Good morning, State College.

The Downtown State College Improvement District hosted its third annual Sips and Sounds Downtown festival on June 27 at Sidney Friedman Park where residents enjoyed craft beverages, food, and live music.

Local craft vendors and family-friendly activities helped bring the community together—an event made possible by local grants.

Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences hosted its fourth BEST program in May—training 102 students and including for the first time professionals from North Carolina State University.

The free program taught extension methods such as stakeholder engagement, program design, youth outreach, and equity—leading to plans for expansion next summer.

THON 2026—Penn State’s 46-hour dance marathon—will take place from Friday, Feb.

20th, 2026 to Sunday, Feb. 22nd, 2026 at the Bryce Jordan Center. More than 16,500 student volunteers will launch the fifth annual Ignite The Fight campaign on July 1st to raise funds for Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital.

Penn State’s Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing announced that the SAFE-T System has been named an Edge Runner by the American Academy of Nursing—this model uses telehealth to connect rural providers with expert Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners and has shown high patient satisfaction and nurse retention rates. The recognition supports improved trauma-informed care and reduced costs for sexual assault examinations in underserved areas.

Nicole Hall, a forward for Penn State women’s hockey, earned an invitation to Team Sweden’s Olympic training camp and will attend from July 21 to 30 in hopes of making the team for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy — she finished her season with seven goals and 11 points and earned praise for her leadership and work ethic from coach Jeff Kampersal.

Four-star defensive end Jackson Ford committed to play for Penn State football on Friday.

The 6’4” athlete is ranked No.8 in Pennsylvania and chose Penn State over offers from Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin—he joins Elijah Littlejohn in the 2026 class.

Open Gym

Beat the evening heat and have the kids burn off some energy at CEG's Summer Tuesday night Open Gyms! Open for ages 1–18, but please note that ages 1–5 require a parent or guardian to stay with them. 6:15pm–7:30pm at Centre Elite Gymnastics, 177 Champion Drive, Suite 200, State College, PA 16803. $5/members, $10/non-members.

Langhorne Slim Concert

8:00-9:30 p.m. — The State Theatre — Ticket prices not specified — Experience the powerful and raw sounds of acclaimed singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim.

Killer Queen Tribute Concert

8-11 p.m. — The State Theatre — Ticketed event — Experience the acclaimed tribute band Killer Queen as they bring the magic of Queen to life on stage.

Firecracker 4K Independence Day Run/Walk

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Medlar Field — Registration fee required — Celebrate Independence Day with a patriotic run and enjoy festivities topped off with fireworks.

Movies in the Garden: A Complete Unknown

8:30-10:30 p.m. — H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens — Adults $15, Children $10 — Enjoy an outdoor movie night featuring the biographical film about Bob Dylan starring Timothée Chalamet.

Sam Grisman Project Concert

8-9:30 p.m. — The State Theatre — Tickets available — Experience the revival of timeless acoustic music inspired by the legacies of Jerry Garcia and David Grisman.

Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts 2025

6 AM – 1 PM — The Pennsylvania State University — Free entry — Celebrate the arts with over 300 artists, live performances, and community festivities.

The Rocket Blasters Live

12:30-1:30 p.m. — Allen Street Pizza — No cover charge — Experience a mix of classic and modern Top-40 Rock hits spanning decades from The Beatles to Lady Gaga.

Live Music: Anchor&Arrow Performance

6-9 p.m. — HiWay Pizza Pub — Free entry — Enjoy high-energy performances from Happy Valley’s FUNked-Up duo, combining soul, funk, rock, and jazz.

Albert Cummings Live

8-11 p.m. — The State Theatre — Tickets available — Experience the electrifying blues of renowned guitarist Albert Cummings.

All About the Importers

6:00 PM — Allen Street Grill — $31 to $50 — Explore the art of importing flavors from the world’s best food and drink to local establishments.