown – Happy Valley Improv XL Festival
- A Soldier’s Hands –$3,000, A Walk to Remember the Fallen*
- AAUW State College – $2,500, Used Book Sale marketing*
- Bellefonte Art Museum – $15,000, rotating gallery exhibition marketing
- Bellefonte Art Museum – $7,000, museum retail space redesign
- Historic Bellefonte Inc. – $5,000 to promote Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair
- Bellefonte Historical & Cultural Association – $12,000, signature event marketing
- Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society – $9,000, Explore Centre County historic train ride marketing*
- Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society – $6,000, America250PA Centre County Bells Across Pennsylvania art installation at the historic Bellefonte Train Station*
- Bellefonte Victorian Christmas – $10,000, event marketing
- Boalsburg Village Conservancy – $4,000, Hometown Christmas marketing
- Boalsburg Village Conservancy – $6,000, America250PA Centre County Bells Across Pennsylvania art installation in Boalsburg
- Borough of State College – $5,000, Juneteenth marketing
- Bryce Jordan Center – $30,000, event marketing
- Penn State Centre for the Performing Arts – $15,000, event marketing
- C3 Sports & Events Center –$20,000 for strategic event marketing
- C3 Sports & Events Center – $8,000, facility enhancements (bleachers)
- Central PA 4th Fest – $45,000, festival marketing
- Central PA Tasting Trail – $10,000, Outdoor Adventure on Tap marketing
- Central PA Tasting Trail – $14,000, Tasting Trail passport sales marketing
- Central PA Festival of the Arts – $75,000 Arts Fest and First Night marketing
- Centre County Grange Fair – $25,000, Grange Fair marketing
- Centre County Historical Society – $35,000, marketing
- Centre County Library & Historical Museum – $10,000, Building Beauty in Bellefonte
- Centre Film Festival – $30,000, festival marketing
- Centre Volunteers in Medicine – $20,000, Happy Valley Half Marathon & Central Cycling Classic
- Penn State Centre Stage – $20,000, marketing
- Clearwater Conservancy – $8,000, Centered Outdoors marketing
- Columbus Chapel & Boal Mansion Museum – $10,000, Boal Barn Playhouse restoration
- Constitution Day Centre – $2,000, 2025 Constitution Day celebration
- Discovery Space & The Rivet – $50,000, Maker Faire, Winter Market, Marine Life Center
- Downtown Bellefonte Inc. – $20,000, Bellefonte Winter Market and Experience Bellefonte marketing
- State College Downtown Improvement District – $17,500, event marketing
- 3 Dots (Gorinto Productions), $17,500, Secret Planet global music series marketing
- Haines Township – $6,000, Dutch Fall Festival
- Happy Valley Women’s Cycling Club – $7,500, Happy Valley Gravel Adventure Guide summer launch party
- Happy Valley Women’s Cycling – $10,000, GRIP Getaway – A women’s bike weekend in Happy Valley
- Historic Bellefonte Cruise – $30,000, Bellefonte Cruise promotion
- Howard Volunteer Fire Company – $5,000, Punkin Chunkin Festival promotion
- Jana Marie Foundation – $2,500, Hobby Horse Derby marketing*
- Juniata Valley Council, Scouting America – $4,000, scout camp signage upgrades
- Krislund Camp and Conference Center – $6,000, upgrade climbing wall and zip lines
- The Makery of Central PA – $3,750, program marketing
- Moshannon Valley EMS – $16,000, Philipsburg Heritage Days
- Mountain Top Swimming Pool Association – $5,000, general marketing
- Nittany Knights – $2,000, annual State Theatre performance marketing
- Nittany Mountain Bike Association – $7,000, Harvest Fields Town Series
- Patton Township – $25,000, Happy Valley Comic Book & Collectibles Convention
- Penn State Palmer Museum of Art – $30,000, permanent collection, special exhibits and educational program marketing
- Penns Valley Pedals & Pints – $4,500, promote biking and brewery patronage
- Penns Valley Penguins Swim Team – $5,000, Penns Valley Community Swimming Pool revitalization NEW
- Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra – $5,000, concert promotion
- Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra – $5,000, digital and social media marketing
- Friends of Black Moshannon State Park – $3,500, trail maintenance tools
- People’s Choice Festival – $20,000, festival marketing
- Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation – $15,000, event marketing
- Pleasant Gap Fire Company – $2,000, Fall Festival marketing NEW
- Rhoneymeade – $7,500, 11th annual Mycofest marketing
- Rhoneymeade – $7,000, infrastructure improvements and visitor experience enhancements
- Roland Curtin Foundation for the Preservation of Eagle Furnace – $10,000, expanded marketing efforts
- Roland Curtin Foundation for the Preservation of Eagle Furnace – $20,000 for facility improvements and America250PA Centre County Bells Across Pennsylvania art installation
- Rowland Theatre – $14,000, stage improvements (curtains, tracking, hardware)
- Seasons of Rothrock Adventures – $15,000, Seasons of Rothrock biking event marketing
- Special Olympics of PA – $5,000, Summer Games and Beaver Stadium Run
- State College Choral Society – $3,000, audience expansion
- State College Little League – $4,500, enhance visibility of SCLL facilities as a youth baseball tournament destination *
- Tempest Productions – $12,000, Central PA Theatre & Dance Fest
- The Arboretum at Penn State – $10,000, Pumpkin Fest and Winter Celebration
- Penn State School of Music – $5,000 Penns Woods Music Festival
- WPSU – $5,000, Children’s Festival
- The State Theatre – $50,000, marketing and promotional efforts
- The State Theatre – $70,000, replacement of three rooftop HVAB units
- Valley Community Business Alliance — $5,000, Route 45 Getaways and Merry Millheim
- Wildlife for Everyone Foundation – $4,500, Great Outdoor Picnic promotion
