STATE COLLEGE — Centre County’s tourism economy hit a new high Monday, June 9, as the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and county commissioners announced a record $1,100,750 in grant funding for 2025–26 projects and events aimed at drawing visitors to Happy Valley.
The funding, generated by the county’s lodging tax, will support 81 marketing and enhancement initiatives, including 11 first time recipients across Centre County.
“Topping the one million dollar mark is a tremendous milestone for the Tourism Grant program,” HVAB President and CEO Fritz Smith, said at the Rolling Rails Lodge announcement. “It’s a visible example of how a strong tourism economy, particularly overnight stays, benefits the entire community.”
Under the theme “Tourism in bloom,” grantees range from established festivals to heritage rail excursions and arts installations. Highlights include:
- Bellefonte Historical & Cultural Association — $12,000, signature event marketing
- Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society — $9,000, Explore Centre County historic train ride marketing NEW
- Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society — $6,000, America250PA Centre County Bells Across Pennsylvania art installation at the historic Bellefonte Train Station NEW
- Bellefonte Victorian Christmas — $10,000, event marketing
- Boalsburg Village Conservancy — $4,000, Hometown Christmas marketing
- Boalsburg Village Conservancy — $6,000, America250PA Centre County Bells Across Pennsylvania art installation in Boalsburg
- Borough of State College — $5,000, Juneteenth marketing
- Bryce Jordan Center — $30,000, concert and event marketing
- Penn State Centre for the Performing Arts — $15,000, event marketing
- C3 Sports & Events Center — $20,000 for strategic event marketing
- C3 Sports & Events Center — $8,000, facility enhancements (bleachers)
- Central PA 4th Fest — $45,000, festival marketing
- Central PA Tasting Trail — $10,000, Outdoor Adventure on Tap marketing
- Central PA Tasting Trail — $14,000, Tasting Trail passport sales marketing
- Central PA Festival of the Arts — $75,000 Arts Fest and First Night marketing
- Centre County Grange Fair — $25,000, Grange Fair marketing
- Centre County Historical Society — $35,000, marketing
- Centre County Library & Historical Museum — $10,000, Building Beauty in Bellefonte
- Centre Film Festival — $30,000, festival marketing
- Centre Volunteers in Medicine — $20,000, Happy Valley Half Marathon & Central Cycling Classic
- Penn State Centre Stage — $20,000, marketing
- Clearwater Conservancy — $8,000, Centered Outdoors marketing
- Columbus Chapel & Boal Mansion Museum — $10,000, Boal Barn Playhouse restoration
- Constitution Day Centre — $2,000, 2025 Constitution Day celebration
- Discovery Space & The Rivet — $50,000, Maker Faire, Winter Market, Marine Life Center
- Downtown Bellefonte Inc. — $20,000, Bellefonte Winter Market and Experience Bellefonte marketing
- State College Downtown Improvement District — $17,500, event marketing
- 3 Dots (Gorinto Productions), $17,500, Secret Planet global music series marketing
- Haines Township — $6,000, Dutch Fall Festival
- Happy Valley Women’s Cycling Club — $7,500, Happy Valley Gravel Adventure Guide summer launch party
- Happy Valley Women’s Cycling— $10,000, GRIP Getaway — A women’s bike weekend in Happy Valley
- Historic Bellefonte Cruise — $30,000, Bellefonte Cruise promotion
- Howard Volunteer Fire Company — $5,000, Punkin Chunkin Festival promotion
- Jana Marie Foundation — $2,500, Hobby Horse Derby marketing NEW
- Juniata Valley Council, Scouting America — $4,000, scout camp signage upgrades
- Krislund Camp and Conference Center — $6,000, upgrade climbing wall and zip lines
- The Makery of Central PA — $3,750, program marketing
- Moshannon Valley EMS — $16,000, Philipsburg Heritage Days
- Mountain Top Swimming Pool Association — $5,000, general marketing
- Nittany Knights — $2,000, annual State Theatre performance marketing
- Nittany Mountain Bike Association — $7,000, Harvest Fields Town Series
- Patton Township — $25,000, Happy Valley Comic Book & Collectibles Convention
