State College, PA - Events and Attractions 

Every August, the Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences hosts Ag Progress Days. The three-day event is Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor agricultural exposition. Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of the university, and the event features exhibits showcasing the latest in Penn State Research, as well as educational programs and guided tours. Learn more by visiting their website.

Every April, the Penn State Nittany Lions football team concludes their spring camp by playing in the Blue-White inter-squad scrimmage at Beaver Stadium. What once was just a scrimmage for the fans has now turned into an entire weekend event. The highlight of the weekend is still the game, but now visitors to Penn State can enjoy the Blue White Carnival next to the Bryce Jordan Center, which features rides, games, a WingFest contest, and the annual Penn State Idol singing competition. In addition, there will be player autograph sessions before the game. The weekend wraps up on Sunday with the Beaver Stadium 5K Run/Family Fun Walk on Sunday.

The Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) is a 400,000-square-foot, 16,000-seat multipurpose building located on the campus of Penn State University. The BJC opened in 1996 and is the largest venue of its kind between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The arena accommodates a variety of meeting groups, such as 20 people for a board meting, a banquet for 1600, or a concert or sports event with 15,000 guests.

The BJC is home to the Penn State Men’s and Women’s basketball teams and has hosted a variety of events including circuses, Penn State commencement, lectures, career fairs, Big Ten Basketball, NBA preseason games, and some of the top performers in the music industry. Entertainers who have performed at the BJC include Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Cher, Backstreet Boys, Carry Underwood, Elton John, Janet Jackson, Pearl Jam, Kanye West, Whitney Houston, Zac Brown Band, and B.B. King. 

Each July since 1962, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts brings over 125,000 people to downtown State College and the campus of Penn State University. The event kicks off on Wednesday with its children’s day and lasts through the weekend with its nationally recognized sidewalk art sale and exhibitions. Theatrical and musical performances also take place throughout the duration of the event. The event has grown so large that it stretches from on campus to the downtown area, even blocking off a portion of downtown’s Allen Street.

Learn more here.

Home to Penn State University’s Center for the Performing Arts, the Eisenhower Auditorium is a 2,551-seat theatre located on campus. Whether it's the annual performance of the Nutcracker Ballet during the holidays, a Broadway show, a musical group, or a comedic performance, you will find that the Eisenhower Auditorium always has a great calendar lined up each year. Past performances have featured the Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Orchestra, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, the Russian National Ballet, and the Vienna Boys Choir. In addition, past Broadway shows that made their way to State College included Hair, Rock of Ages, Seussical, and Spamalot.

The Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair, better known as the Grange Fair, is held each August in Centre Hall, PA, just minutes from State College. Starting it 1874, the Grange Fair is one of the nation’s oldest encampment fairs. With more than 950 tents, 1,300 RVs, concessions, 7,000 exhibit items, and amusement rides, the Centre County Grange Fair has also grown into one of the largest encampment fairs in the country.

Head to their website for this year's lineup.

The Penn State Dance Marathon, commonly known as THON to Penn Staters, is held every February at the Bryce Jordan Center on the campus of Penn State University. THON is a 46-hour dance marathon benefiting the Four Diamond Fund. It is the mission of THON to conquer pediatric cancer by providing outstanding emotional and financial support to the children, families, researchers, and staff of the Four Diamond Fund. Since 1977, THON has raised more than $203 million, making it the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.

Every May and December, a new group of Penn State Alumni is made as the graduating students walk the stage and receive their degrees from Penn State University. Commencement ceremonies are held on campus at the Bryce Jordan Center and the Eisenhower Auditorium and typically last about 90 minutes. The ceremony includes remarks by the commencement speaker, the conferring of degrees, individual recognition of each graduate as he or she crosses the stage, and a welcome into the Penn State Alumni Association. Past speakers have included filmmaker Ken Burns and political news anchor Wolf Blitzer.

With a capacity of more than 107,000, Beaver Stadium is the second largest football stadium in the United States. Beaver Stadium opened in its current location in 1960. At that time, it had a horseshoe configuration and only sat 46,284 people. Since then, the stadium has gone under several expansions to make it the towering home of Penn State Football.

The Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) is a 400,000-square foot, 16,000-seat multipurpose building located on the campus of Penn State University. The Bryce Jordan Center accommodates a variety of meeting groups and is the home of both Penn State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Located about 30 miles east of State College, Camp Woodward could be best described as an extreme sports camp. The camp offers one-week summer sessions to kids age 7 to 17 in action sports such as skateboarding, BMX, rollerblading, gymnastics, and cheerleading. It has grown to be one of the most popular actions sports camps in the country.

Located about 20 minutes west of State College in Tipton, Del Grosso’s Amusement Park is a modern family fun facility which includes more than 30 rides, an extensive water park, go-karts, a beautiful miniature golf course, and great food.

The iconic geographic feature of Centre County, Mount Nittany is one of the most popular hiking areas in the region. The hike is a 600-foot climb up the mountain and has as many as eight miles of trail depending on which path you take. Its fame comes from the legend of Princess Nittany, and it is a landmark for the Pennsylvania State University, whose mascot is the Nittany Lion.

Mt. Nittany Winery is nestled on the southern slopes of Mount Nittany just seven miles east of State College. Mt. Nittany Winery and vineyard are located on 65 acres that stretch to the top of Mount Nittany. The winery was opened in 1990 by Joe and Betty Carroll, who were amateur winemakers for 20 years. Their five-acre vineyard includes Cayuga, Seyval Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, de Chaunac, and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties.

Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park (Penn’s Cave) is fun for visitors of all ages. They have boat-guided cave tours, a wildlife tour, an off-road Cave Rock Mountain tour, and Prospector Pete’s Miners Maze. While you are there you can pan for gemstones, visit the gift shop, and try a Bison burger at the Cave Café.

Founded in 1855 as an agricultural college, Penn State University has grown and defined itself as one of the nation’s top universities. From the historical landmarks, beautiful walks on campus, lively college atmosphere, and mountainous views, Penn State University is a place worth visiting. A few popular historical commemorative spots can be seen throughout campus including Old Main, Rec Hall, the Lion Shrine, Beaver Stadium, Bryce Jordan Center. and Pegula Ice Arena.

Located in Boalsburg, the PA Military Museum tells the story of Pennsylvania citizens who served their country. The museum also features an incredible collection of military vehicles and small arms, and is the host to several community events throughout the year including the PA National Guard’s Celebration of Service, the People’s Choice Festival of Pennsylvania Arts, and a series of educational lectures.

Rated as one of Pennsylvania’s top places to play, this 18-hole course challenges the skill of players at all levels. Established in 1968, the course at Toftrees Golf Resort was designed by nationally renowned golf course architect, Edmund "Ed" Ault. The resort was recently 4 1/2 stars by Golf Digest magazine's "Places to Play" and named one of Pennsylvania’s Best Resort/ Public Golf Courses.