CITY OF THON — Once a year State College Borough Mayor Ezra Nanes renames the State College Borough to the “City of THON” for the 46 hours that the event takes place, this year was no exception.
At 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, Dancers and supporters in the Bryce Jordan Center stood for the first time, symbolizing the start of the 46-hour dance-a-thon.
The first big act that fills the BJC is the National Act, a surprise performance from a well-known group to kick off the weekend. This year’s act was The Fray, a group from Denver, Colorado, well known for a multitude of songs including “How To Save a Life” and “You Found Me.”
The band was the perfect fit for THON 2025. A mix of sing-along songs and songs that evoke a lot of emotion set the tone for THON Weekend really well. At one point during “Hurricane,” Joe King, The Fray’s lead singer, jumped into the crowd of dancers below and started interacting with them, even shooting a couple with a water gun he found.
After The Fray, cover bands, dancers and other talented performers fill the stage as the dancers got through their first night on the BJC floor.
One of the most beloved acts is the Kids Talent Show when children from Four Diamond Families get to showcase their talents to the world. With lightsaber fights, back flips and incredible singers, THON’s talent show had it all this year.
The second most well-known event was on Saturday night, the THON Pep Rally. This is a chance for the athletic teams to perform a dance onstage. A real boost to the crowd’s energy normally fills the BJC. This year capacity was hit and, for the first time in a while, the Bryce Jordan Center had to close its doors during THON.
THON 2025 had a lot of great athletic dancers, but it came down to men’s golf and women’s volleyball. Each team performed again, with volleyball coming on top. Head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, who recently beat cancer, gave a quick speech and THON 2025 kept chugging along.
The next day and a half are the hardest for those doing the full 46 hours, but you are rewarded at the end with the Final Four. The Final Four is an event that includes the Family Hour, Celebration of Life, Go Go Gadget and the final reveal.
At 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, the dancers sat for the first time in 46 hours and awaited the final reveal.
In THON 2025, Penn State raised $17,737,040.93 for Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital. This surpasses 2024’s total by over $700,000, setting a new THON record.
