Tussey Mountain’s WingFest is a 20-year-long tradition that brings music and food fans together for nearly two months of weekly fun — but, in 2020, that tradition was interrupted by COVID-19.
“We were aware of what was happening and what was going on and it wasn’t worth, we felt, the risk…” Aaron Weyman, marketing director at Tussey Mountain, says of the venue’s decision to cancel the event, which usually runs through July and August, for 2020. “We decided to focus on what we were able to do safely and that was our Fun Centre activities, like the mini golf, driving range, skate park and batting cages — and that was even a little nerve-wracking at first for a lot of people, but we got into a groove with that and were able to focus on that and adjust.”
Now, starting Thursday, WingFest is back, but the decision to move forward with it in 2021 wasn’t always obvious. Weyman says that as of last winter he and the Tussey Mountain team were fully expecting to not host the event. Then, in the spring, they considered hosting the event with limited capacity. When it was announced that capacity restrictions would be lifted in May and the statewide mask mandate would end by June 28, they decided to continue with the event using the normal structure from years past, with only a few changes.
“We’re going to have more hand-washing stations and masks available for people if they want them…” he explains. “We’re just hoping that we can do it the same way that we have before, but safely and that people feel safe about it and get outside and enjoy the mountain air and some live music and good food.”
WingFest kicks off Thursday, 5:30 p.m.–10 p.m., offering live music, food and, of course, wings from a variety of Centre County restaurants. The event returns every Thursday evening through Aug. 12, with different live music acts every week, ranging from local favorites, such as Velveeta, My Hero Zero and Pure Cane Sugar, to tribute bands sourced from out of state.
“We’re really excited about the lineup we were able to put together on short notice,” Weyman says. Tribute bands will include Completely Unchained, a Van Halen tribute band; The Ten Band, a Pearl Jam tribute group; and Bonfire, an AC/DC tribute band.
As for the food, attendees can expect wings on offer from past WingFest winners and finalists, as well as long-time fan favorites, such as Gigi’s Southern Table, The Wilderness Lodge, Wings Over Happy Valley, Federal Taphouse, Texas Roadhouse and the State College American Legion. Attendees hungry for something other than wings will find additional food vendors on site as well.
WingFest ticket prices have increased over previous years, from $5 to $10 for adults 17 and up, $5 for children 7 to 16 (children 6 and under are admitted free), but Weyman seems confident the ticket price is still an excellent bargain.
“It’s an outdoor, live music event that hasn’t happened for over a year and we know people are itching to get outside,” he says. “We believe in the product we put on and we think we have a really good lineup of bands. On July 1, for $10, you get to hear the J.R. Mangan Band with Veronica Auger and Velveeta for two hours, outside, with your friends and family that you may not have seen much over the past year and a half. We think that’s all worth it.”
For those planning to attend, Weyman recommends early arrival, as parking is limited. The event is cash only, but parking is free. For those with amphitheater tickets from past WingFest events, which are used to purchase wings from vendors once inside, Weyman also notes that the tickets never expire and will still be valid at this year’s WingFest.
For more information, visit www.tusseymountain.com/wingfest.
