CPFA’s Executive Director, Pamela Snyder Etters, is happy to answer questions about press releases. Please give us a call at 814-237-3682 or complete the inquiry form here and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
You can access our media kit, which includes downloadable versions of our logo, a brief overview of the organization, and other relevant information, here.
February 27, 2026
CONTACT: Jennifer Shuey, Director of Development, (814) 237-3682, jshuey@arts-festival.com
Calling All Pennsylvania Artists – Applications Now Open for Images 2026 Exhibition
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for Images 2026, its annual juried fine art exhibition showcasing exceptional two-dimensional work by Pennsylvania artists. The exhibition will be on view July 1–31, 2026 at the Schlow Centre Region Library in downtown State College, Pennsylvania.
A signature visual arts component of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, the Images exhibition offers artists an opportunity to present their work to one of the region’s largest arts audiences. The Festival, held July 8–12, 2026, attracts more than 125,000 visitors each year.
Images 2026 is open to artists age 16 and older whose primary residence is in Pennsylvania. Eligible media include drawing, painting, pastel, mixed media, photography, hand-pulled prints, watercolor, fiber, paper, and digital art. Submitted work must be original and completed after January 1, 2023. The entry deadline is May 8, 2026.
The application and full Call for Entries are available at:
https://arts-festival.com/images-juried-exhibition
The website also includes a link to the online gallery of last year’s Images 2025 exhibition.
Amanda H. Hellman, the new Director of the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State, will serve as juror for Images 2026. As juror, she will select the exhibiting artists and award recipients. Dr. Hellman brings extensive experience as a museum leader, curator, and advocate for contemporary art. Previously she held positions at Vanderbilt University Museum of Art and the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University where she was the curator of African art. Dr. Hellman’s research on museum development in West and East Africa reveals how heritage formation and artistic practice are inextricably linked.
The juror will award a total of $1,800 in cash prizes, including Best of Show ($500), Best Painting ($200), Best Pastel ($200), Best Photograph ($200), four Merit Awards ($150 each), and Best Student Submission ($100). Awards will be presented at the Images Awards Reception on July 9, 2026, during the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.
The Best of Show award in Images 2025 was presented to Philip Huber of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, for his ink and dye on scratchboard work, November Frost, Lapland, Sweden 1.
“The Images exhibition highlights the remarkable depth and diversity of artistic talent across Pennsylvania,” said Jennifer Shuey, Director of Development and Images Exhibition Coordinator. “We are proud to provide artists with a meaningful exhibition opportunity and to share their work with the thousands of visitors who attend the Arts Festival each year.”
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts encourages Pennsylvania artists to apply and be part of this celebrated annual exhibition.
The Images 2026 Exhibition is just one facet of the 60th Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, which will be held July 8 through July 12, 2026. For more information visit https://arts-festival.com/.
The Arts Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and additional grant support from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Centre County Commissioners.
###
February 25, 2026
CONTACT: Pamela Snyder Etters, Executive Director
Email: execdir@arts-festival.com
Attention Mural Artists – Applications now OPEN for a LIVE Mural Exhibition at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts!
Applications for the newest addition to the Arts Festival are now open!
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the arts is pleased to announce a Call for Entries for a Live Mural Exhibition commemorating the country’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
Dreaming American Futures is a celebrational juried LIVE PRODUCTION Mural Exhibition slated to take place during the 5-day Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts July 8– 12, 2026.
The call is open to both experienced and novice (mural) artists across the country with preference given to Pennsylvania based artists.
Designs should be based on the overarching theme of Dreaming American Futures and the following, closing excerpt from the poem The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman.
When day comes, we step out of the shade
aflame and unafraid.
The new dawn blooms as we free it.
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.
The poem, in its entirety, can be read here: https://einhorncollaborative.org/the-hill-we-climb/
The mural size will be 5 feet high by 8 feet in length, with a landscape orientation. Submitted designs must be to scale and fully executed in concept, design, and color. Once selected, the executed mural must remain consistent with the submitted and approved design. Any variation must be approved by Festival staff in advance. Submissions must include an artist statement (not more than 250 words) explaining how the work relates to the theme of the exhibition.
Support for this exhibition is provided in part by The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in collaboration with the Downtown State College America250 Committee.
Applicants may submit up to three different mural designs for consideration (one image each).
