TGIF: State College Weekend Events for June 22-24

Happy Friday, Happy Valley!

It’s the first official weekend of summer and with it comes what looks to be a new State College tradition: the Central PA Theatre and Dance Fest, with more than 100 performing arts events highlighting a plethora of local arts organizations and performers in everything from drama and comedy to ballet to belly dance to improv to puppetry.

The festival will spread out over more than a dozen locations, but there’s more happening around the area as well. CelticFest returns to Tussey Mountain. A traveling carnival visits the Nittany Mall, and Snow Shoe’s big annual carnival continues through Saturday night.

You’ll also find concerts, even more theater, a stamp show and outdoors activities. And closing out the weekend, baseball, fireworks and Cowboy Monkey Rodeo.

All this and much, much more is happening. We’ve picked out some of the weekends highlights below

Of course this isn’t all that’s happening. There is plenty more around the area for you to enjoy and you can find it all on our calendar page. Explore the weekend’s events and add your own if it isn’t listed. Or see our Bar Tour and Movies pages for more options this weekend or anytime.

Central PA Theatre and Dance Fest

With 105 events in its inaugural year, the Central PA Theatre and Dance Fest takes place Friday through Sunday in more than a dozen locations around downtown State College. From main stage performances of ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame‘ and ‘Poe: Deep Into That Darkness‘ to family-friendly shows and activities, improv comedy, burlesque, belly dancing, ballet, panel discussions, readings, classes, workshops and many more, the festival will have more than 20 local organizations participating. Many events are free, some are ticketed, and some require purchase of a Backstage Pass. 

Learn more about the festival here and find the full schedule and event details here.

FRIDAY

Carnival at the Mall
Powers and Thomas Midway Entertainment brings rides, games and food to the Nittany Mall parking lot, outside of the former Bon-Ton. The carnival continues at 5 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday, with closing between 10-11 p.m. depending on crowd size and weather. Wristbands for $20 are good for all mechanical rides, and a purchase at any mall retailer gets $5 off. Or you can buy individual tickets.

Snow Shoe Carnival
The Snow Shoe Carnival continues Friday and Saturday at Snow Shoe Park Campground, 301 W. Sycamore St., with rides, games, food and entertainment, culminating with a fireworks show at 10:15 p.m. on Saturday.

CelticFest
Tussey Mountain hosts its fifth annual CelticFest, a celebration of Irish, Scottish and Welsh food, music, drink and games — with a Happy Valley twist. From 5:30 to 10 p.m. enjoy live music and entertainment, Highland Games and food and drink shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, Dublin coddle, grilled corned beef and fontina sandwich and Irish beer, as well as Doan’s Bones Barbecue and Carl’s Crazy Corn. For an extra fee, you can also take part in a whiskey tasting.

Importance of Being Earnest
Nittany Theatre at the Barn’s summer season continues with the most renowned of Oscar Wilde’s comedies, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest,’ with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and continuing Wednesday through Saturday June 30, at the Boal Barn Playhouse in Boalsburg.

Concert on the Village Green
Lemont Village Association’s summer Friday night concert series continues with OverheaD playing classic rock from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the Village Green. Brazilian Munchies food truck will be on hand as well.

SATURDAY

Centre Crest Summer Festival
Centre Crest, 502 E. Howard St., Bellefonte, hosts its summer festival with craft vendors and a yard sale, children’s crafts, live entertainment, snow cones, popcorn and more, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Stamp Show
An annual show dedicated to stamp collecting, Scopex features exhibits, 14 dealers and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at the American Philatelic Center, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte. Free and open to the public, the show includes tours of library and 19th-century post office on Saturday and a special exhibit dedicated to the 100th anniversary of U.S. airmail. 

Boot Camp Prep Class
Group instruction in close order drill, military etiquette, and history of the 28th Infantry Division Shrine, the prep class from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is designed as an educational adjunct of those enrolling in the August Boot Camp For Kids at the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg. Lunch provided.  $25 per person and reservations required.

Family Discovery Day
Learn how a tiny seed grows up to be a big plant with fun, family-friendly activities for children of all ages at 10 a.m. at the Bellefonte Community Children’s Garden, 203 N. Allegheny St.

Make and Take Hydroponics
Stop by the Barn at Lemont from 1 to 4 p.m., where you can join experts in designing and assembling a self-contained 8 site drip hydroponic system that all you will have to do is take home, plant, fill with water and plug in — a great way to learn the basics of hydroponics.

Penn’s Woods Music Festival
The annual Penn’s Woods Music Festival summer concert series continues with orchestral performances of selections by Debussy, Shostakovich and Beethoven at 7:30 p.m. in Eisenhower Auditorium. A pre-concert conversation with Maestro Edelstein and soloist Philip Edward Fisher will take place at 6:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

Centred Outdoors
Bring your binoculars to experience all the wildlife the Barrens to Bald Eagle Wildlife Corridor has to offer. Hikers will tour the grass and wildflower meadows and woodland areas to learn about the importance of wildlife corridors and the diverse community of bird, mammal, plant, pollinator and amphibian species they support. This week’s Centred Outdoors is from 2 to 5 p.m., starting at Harness Downs Road, Port Matilda. Directions and RSVP here. The event will be held again from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Salomon Demo Trail Run
Join Salomon and Appalachian Outdoors for a Salomon demo shoe trail run, with shoe distribution at 2 p.m. at the Mount Nittany Trailhead in Lemont. Trail run starts at 3 p.m., followed by refreshments at Happy Valley Brewing.

The Plate Scrapers
A high-energy bluegrass band that draws on a wide range of influences from jazz to rock to funk, the Plate Scrapers head to Elk Creek Cafe & Aleworks in Millheim for a 5 p.m. show.

Spikes vs. Batavia
The State College Spikes return home to Medlar Field for a 6:05 p.m. game against Batavia, and the night will feature the fan-favorite Cowboy Monkey Rodeo, with Team Ghost Riders bringing monkeys riding dogs, herding sheep to the ballpark. Along with post-game fireworks, the night also includes a pre-game catch on the field at 5:30 p.m. (bring your glove!), agricultural festivities, post-game run the bases and for the first 250 kids 12 and under a voucher for a free hot dog, chips, soda, and one-time play pass in Ike’s Kids Zone.

South Hills Music Picnic
South Hills School of Business and Technology, 480 Waupelani Drive, continues its summer concert series, with the 18-piece Keystone Society of Swing recreating the sounds of the big bands of the past, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Grounds open at 5 p.m. and visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic, blankets and chairs. Refreshments and light picnic fare also will be available for purchase. 

Summer Sounds from the Gazebo
A seasonal staple in Bellefonte, Summer Sounds from the Gazebo in Talleyrand Park continues with Lindy Sisters performing at 7 p.m. Lawn chairs or blankets are suggested.