It’s that magic time of year again when Centre County hosts both the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and the People’s Choice Festival. Both run through Sunday, July 16.
Arts Fest is held at Penn State and along the streets of State College. Many of the borough’s churches are open for pie sales, music programs and to share bathroom facilities.
Every year, the festival opens on a Wednesday, with the day set aside especially for children. By Thursday, downtown is teeming with families and friends, many of whom return each year. Kids run for the mister to cool off, and everywhere the sounds of conversation and laughter fill the air.
Whether you are a serious art devotee or a visitor to the area and attending out of curiosity, a day at Arts Fest will not disappoint.
Do you like pottery? It will be there in abundance. How about glass, or gorgeous handcrafted jewelry? They also will be there, created by juried artists and crafters.
Some of the fun in attending year after year is looking for favorite crafters and artists and seeing what new items they have brought to the show. You can follow a metal worker for years, admiring his items as they are debuted. Or, meet up with a basket weaver to see her newest designs and creations. And, new artists pop up from time to time, too, often with previously unseen mediums or techniques.
Some of the performances during Arts Fest require a button and others are free, but there is a lot of variety in the planned entertainment.
At the People’s Choice Festival, held at the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg, the open field and open feel of the event are evident as soon as you park. And, parking at the festival is easy, plus there are multiple covered tents where you can have a meal or rest out of the sun.
According to the festival’s official guide, the nearly 200 artists, the food vendors and the entertainers are all from Pennsylvania, and all items offered for sale are made in Pennsylvania.
Planners have included activities for kids, including games, a petting zoo and a bounce house. And, music, from choral to rock-n-roll, will play throughout the days and into the evenings during the festival.
This year is the 25th anniversary of the People’s Choice Festival. Artisans and craftspeople endure many things to come year after year. One year, during a severe storm, tents and booths blew down. But, artists keep returning, proving that craftspeople love what they do, even in the face of inclement weather.
