Happy Friday, Happy Valley!
The holiday season is in full swing and you’ll find a packed calendar around the area with festivals, craft fairs, performances, family activities and much more.
Beyond holiday cheer, you’ll also find special movies, concerts, theater, a half-marathon and more.
This isn’t all that’s happening, either. 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.
HOLIDAY EVENTS
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
16th Annual Stocking Stuffer
Featuring more than 50 regional fine artists, antique dealers and crafters, this three-day fundraiser event at Centre Furnace Mansion, 1001 E. College Ave. also includes wreath and swag making demonstrations, author signings, hot cider, cookies and more. Admission is $5 and proceeds benefit the Centre County Historical Society. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. [Details]
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Merry Millheim
Millheim’s annual celebration features music, food, shopping, crafts and other activities in and around downtown Friday and Saturday. Check out the handmade holiday market in Bremen Town Hall, caroling and the tree lighting, a free movie, Christmas pageant, a petting zoo and much more. 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; times vary on Saturday. [Details]
A Christmas Carol
Class Act Productions presents a community theater performance of the classic Dickens tale, ‘A Christmas Carol’ at State College Assembly of God Church, 2201 University Drive Extension. Tickets at the door are $13 general admission, $5 for ages 2-12. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday [Details]
FRIDAY
Crafterschool Holiday Bead Bar
Join The Makery, 205 W. Calder Way, for holiday jewelry making. $25 per child, recommended for ages 6-12. 5 p.m. Friday [Details and registration]
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Rhoneymeade Winter Market
Enjoy shopping at Rhone House and find an array of gifts: handmade baskets and wreaths, wooden utensils and and boxes crafted by Steve Strouse, a hand-turned bowl by Robert Martin, hand-carved birds and animals, holiday collectibles and more. Proceeds help support Rhoneymeade’s public programs. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Rhoneymeade Arboretum and Sculpture Garden, 177 Rimmey Road, Centre Hall. [Details]
Design Your Own Gift Wrap
Kids can bring their gifts and wrap them in their own creative, one-of-a-kind gift wrap. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, 2-4:20 p.m. Sunday; Schlow Library Children’s Activity Room.
Polar Express
Pre-registration is closed. See details on walk-in registration here. Listen to the story of ‘The Polar Express’ in the Schlow Library Children’s Department and ride the trolley through Downtown State College. Children will receive a small drawstring bag with a bell and a coin to spend at Santa’s Workshop. Photos with Santa will be available at Santa’s Workshop. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 2-4:20 p.m. Sunday.
SATURDAY
Boalsburg Hometown Christmas
Experience a classic small-town Christmas in historic Boalsburg Village on Saturday. Things kick off with Breakfast with Santa from 8:30-11 a.m. in Boalsburg Fire Hall. There will be horse-drawn carriage rides down Main Street, Christmas music and singalongs, the tree lighting, opportunities to shop, 19th century demonstrations at the Heritage Museum, and, of course, shopping. Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive by fire truck for the tree lighting at 4:45 p.m. on the Diamond, and you can cap the night off with the Holiday Hop at the fire hall. 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday [Details]
Winter Craft Market
The Central Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen’s 43rd annual Winter Craft Market features ,ore than 70 artisans offering a wide variety of handmade treasures. Admission is $3 and free for children 12 and under. A juried art event and sale, the market is dedicated to supporting art and artists in Centre County. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel [Details]
Home Depot Children’s Workshop
Build and decorate a model sleigh with reindeer. Online registration required. 9 a.m.-noon, 2615 Greentech Drive.
Christmas Extravaganza
Pancake breakfast at Warrriors Mark United Methodist Church, with Santa and Mrs. Claus available for pictures (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and activities and crafts for kids provided by Huntingdon County Pop Up Library. $7 adults, $3 children 10 and under. 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 1840 Centre Line Road, Warriors Mark.
Mount Nittany UMC Craft Fair
Vendors, plus refreshments available for purchase. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Mount Nittany United Methodist Church, 1500 E. Branch Rd.
Elves Gift Shop
Bring your children to shop for inexpensive holiday gifts for parents, teachers, friends, siblings and pets with the help of a local Girl Scout ‘elf.’ Parents can relax and enjoy snacks or browse vendor tables, holiday raffle and cookie walk. Admission is free. 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Park Forest Middle School, 2180 School Drive.
Philipsburg Home for the Holidays
An all-day event in Philipsburg, Home for the Holidays will feature a cookie walk, photos with Santa, live Christmas music, family activities, vendors and at 6 p.m. the tree lighting ceremony at the corner lot. 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday [Details]
Winter Festival
Penn State’s Blue & White Society hosts a Winter Festival benefiting THON. Pictures with Santa ($3, 2-4 p.m.), ornament decorating ($3), a concessions table, card making and more will be available. 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Hintz Family Alumni Center, University Park [Details]
Live Nativity
Enjoy a traditional live Nativity at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Boalsburg, with live actors and a narrator performing the Christmas story every 30 minutes. In between performances, head inside to warm up with hot cider, hot chocolate, cookies, and chicken and corn soup. Free, but donations will be accepted for disaster relief efforts through UCC Disaster Ministries. 5-7 p.m. Saturday, 218 N. Church St., Boalsburg.
