The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will celebrate its 50th year July 13-17 in Downtown State College and on the Penn State campus. On Thursday, the festival unveiled its annual, collectible poster.
The 24-inch by 36-inch poster features the festival’s iconic jester driving a purple sedan filled with friends through Pennsylvania woodlands on their way to Arts Fest. A string bass and giant paintbrush are strapped to the roof.
Each year the festival draws more than 125,000 visitors to State College and University Park for the sidewalk sale and exhibition. Arts Fest also features musical performers throughout the weekend, an Italian street painting festival, book festival, a full day of children’s activities, giant sand sculpture and more.
The poster is designed by Lanny Sommese, Penn State professor emeritus of graphic design who has been creating the festival’s posters for more than 30 years. The entire collection of his posters is on display in the HUB-Robeson Galleries at Penn State. The Centre County Historical Society is hosting an ‘Arts Festival at 50’ exhibition through mid-October.
This year’s poster is free and can be picked up at the following locations:
– CBICC, 131 S. Fraser St., State College
– Central PA Visitors Bureau, 800 E. Park Ave., State College (across from Beaver Stadium)
– Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts office, 403 S. Allen St., Suite 205A, State College
– HUB-Robeson Center Information Desk, Pollock Road, University Park
– Hintz Family Alumni Center, University Park
– Penn State Federal Credit Union, 1937 N. Atherton St., State College
– Juniate River Valley Visitors Bureau, 1 W. Market St., Lewistown
A limited number of posters will be available in black and white so that audience members can color their own and share on social media using the hash tag #myartsfestposter.
The festival’s Children and Youth Day is July 13 and the well-known Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition opens on July 14. For additional information visit arts-festival.com.