Applications will be due Friday, April 17, 2026. There is no entry fee. Apply via Google form: https://forms.gle/7RjHmVW9YRD8jYvd7
Accepted artists will be notified by Friday, May 15, 2026. A travel stipend of $500 will be provided to each artist. Hotel accommodation will be provided for a maximum of 5 nights from Tuesday, July 7th, through Sunday, July 12th.
Additionally, Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
Artists may only receive one of the above awards. Artists not selected as an award winner will receive an additional $500 compensation.
Completed murals will become the sole property of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and the use or duplication of design is at the discretion of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. Mural designs will be properly credited upon further use or replication. Award-winning murals may be installed in more permanent settings throughout Centre County to further enhance the visitor experience.
Artists will be supplied with a covered, free-standing mural wall prepared with primed mural cloth (polytab). Artists are expected to provide their own supplies for execution of the mural including paints, brushes, and any other relevant supplies. Artists are expected to be on hand and executing the mural live throughout the active festival hours, taking breaks as necessary. Artists must complete their mural no later than Sunday, July 12th at 12:00noon. Artists may work beyond active festival hours in the interest of completing the mural before the Sunday deadline.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts operates daily on the following schedule:
The Arts Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and additional grant support from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Centre County Commissioners.
###
February 5, 2026
CONTACT: Pamela Snyder Etters, Executive Director
Email: execdir@arts-festival.com
Applications now OPEN for the 2026 Children & Youth Sidewalk Sale and the Banner Exhibition and Competition!
Applications for two of our more popular Arts Festival events are now open!
The Children & Youth Day Sidewalk Sale is sponsored by AAUW State College, and the event is a fun way for boys and girls to develop both their artistic and entrepreneurial potential.
Artists aged 8 through 18 who live in, or have relatives in the following counties – Blair, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Huntingdon, Mifflin and Union – are eligible to participate.
Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale rules prohibit the sale of work made from kits, offensive and defensive weapons, the sale of services like face painting or hair braiding, the use of trademarked characters or products—like the Nittany Lion and Minecraft—in artist’s work, and the sale of food. All work must be original. A complete listing of the rules can be found in the application. Please review the rules carefully as they may have changed since you last participated in the event.
The 2026 preferred application method is a digital google form which is linked on our website: https://arts-festival.com/children-and-youth.
The application deadline is Friday, May 29, 2026. No exceptions will be made! Applications may also be printed and mailed (postmarked by May 29th) or hand-delivered to the Festival office until 5:00 p.m. on May 29th. Late applications will NOT be accepted. Applications are only considered complete when booth payment is made either online or by check.
For additional information on how to participate, visit: https://arts-festival.com/children-and-youth.
The Banner Exhibition and Competition is one of the signature events of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. The Festival is proud to display past and present banners annually. Our banners will hang over the Festival route, adding color and movement to the festive atmosphere.
The 2026 banner competition application deadline is Friday, June 12, 2026.
For more information on how to participate, visit: https://arts-festival.com/banners.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts looks forward to showcasing the talent and creativity of Pennsylvania’s artists, young and old.
The exhibition is just one facet of the 60th Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, which will be held July 8 through July 12, 2026. Watch for more information at https://arts-festival.com/.
The Arts Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and additional grant support from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Centre County Commissioners.
###
Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is gearing up for its 59th Annual event.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will once again fill the streets of downtown State College and the adjacent Penn State campus with a celebration of the arts beginning Wednesday, July 9th through Sunday, July 13th.
Founded by the State College Chamber of Commerce and Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture, the Festival attracts approximately 150,000 visitors each summer. The Festival features the nationally recognized Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition, a juried gallery exhibition, Children and Youth Day, Street Painting, educational opportunities, music, dance and theatrical performances in a variety of outdoor venues.
The 59th Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts kicks off with our special Children and Youth Day on Wednesday, July 9th, from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm. This day will showcase young artists, provide educational opportunities, and celebrate diverse cultures. On this special day, young artists sell their wares at the Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale, with more than 300 young artists ages 8 to 18 participating!
