Arts Fest Unveils 2019 Collectible Poster

The 53rd annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is just over a month away, and a decades-long tradition continued on Tuesday with the release of this year’s collectible poster.

The 24-inch by 36-inch poster features the ‘features a picture within picture of the Festival jester in a harlequin suit of bright yellow and red triangles,’ as described in a news release. A painting of the jester’s feet in ballet slippers is on the easel and elements representing art and music appear in the artist’s studio, with a landscape and floating balloons in the distance. 

Lanny Sommese, Penn State professor emeritus of graphic design, designed the poster in collaboration with his daughter, Saige, a 2018 graduate of the Penn State graphic design program. Lanny Sommese has been creating the festival’s posters for more than 40 years and the entire collection is on display in the HUB-Robeson Center at University Park.

This year’s Arts Fest kicks off with Children and Youth Day on July 10 followed by the Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition — and all of its accompanying entertainment, activities and food — July 11-14 in downtown State College and on the University Park campus. 

The poster is free and can be picked up at the following locations

– Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau,  800 E. Park Ave., State College

– Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, 403 S. Allen St., Suite 205A, State College

– Downtown State College Improvement District, 127 S. Fraser St., State College

– State College Framing Company and Gallery, 160 Rolling Ridge Drive, State College

– HUB-Robeson Center Desk, Penn State University Park campus

– Hintz Family Alumni Center, Penn State University Park campus

– Penn State Federal Credit Union 1937 N. Atherton St., State College

– Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau, 1 W.Market St., Lewistown