SUNDAY
Alternative Christmas Fair
The Alternative Christmas Fair offers an opportunity to shop for meaningful holiday gifts by donating to any of 26 participating nonprofit organizations. A soup and sandwich lunch is also available. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, University Baptist & Brethren Church, 411 S. Burrowes St. [Details]
Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party
Nittany Ballet’s Sugar Plum Fairy will read to children and lead other characters through a Nutcracker performance as well as a craft at Toftrees Golf Resort and Conference Center. 1-3 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. Sunday. [Tickets and details]
Holiday Ice Show
The Nittany Valley Figure Skating Club presents its ‘Happy Holidays’ ice show on the Varsity Ice at Pegula Ice Arena. Talented local figure skaters of all ages will help you glide into the holiday spirit. Tickets are a $5 donation, cash only, and are available at the door. Ages 5 and under are free. Entrance at Gate C of Pegula. 1-3:30 p.m. Sunday
Frozen
Harmony, a performing arts program for children and young adults with and without special needs, will perform songs from the movie ‘Frozen’ in Schwab Auditorium. Admission is free. 6:15 p.m. Sunday [Details]
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?
FRIDAY
Fair Trade Rug Event
Explore over 300 Tribal, Bokhara and Persian rugs. From classic to contemporary in sizes from 2’x3’ to 10’x14’ and runners, the rugs are made with quality to last a lifetime and by fair trade labor standards. These rugs are made by adults, and the men and women who make them earn a fair and equal income. A Ten Thousand Villages State College event hosted by University Mennonite Church, 1606 Norma Street. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. [Details]
Warren Miller’s Faces of Winter
This film visits some of the favorite locations of Warren Miller, the godfather of ski-and-ride films, with world-class skiers and snowboarders carving down the faces of remote mountain ranges. 7 p.m. at the State Theatre [Tickets and details]
Penn State Volleyball
The No. 8 seed Nittany Lion women’s volleyball team makes its 38th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, hosting Howard at 7:30 p.m. in Rec Hall. The winner plays Syracuse or Yale at 7 p.m. Saturday in Rec Hall. [Details]
Caroline, or Change
Penn State Centre Stage presents the Tony Award-nominated ‘Caroline, or Change,’ with book and lyrics by Tony Kushner and score by Jeanine Tesori. This rarely performed, groundbreaking musical is an inspiring examination of the untold stories of those in society who defy the odds by surviving against unthinkable circumstances. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Downtown Theatre Center [Tickets and details]
The Only Coffee Shop in the City
Featuring honest conversations about mental health, independence, relationships, and grieving in a society dominated by social media, Wonderlust Theatre Company presents ‘The Only Coffee Shop in the City,’ a new original play by Ellis Stump. Free admission. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Theatre Building room 6. [Details]
SATURDAY
Bill Welch Memorial Cartoon Series
Enjoy an hour of your favorite Looney Tunes classic cartoons, with free admission. 10 a.m., The State Theatre
Corduroy
Presented by Penn State Thespians, Corduroy is the story of a department store teddy bear who dreams of being adopted. When a little girl named Lisa can’t take him home because he is missing a button, Corduroy and his toy friends go on a nighttime adventure to find it. 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Schlow Library Downsbrough Community Room
Mother-Daughter Tea
Celebrate the special relationship between mother and daughter (or a special woman role model in a little girls life) in a pleasant tea party setting. $15 per guest; cost includes tea, assorted beverages, pastries, fruit, sweet treats, photo booth, essential oil crafts. 2-4 p.m. Russian Baptist Church, 3645 W. College Ave. [Details and registration]
Movie Night
Happy Valley Mini-THON at State College Area High School will host a free showing of the movie ‘Sing.’ Attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to a local food bank. Proceeds from sales of snacks and popcorn and the proceeds will go to Four Diamonds. 6:30 p.m., State College Area High School Auditorium
Essence 2 Concert
Essence 2, the 85-member community choir in the Essence of Joy choir family, presents its winter concert, ‘The Lord Is Worthy of Our Praise’ performing music from the African and African-American traditions under the direction by Dr. Tony Leach. The concert is free; free-will donations for Mogoshi School in ga Matlala, South Africa, will be accepted. 7 p.m., Mount Nittany United Methodist Church, 1500 E. Branch Rd.
SUNDAY
Nittany Valley Half-Marathon
A local tradition will continues when the 35th Annual Nittany Valley Half-Marathon steps off near Beaver Stadium. All proceeds from the race benefit Centre Volunteers in Medicine. 9 a.m., Snider Ag Arena. [Details]
Penn State Women’s Basketball
The Lady Lion basketball team takes on Jacksonville at 2 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center. [Tickets and details]
Sunday Afternoon Live
Adam Swartz Puppets monthly community variety show at the State Theatre will feature ‘Around the World in Five Folktales’ and Matt Price Drumming. 3 p.m. [Tickets and details]
Mosaic
The Penn State School of Music presents Mosaic, its annual showcase featuring large and small ensembles and the school’s most outstanding soloists. Bands and orchestras give way to individuals. Jazz follows seventeenth-century masterworks performed in the wall reverberation chambers. Voices resound from the balconies. Each performance merges into the next, all in a rich mosaic of dynamic and fast-paced sonic color. 4 p.m. in Eisenhower Auditorium. [Tickets and details]