Returning again this year, families can enjoy a cultural journey. Consider starting your day in Sidney Friedman park where you can enjoy cultural performances from around the world including performances by Black Cat Egyptian Belly Dancing, Packard Highland Dancers and more. Then, swing by our passport stops to grab a program guide and begin your journey. There will be six passport stations located in Sidney Friedman Park. Each location will share information about a unique culture, and once you complete the activity, you will earn your sticker! Complete your passport and return it to the designated box located at the Festival Shell stage on Old Main Lawn for your chance to win a DelGrosso’s Amusement Park prize pack! Children & Youth Day will be packed with an all-new lineup of performances geared towards entertaining but also showcasing what becoming a professional artist could look like!
Young visitors can also explore their artistic talents through free creative activities in Sidney Friedman Park and on the Old Main lawn starting at 10:00 am.
Finally, everyone in the family can choose their favorite giant puppet and march in the Children & Youth Day Grand Procession of giant (and not so giant) papier-mache puppets from Old Main Lawn to Sidney Friedman Park, accompanied by drummers and a pep band from State College Area High School. The procession steps off promptly at 3:00 pm from the Old Main lawn.
The day is a great way to support young creative entrepreneurs and allow them an opportunity to explore their own creativity. Of course, it is also just a great day to bring your little ones to the Festival to let them blow off some steam in the dumping buckets water sculpture too!
The lineup for Children & Youth Day on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 includes:
Children’s Workshops & Creative Activities – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm – Sidney Friedman Park
Children’s Workshops & Creative Activities – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm – Old Main Lawn
Cultural Showcase – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm – Sidney Friedman Park
Children & Youth Sidewalk Sale – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Yoga Lab – 10:00 am – Old Main Lawn
CC4H Robotics – 11:00 am & 1:00 pm – Old Main Lawn/ Festival Shell
Adam Swartz Puppets – 11:30 am – Allen
Erin Jeannier – The Queen of Hoops – 10:00 am through 2:00 pm – Old Main Lawn
Heartfelt Music & Mantra Experience – 11:00 am – Borough Plaza
Suzuki Strings at Arts Fest – 1:00 pm – Allen Street Stage
Children & Youth Day Procession at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts – 3:00 pm – Old Main Lawn
Chip Mock Caricatures – $ additional cost involved – 10:00 am through 2:00 pm – Allen Street
The Superman Cartoons of Max Fleischer – $ additional cost involved – 4 pm – State Theatre
On Thursday, July 10th, the Annual Juried Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition takes center stage. Our Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition is the perfect place for shopping while you support the more than 300 independent artist-entrepreneurs from across the country. Whether you’re looking for a work of art, piece of jewelry, housewares, or all of the above, our artists have something for you. You’ll find some of the country’s most talented artists in a wide variety of media from ceramics to wood. A panel of four jurors will award $20,000 in prize money to winning exhibitors during a ceremony at 9:00 am on Saturday, July 12th, at the Allen Street Stage.
The Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition is open from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm, Thursday, July 10 through Saturday, July 12, and 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday, July 13.
Live performances are another highlight of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. ALL of the live entertainment hosted by the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts continues to be FREE for our guests again this year! This summer, we’ll again be offering a mix of old favorites and new performers on our outdoor stages. Performance venues include the Festival Shell on the Old Main lawn, the Allen Street Stage, Sidney Friedman Park Stage, and two new stages on the Penn State campus at the intersection of Pollock & Burrowes and at Willard Plaza. Additionally, you can plan to escape the mid-day heat thanks to our partnership with the State Theatre. You will find a selection of performances in the Theatre on both Thursday and Saturday afternoons. The theatre will remain open between performances as a cooling station where guests can simply relax in the air conditioning and/or grab a bottle of water before hitting the Festival streets again. Please note that there are a few indoor events sponsored by the CPFA that are ticketed by their host organizations, including Happy Valley Improv and The State Theatre (Roseanne Cash & Superman Cartoons).
