Spring into Action

It’s spring in Happy Valley! Besides your annual reminder to do your spring cleaning and that “April showers bring May flowers,” this spring feels different. Why? Because for the first time since March of 2020 it seems most folks feel safe enough to get back to living a relatively normal life, and that’s an exciting turn of events. The recent teaser of a snowfall notwithstanding, we have seen more sunshine, warmer temperatures and people once again engaging in outdoor activities.

For all you “Pragmatic Passioneers” out there, you also know that the beginning of a new quarter is the perfect time for a “You Review.” It’s an opportunity to analyze how the first quarter of 2022 has started for you and how you can spring into action as the temperatures rise and daylight time is extended. Now that the worst of the pandemic seems to be behind us, it’s time to come out of hibernation and get out to enjoy the myriad of outdoor activities in Centre County. The fresh air and getting together again with friends and family (albeit prudently) is just what the doctor ordered.

This past weekend our friends from Alaska, Rachel Gernat and Dan Cheyette, stayed with us while visiting their freshman daughter at Penn State and took advantage of the many trails to run including around the Arboretum, the Bellefonte Central Rail Trail, through Toftrees, the Tussey Mountain Ridge, Shingletown Gap and, of course, Mount Nittany. They have fallen in love with Centre County!   

So, what’s in store for Centre County over the next few months? Glad you asked! To get a quick glimpse, visit The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau website at happyvalley.com/events/ and the community calendar on this website at statecollege.com/events.

The annual Blue-White game (Saturday April 23 at 2 p.m.) will bring back alumni and fans anxious to return to Happy Valley. Fans can enjoy a leisurely weekend and get a glimpse of a few of the early enrollees from what some experts see as an outstanding incoming recruiting class. My family will be cheering on local favorite and State High graduate, senior defensive back Keaton Ellis.

While I am on the subject of Penn State, please remember that if you are an alum, be sure to vote for the three alumni seats in the upcoming Board of Trustees election. Your vote does matter and if you want to see change then reach out to the candidates and voice your concerns or make your suggestions on how to make our alma mater better.  

Check out the bottom of the column for a non-exhaustive selection of events and activities for your consideration.

I have one activity that I am very passionate about and that is the Topgolf Live Stadium Tour  June 2-5, that will enable fans to experience Beaver Stadium like never before. It doesn’t matter if you are an avid golfer or just want to try a fun activity inside our signature athletic stadium, it will be a blast. To get a glimpse of what it might look like check out Topgolf Live experience.

For those few complainers who are questioning the decision to bring non-traditional events to Beaver Stadium, all I can say is, come on folks, lighten up. We can’t have it both ways. You can’t be critical that we don’t utilize Beaver Stadium enough then be critical as we try new events. The tour will be at Alabama and Arkansas before coming north to Beaver Stadium. This is going to be a fun event and I encourage you to sign up while slots are still available, and they are filling up fast.

In January I met with former Pegula Ice Arena and Penn State hockey marketing director, Mike Wierzbicki, in Minneapolis. Mike is now an associate AD at Minnesota, and he raved about the event that Minnesota fans really enjoyed. They sold out all their slots and it was a win-win-win for the attendees, Topgolf and the university.

There are of course numerous golf courses in Centre County, and you can find out information about memberships and tee times at Golflink. The Coaches vs. Cancer charity golf tournament is one of my personal favorites in the area and will be held Friday, June  3 at the Penn State Golf Courses. Speaking of golf and Penn State, I am reminded of the old golf balls with Joe Paterno’s image that, legend has it, promoters said were “guaranteed to go up the middle three out of four times.”  You could put Joe’s face toward your club and smack him or turn him facing the fairway and “let him fly.”  

Additional Sports and Entertainment events to consider:

Breaking Benjamin, April 27 at the Bryce Jordan Center: https://bjc.psu.edu/events-tickets

Three-time Grammy winner Shawn Colvin, May 10 at The State Theatre’s Friedman Auditorium:  https://thestatetheatre.org/events/shawn-colvin/

The Mindful Triathlon, May 21 at Tussey Mountain in Boalsburg: https://www.leftrightrepeat.net/current-events.html

Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic Race, May 28-29 at Rothrock State Park: https://www.tsepicmtb.com/

State College Spikes start play June 3 at Medlar Field: https://www.milb.com/state-college

Bellefonte Children’s Fair, June 4: https://visitbellefonte.com/events.php

Colyer Lake Duathlon, June 4: https://www.ymcaofcentrecounty.org/races/colyer-lake-duathlon/

Rothrock Grit Gravel Grinder, June 11 in Boalsburg: https://www.bikereg.com/50707

Bellefonte Cruise, June 17 and 18: https://www.bellefontecruise.org/

Central PA Tasting Trail Craft Beverage Expo, June 26 at Talleyrand Park in Bellefonte: https://www.centralpatastingtrail.com/

Philipsburg Heritage Days, July 12-17: https://philipsburgheritagedays.com/schedule-of-events/

Regardless of your interests, Centre County has plenty of activities and events for you and yours to enjoy. Encourage your friends and family to “spring into action” and make visiting Happy Valley a destination of choice this spring and summer.