- Penn State Palmer Museum of Art — $30,000, permanent collection, special exhibits and educational program marketing
- Penns Valley Pedals & Pints — $4,500, promote biking and brewery patronage
- Penns Valley Penguins Swim Team — $5,000, Penns Valley Community Swimming Pool revitalization NEW
- Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra — $5,000, concert promotion
- Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra — $5,000, digital and social media marketing
- Friends of Black Moshannon State Park — $3,500, trail maintenance tools
- People’s Choice Festival — $20,000, festival marketing
- Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation — $15,000, event marketing
- Pleasant Gap Fire Company — $2,000, Fall Festival marketing NEW
- Rhoneymeade — $7,500, 11th annual Mycofest marketing
- Rhoneymeade — $7,000, infrastructure improvements and visitor experience enhancements
- Roland Curtin Foundation for the Preservation of Eagle Furnace — $10,000, expanded marketing efforts
- Roland Curtin Foundation for the Preservation of Eagle Furnace — $20,000 for facility improvements and America250PA Centre County Bells Across Pennsylvania art installation
- Rowland Theatre — $14,000, stage improvements (curtains, tracking, hardware)
- Seasons of Rothrock Adventures — $15,000, Seasons of Rothrock biking event marketing
- Special Olympics of PA — $5,000, Summer Games and Beaver Stadium Run
- State College Choral Society — $3,000, audience expansion
- State College Little League — $4,500, enhance visibility of SCLL facilities as a youth baseball tournament destination *
- Tempest Productions — $12,000, Central PA Theatre & Dance Fest
- The Arboretum at Penn State — $10,000, Pumpkin Fest and Winter Celebration
- Penn State School of Music — $5,000 Penns Woods Music Festival
- WPSU — $5,000, Children’s Festival
- The State Theatre – $50,000, marketing and promotional efforts
- The State Theatre — $70,000, replacement of three rooftop HVAB units
- Valley Community Business Alliance — $5,000, Route 45 Getaways and Merry Millheim
- Wildlife for Everyone Foundation — $4,500, Great Outdoor Picnic promotion
“One of the great things about this program, I think, is that it’s stimulated entrepreneurial activity is creating new events,” Smith said.
Centre County Commissioner Chair Mark Higgins pointed to the county’s decision five years ago to double the hotel tax as the catalyst for this year’s record pool.
“Due to the commissioners doubling the hotel tax in 2019 and the great work by the Adventure Bureau and the local lodging operators, the grant pool has more than tripled in a decade,” Higgins said. “Last year, tourism revenue exceeded $1 billion. That’s with a record of employment of over 8,000 individuals. I believe pre-COVID it was 6,000, so it’s a substantial increase.”
Commissioner Amber Concepcion underscored the program’s countywide reach.
“This year’s amazing applications truly show how our local nonprofits and diverse organizations are continuously thinking of new and creative ideas to bring people together through welcoming events and intentional community spaces,” she noted. “Today’s awards represent some of the most well-known events in our county that bring many thousands of visitors every year, such as the Grange Fair, Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, the 4th Fest and State College Pride.”
Commissioner Steven Dershem highlighted the variety of recipients, from one day festivals to year-round attractions.
“You never know what you’re going to find in Centre County, and I think this list demonstrates that.”
Dershem has already begun to look ahead to make things even bigger and better in Center County.
“How do we make it more exciting? How do we make things just work and this is testimony here, $1.1 million and I think it’s just going to get bigger from here.”
Since its inception in 2003–24, the Tourism Grant program has awarded more than $9.4 million to local projects designed to foster visitation, from agritourism trails to cultural celebrations. Applications are reviewed annually by a committee of tourism and county officials, with awards determined by potential impact on overnight stays and community engagement.