The lineup for this year’s festival is as follows:
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Chip Mock – $ additional cost involved – 10:00 am through 7:00 pm; Allen
Tussey Mountain Moonshiners – 11:00 am; Allen
Central Pennsylvania Dance Workshop – 11:00 am; State
Celtic Nations Duo – 12:00 pm; Pollock
The Music Academy – 1:00 pm; Schlow
JT Thompson Piano – 1:00 pm; Allen
Jim Colbert – 1:00 pm; Willard
Laura Boswell – 2:00 pm; Pollock
Erin Jeannier – The Queen of Hoops – 2:00 pm; State Theatre
Centre Dance – 2:00 pm; Shell
Code Blue – 2:30 pm; Park
Mary Madigan – 3:00 pm; Willard
The Music Academy – 3:00 pm; Schlow
JR Mangan Band – 3:00 pm; Allen
Mountain City Acoustic – 4:00 pm; Pollock
Nittany Valley Wranglers – 4:00 pm; Shell
Natascha & the Spy Boys – 4:30 pm; Park
The Music Academy – 5:00 pm; Schlow
The Sorters – 5:00 pm; Allen
Megan & Doug Irwin – 5:00 pm; Willard
Briggs & Strayer – 6:00 pm; Pollock
The Woods Family Band – 6:30 pm; Shell
Joe Baione – 6:30 pm; Park
Western Range – 7:00 pm; Allen
Happy Valley Improv – Youth Show – $ additional cost involved – 7:00 pm; Blue Brick
Eric Mintel Quartet – 8:30 pm; Shell
The Jaded Lips – 9:00 pm; Allen
One Acre West – 9:00 pm; Park
Friday, July 11, 2025
Yoga Lab – 10:00 am; Old Main Lawn
Chip Mock – $ additional cost involved – 10:00 am through 7:00 pm; Allen Street
The Music Academy – 11:00 am; Schlow
Adam Hallacher Septet – 12:00 pm; Park
Biscuit Jam – 12:00 pm; Pollock
The Music Academy – 1:00 pm; Schlow
Jeff Mamett – 1:00 pm; Willard
Wanderlost – 1:30 pm; Allen
Below Centre – 2:00 pm; Pollock
PennSoulvanians – 2:30 pm; Park
The Music Academy – 3:00 pm; Schlow
Conner Gilbert – 3:00 pm; Willard
Making State – 3:30 pm; Allen
Black Cat Belly Dance – 4:00 pm; Pollock
Astral Shakedown – 4:00 pm; Shell
The Triple A Blues Band – 4:30 pm; Park
Big Red & Zoe Makenna – 5:00 pm; Willard
Urban Fusion – 5:30 pm; Allen
Hops & Vines – 6:00 pm; Pollock
Os Mutantes – 6:30 pm; Shell
Chivalrous Crickets – 6:30 pm; Park
Happy Valley Improv – $ additional cost involved – 7:00 pm; Blue Brick
Ted McCloskey & the Hi Fi’s – 7:30 pm; Allen
Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal – $ additional cost involved – 8 pm; State Theatre
Velveeta – 9:00 pm; Shell
The Plate Scrapers – 9:00 pm; Park
Happy Valley Improv – $ additional cost involved – 9:00 pm; Blue Brick
Habbina Habbina – 9:30 pm; Allen
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Instrument-Making Station – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, MLK Plaza
Chip Mock – $ additional cost involved – 10:00 am through 7:00 pm; Allen Street
Early Childhood Music Class! – 10:30 am – MLK Plaza
State College Municipal Band – 11:00 am; Park
Honey Pie – 11:30 am; Allen
Crooner & Co. Swing Band – 12:00 pm; Shell
Chase Campbell – 1:00 pm; Willard
The Coal Aly Band – 1:00 pm; Park
Blue Cactus – 1:30 pm; Allen
Eyes of Age – 2:00 pm ; Pollock
Zydeco-A-Go-Go – 2:00 pm; Shell
Trout Fishing in America – 2:00 pm; State Theatre
OverheaD Duo – 3:00 pm; Willard
Zeropoint Big Band – 3:00 pm; Park
House of Hamill – 3:30 pm; Allen
Caryn Dixon – 4:00 pm; Pollock
Ma’am – 4:30 pm; Shell
Acoustic Artifacts – 5:00 pm; Willard Plaza
La Fiesta Band – 5:00 pm; Park
Sweet Desire – 5:30 pm; Allen
Hannah Bingman – 6:00 pm; Pollock
Project 22 – 7:00 pm; Shell
Ady Martinez y Orquesta Mi Amor – 7:00 pm; Park
Happy Valley Improv – $ additional cost involved – 7:00 pm; Blue Brick
The Soul Benders – 7:30 pm; Allen
Trout Fishing in America – 8:30 pm; State
Happy Valley Improv – $ additional cost involved – 9:00 pm; Blue Brick
My Hero Zero – 9:30 pm; Shell
Pure Cane Sugar – 9:30 pm Allen
The Wilson Springs Hotel – 9:30 pm; Park
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Gospel – 10:30 am through 12:30 pm; Shell
Chip Mock – $ additional cost involved – 11:00 am through 4:00 pm; Allen Street
The Keystone Big Band – 11:30 am; Park
The Rocket Blasters – 12:30 pm; Allen
Singer/ Songwriter Showcase – 2:00 pm; Park
*featuring: Christopher Carithers, Jim Colbert, Tim Craven, Michael Lundy
The Extra Miles – 2:30 pm; Allen
NEW!! Arts Fest After Dark
Manny’s Live Performance Space is proudly hosting Arts Fest After Dark! Gorinto Productions and Secret Planet bring the party to the Manny’s stage with world-class global sounds that’ll keep you moving late into the night!
