Unhealthy air quality from wildfire smoke moving across Pennsylvania has disrupted outdoor events in Centre County on Thursday evening.
Tussey Mountain postponed the latest round of WingFest, while the State College Spikes game against the Williamsport Crosscutters has been canceled.
Round six of the weekly chicken wing competition and concert scheduled for Thursday, July 16, will be rescheduled fdor a date to be announced after consulting with competitors, food vendors and bands, Tussey Mountain wrote in a statement.
“We have been closely monitoring the situation and remained optimistic that conditions would allow us to safely host the event,” the statement reads. “Unfortunately, conditions have changed, and after reviewing the latest information, we are following recommended protocols for outdoor events.”
Fleetwood Mac tribute band The Seven Wonders and opener Felix & The Hurricanes were scheduled to perform on Thursday night.
Tickets purchased in advance will remain valid for the rescheduled date, but those who prefer a refund can contact Etix using the link included in the confirmation email they received after purchase.
“The health and safety of our guests, employees, performers, competitors and vendors remains our top priority,” Tussey Mountain wrote. “Postponing the event is the safest and most responsible decision.”
WingFest’s next round is scheduled for Thursday, July 23. The Tussey Mountain Fun Centre and Beer Garden are also closed on Thursday.
Spikes Game Canceled
The Spikes game against the Crosscutters, originally scheduled for a 6:35 p.m. start, was canceled “out of an abundance of caution regarding air quality in the area,” according to a news release
“This decision was reached in collaboration with officials from the MLB Draft League with the best interests of players, staff and fans in mind in light of the possibility that the Air Quality Index (AQI) may worsen this evening,” the team wrote in a statement.
Fans with tickets for Thursday night’s game can exchange them for tickets of equal or lesser value to any other 2026 Spikes home game, based on availability.
Exchanges can be made at the Spikes Ticket Office at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park during normal business hours. The Ticket Office is open from 10 a.m. to the end of the game on Monday through Friday game days, noon to the end of the game on Saturday and Sunday game days, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday on non-game days.
Fans can also call the Spikes Ticket Office at 814-272-1711 and select option 2 for more information on ticket redemptions.
The Spikes are scheduled for a five-game road trip starting Friday before returning home on Thursday, July 23, to face Abderdeen at 6:35 p.m.
Air Quality Alert in Effect
Air polluted by fine particulate matter from the wildfires in Canada and Minnesota began entering Pennsylvania’s northernmost counties and pushed across the entire state on Thursday, resulting in a Code Red Air Quality alert, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
A Code Red means air quality is unhealthy for everyone.
“During Code Red Air Quality Alerts all residents should consider limiting their outdoor activities, and sensitive groups such as children, elderly residents and those with respiratory illnesses should avoid long or intense outdoor activities and consider moving activities indoors,” the DEP wrote in a news release.
Conditions are expected to worsen overnight, with a Code Purple — very unhealthy pollution levels for everyone — in effect throughout Pennsylvania, including Centre County, for Friday.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index uses standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting air quality. Green means good air quality; yellow means moderate air quality; orange means unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups; red means unhealthy pollution levels for all; purple means very unhealthy pollution levels for all; and maroon means hazardous.
In the State College area, the AQI tipped into the hazardous level of 352 on Thursday, according to airnow.gov. By comparison, it was at the moderate level of 55 on Wednesday.
