It’s early November, and yet we’re in store for a relatively warm weekend.
The 70-degree November days will be a thing of the past after today, but temperatures will remain above 50 all weekend long.
So don’t bundle up and make a fire just yet, because there’s still plenty of (somewhat) warm weekend fun to be had in State College.
It’s Friday yet again, which means it’s time to break down some of the highlights from the upcoming weekend for your enjoyment.
Without further ado, here’s this week’s edition of Thank God It’s Friday.
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FRIDAY:
Pumpkins and power tools.
The Discovery Space is hosting its second annual Pumpkins and Power Tools event thanks to its popularity last year. Families can bring in their old pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns and use power tools to make new artwork. With the assistance of parents and guardians, children as young as 18 months old were able to use a drill last year.
The event runs from 4 to 7 p.m., and if you don’t have a pumpkin, don’t worry. The Discovery Space will have extras available.
It’s First Friday!
On the first Friday of each month, downtown State College lights up with activity to celebrate local art, businesses, music, and plenty more. Pick up a First Friday button and enjoy discounts at a plethora of participating downtown stores and restaurants.
There will be a guided historic building tour featuring six locations in town that leaves Schlow Library at 6:30 p.m. and will run for half an hour.
The Fraser Street Gallery will have an opening reception for “Wild,” its newest exhibit featuring a number of artists’ works from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Musical guest Stacy Glen Tibbetts will perform at the gallery from 6:45 to 8 p.m.
You can also stop by The Makery from 7 to 9 p.m. for a Make and Mingle event, where you can create your own unique coaster using glass fusion, enjoy local mandolin legend Kevin Briggs, and get some food and drinks for $30 a person.
And that’s not all. Check out the First Friday website for more events and discounts going on this evening.
Celebrate Indian culture.
Stop by the South Building Auditorium at the high school to celebrate Indian culture this night at an event presented by the Penn State Association for India’s Development (AID) in collaboration with Infusion. Called “SANSKRITI — A Cultural Night to Embrace Indian Music, Dance and Cuisine,” the event will include food, dance performances, and traditional Indian music.
The menu includes naan, chole and paneer sabzi, and rice with dal. Dessert is gulab jamun and ice cream and the beverage is masala tea. The ticket prices, which include a buffet dinner, are $15 for adults and $10 for students and children. You can either attend a 5 p.m. dinner and 6:30 p.m. performance, or a 6:30 p.m. performance followed by an 8 p.m. dinner.
Tickets may be purchased at International Market, Indian Pavilion, Webster’s Cafe, Krishan Indian Grocery Store and online. All proceeds will go towards funding developmental projects in India and THON.
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SATURDAY:
Get your block party on… literally.
This isn’t the kind of block party where a bunch of people hang out on a street. It’s the kind of block party that includes family block-building activities.
Stop by the Children’s Activity Room at Schlow Library at 2 p.m. for this event, recommended for children in preschool and kindergarten. No registration is necessary.
What’s that iCloud about?
In short, it’s a way to store your data online, but that’s just the simple answer. As part of the Schlow Library’s Gadgets for Grownups series, you can clear how to backup your files, share photos, and sync content between Apple devices using the iCloud at this talk at 10:30 a.m.
Admission is free for the lecture, held in the library’s Musser Room for an hour, but basic knowledge of Mac computers and Apple devices is required, unless you want to hear a lesson in a foreign language.
Into beer collectibles?
The 5th Annual Beer Collectibles Show is coming to town, co-sponsored by the Eastern Coast Breweriana Association and Olde Frothingslosh, a Pittsburgh collecting group committed to supporting our local Pennsylvania Breweries and to preserving the history of all things related to beer and breweriana.
There will be signs, neons, posters, ash trays, bottle caps, glassware, mugs, tap handles, and more on display, with many items available for purchase.
The show runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and general admission is $3 per person, located at Barrel 21 right next to Otto’s Pub on North Atherton.
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SUNDAY:
P is for Pilgrim.
It’s a busy weekend at Schlow Library, and this kid-friendly event caps things off on Sunday.
Stop by the library’s Children’s Department from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. — no registration necessary — to make your own pilgrim hats, design ships, and decorate ears of corn.
Living a gluten-free life?
Whether you have Celiac Disease or just practice a gluten-free diet by choice, this event is for you.
The Central PA Gluten Free Expo will take place on Sunday at 12:30 p.m., featuring over 50 local and national vendors, educational presentations, door prizes, a kids’ activity area, and plenty of food samples.
1:30 p.m.: KEYNOTE PRESENTATION — Seriously, Celiac Disease, Alice Bast, President and CEO of the National Foundation for Celiac Disease
2:30 p.m: Making the Grade: Fitting Your Gluten-Free Child in at School, Amy Macklin, RDN and author
3:30 p.m.: Living Gluten-Free with Wegmans, Marda Heuman, PA nutritionist for Wegmans
A legend is coming to town.
And his name is Leon Russell. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer faded into obscurity for around three decades before Elton John asked him to record in album in 2010, bringing him right back into the mainstream music scene. Russell has since recorded a solo album and is on a world tour, and Centre County is lucky enough to be one of his stops.
Tickets range from $30 to $50 and are available through the Greenhouse Productions site.
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Of course, those aren’t all the events happening in State College and Centre County this weekend. Check out our community calendar for more.