Friday, July 11 – We welcome Chicha Libre
Saturday, July 12 – We welcome Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp
Space is limited – Don’t miss your chance to experience these rare and exhilarating performances in the intimate setting that is Manny’s!
Secure your spot now via @mannysstatecollege or visit www.gorintoproductions.com/events
The 2025 Street Painting Exhibition recognizes the cross-border popularity of street painting among Italy, England, and Germany. A variety of local visual artists will create 6-foot by 4-foot paintings on Foster Avenue at South Allen Street. For a $10 fee, the Young Artists Alley gives children the opportunity to create a 14”x 14” square street painting while taking home a set of pastels to keep the creativity flowing. Children may paint a square with provided pastels for just $5. Painting ends at 7:00 pm Thursday-Saturday, and 4:00 pm on Sunday, weather permitting.
The public is invited to celebrate and support the 59th Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts by purchasing tickets to the Festive Spirits benefit cocktail party, which will be held at The Towers, 403 South Allen Street, on Friday, July 11, at 5:00 pm. The event’s leading sponsor, Big Spring Spirits, will provide a selection of their distinctive locally-sourced craft cocktails. Shy Bear Brewing will offer their beers. And the team from Catering with Style will serve their signature butlered hors d’oeuvres. The acoustic duo of Ted McCloskey & Molly Countermine will provide the music. The Festive Spirits Party is made possible by the support of Big Spring Spirits, InVested Advisors, Fulton Bank, HRG, First National Bank, HigherEdJobs, The McKenzie Holderman Group – RE/MAX Centre Realty, Investment Research Partners, Whiting-Turner, Continental Real Estate Management, Bloom MedAesthetics, Excelis Leadership Consulting, McQuaide Blasko, Shy Bear Brewing, LARA design Co., Landscape II, and Avant Garden. Tickets to the party are $150 and can be purchased by calling the Arts Festival office or by visiting arts-festival.com/festive-spirits-party.
An annual favorite, the CPFA Silent Auction, will be returning this year. The 2025 Silent Auction will be in its traditional spot on the 100 block of South Allen Street. The Silent Auction opens on Thursday, July 10 at noon. It is open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm Friday and Saturday. Sunday hours are from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. It’s a great place to see a sampling of all the great fine art and craft in the Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition. The proceeds of the Silent Auction help to defray the costs of the Festival.
The Festival’s fine art exhibition, Images 2025 hangs in Schlow Centre Region Library, 211 S. Allen Street during the month of July. Images 2025 features artists whose primary residence is in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Artists entered the show by submitting digital images of work created in the last three years. The works in Images 2025 were selected by juror Richard Rinehart, Director of the Samek Art Museum at Bucknell University.
BookFestPA celebrates the story as art. Diehard fans of mystery, romance, science fiction, fantasy, comics, children’s fiction & poetry, and more will gather on Saturday, July 12. Meet authors and artists who work for large publishing houses, as well as independents who forge their own path. Stop by the authors’ tents to meet returning favorites as well as authors visiting for the first time! Pick up books for children, young adults, and adults.
Stay tuned to bookfestpa.schlowlibrary.org for a full list of authors and events, including the Schlow Library Foundation used book sale. Also featuring booklovers merchandise! BookFestPA 2025 is sponsored by the Schlow Library Foundation and Setsucon, with thanks to the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. BookFestPA will be held from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on the grounds of Schlow Centre Region Library’s surface and underground parking lot. No registration is required.
The Nittany Valley Running Club is hosting the annual Sue Crowe Memorial Arts Festival Races presented by Mount Nittany Health this year. This year’s race will again be held at the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg on Sunday, July 13, starting at 8:30 am. Pre-registration is required, and a packet pick-up location will be located at the Festival across from Schlow Library on Saturday, July 12.
Festival Food is also sure to delight this year with the return of all your favorites and the addition of food trucks on the Penn State campus at the corner of Pollock & Burrowes. Be sure to come with cash and card in hand as vendors accept a variety of payment options.
Aside from all the amazing Festival traditions, we are also introducing a lot of NEW opportunities and experiences to enhance your visit!
NEW STAGES
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is pleased to offer two additional small stages at this year’s Festival. These stages were added to further enhance the visitor experience and provide opportunities to relax and rest while traversing the Festival route.
Kish Bank THRIVE Stage at Pollock
Located at the corner of Pollock and Burrowes on the Penn State University campus, this stage will feature small groups and singer/songwriters. Tucked into a grassy space with several shade trees, you can comfortably enjoy these musical acts on a hot summer day between shopping your favorite artists!
Willard Plaza Acoustic Stage
Located on the east end of Pollock at the intersection of the Mall and Pollock, you will find the Willard Acoustic Stage. Presenting acoustic solo and duo acts, you can relax and enjoy some local favorites.
PENN STATE HEALTH KIDS ZONE
Brand new this year, we are offering a Kids Zone at Arts Festival. We recognize our Festival should be a truly family friendly event, so this year we are adding a space just for the kids! Adults are welcome to play too, but kids will love the chance to unwind, get creative, play yard games, and just let out some pent-up energy! The Kids Zone will be located in MLK Plaza (127 S. Fraser St.) and will be open from Thursday through Saturday, 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Families can enjoy yard games, do craft activities, and participate in the painting of a mural themed around Arts Festival, Community, and Penn State Health!
CENTRAL PA TASTING TRAIL – NEW LOCATION
sponsored by Beth Richards | Sandy Stover Group – Kissinger Bigatel & Brower Realtors
The tasting trail is moving to Sidney Friedman Park! With the introduction of our new Kids Zone in MLK Plaza, we have worked with the Tasting Trail to make a strategic move to Sidney Friedman Park.
The Central PA Tasting Trail brings together the best of the region’s breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cideries. Whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast or a wine lover, the trail offers a taste of the local spirit, one sip at a time.
Entrance into the enclosed Tasting Trail will be at the southwest corner of the park near the intersection of S. Fraser and W. Foster. Proper Identification will be required to receive your wristband, and all alcohol must be consumed within the enclosure.
Come enjoy live entertainment, a shady escape from the summer heat, and a refreshing beverage.
Tasting Trail hours are Thursday through Saturday, 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
COOLING STATION and INDOOR PERFORMANCES
This year we have partnered with The State Theatre to provide a space where attendees can escape the heat of the day while relaxing in the theatre. The theatre will be open on Thursday, July 10th from 11 am through 3 pm and Saturday, July 12th from 11:00 am through 5:00 pm. Performances are also scheduled during these time frames so be sure to check the schedule for specific performance times!
Popular offerings returning again this year include:
We have again partnered with the Centre Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association to provide a Courtesy Tent. The Penn State Alumni are truly showing their love of all things Arts Fest this year, and that includes a special consideration of how to best support our guests! This year, you can find a courtesy tent on the State College Municipal Plaza where you can check your purchases for safe keeping while continuing to shop and/or enjoy other aspects of the Festival. Additionally, with the bag check located at the State College Municipal Plaza, it also offers the convenience of pick-up in the rear parking lot, avoiding the need to carry purchases back to your car if it is far to walk or difficult to carry. You will also find water and “Alumni Arts Festival” t-shirts for sale!
The courtesy tent will be available Thursday to Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Sunday 11:00 am to 2 pm. Checked items must be picked up by the day’s closing time and cannot be left over night.
To purchase an Alumni t-shirt in advance, visit arts-festival.spiritsale.com
Our partnership with Penn State Alumni does not stop there! The Penn State Alumni Association is also getting in on the act by hosting HINTZpiration: Artistry at the Alumni Center.
The Penn State Alumni Association is proud to host “Hintzpiration: Artistry at the Alumni Center,” an art exhibit happening July 11–12, 2025. Hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Do you live locally and hate fighting traffic and searching for parking? Hope on your bike and pedal on over to Beaver Avenue Garage where you will find Expanded & Covered Bike Parking! While riding your bike through the Festival is strictly prohibited, we recognize that biking to the Festival could alleviate a lot of parking stress. This is why we have partnered with Freeze Thaw Cycles and the State College Borough to offer this extra bike parking downtown!
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is dedicated to providing an accessible festival experience for everyone. We agree attending a Festival of this magnitude can be daunting for community members and families with special needs and families with young children. It is our goal to ensure everyone has a great festival experience.
Recognizing the majority of our Festival is mobility accessible, we are taking additional steps this year, through a partnership with the Schlow Centre Region Library, to provide consciously designated Sensory Oasis spaces where visitors can relax and recharge.
Schlow Centre Region Library: Your Oasis in the middle of the Festival.
SENSORY OASIS SPACES – For community members and families in need of sensory breaks, Schlow will host dedicated sensory spaces on the 2nd floor, in the Adult & Teen Library during the festival.
• Need a space, but not privacy, to relax and breathe, find the Quiet Area in the nook overlooking the intersection of Allen Street and Beaver Avenue.
• Looking for low stimulation with moderate activity to reduce stress, we recommend the Teen Space that overlooks the parking lot.
• For a more controlled environment, where music or games may be played, Joyce’s Sun Room is equipped with streamable music or audiobooks, coloring books, crafts, and other supplies to help alleviate stress.
SERVICE ANIMALS – CPFA welcomes and supports the rights and attendance of all persons with disabilities that rely on the special skills of a trained service animal. A ‘service animal’ is defined as “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler’s disability.” Emotional support or comfort animals are not considered service animals under the ADA and therefore are not allowed at Disco Presents festivals. Please note that all service dogs, including those from out of state, are subject to local dog ordinances, which include a valid rabies certificate.
NURSING AND LACTATION STATION
Parents and caregivers are welcome to feed their babies wherever they are comfortable in the library. For families who desire a private space to nurse or pump, Schlow offers a Nursing and Lactation Station. Simply stop by the Children’s Desk and ask a staff member to unlock the space for you, which also includes a toy for the entertainment of siblings, so the whole family can enjoy the space together. Please help us express our gratitude to Mount Nittany Health for their sponsorship of this essential space.
Schlow Centre Region Library is located in the center of Downtown State College. Our award-winning public library offers clean restrooms, public computing and printing, as well as an ongoing book sale. Schlow is open to the public Wednesday, 9 am-8 pm, Thursday 12 pm-8 pm, Friday 9 am-6 pm, and Saturday 9 am-6 pm.
Finally, as if all of that wasn’t enough of a reason to venture into downtown State College this summer, the Festival food options will surely lure you in! In complement to the incredible array of restaurants that call downtown home, a variety of food trucks will be set up throughout the festival, and we assure you, there is something for everyone.
Before your visit, be sure to check out our Beyond the Festival offerings as well! There is a lot going on throughout Centre County during Arts Fest weekend!
PARKING
We encourage visitors to use Penn State’s West Parking Deck on White Course Drive near the IST Building and use free bus service to get to and from the event. Parking is $2 for the first hour, $3 for under two hours, and $10 for between two and ten hours, cash and credit cards accepted. Free bus service will be available from the West Parking Deck to the center of the Festival, at the corner of College Avenue and Allen Street, with an additional stop at the Palmer Museum of Arts during the following times:
Wednesday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 9:00 am to 11:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Patrons may walk from the West Parking Deck to the Festival zone. It is approximately ½ mile, a ten-minute walk.
Downtown State College: There are municipal parking garages on Beaver Avenue, Fraser Street, and Pugh Street. During the Festival, the hourly rate is $2.25 per hour or any portion thereof with a maximum daily rate of $32.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and additional grant support from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Centre County Commissioners.
The mission of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is to celebrate the arts with presentations of diverse, high-quality visual and performing arts through the cooperative volunteer support of the community and The Pennsylvania State University. The essence of this organization is the enrichment and education of the audience, grounded in personal interaction between artist and audience.
This Festival has grown because of the collaborative spirit of the Centre County communities, numerous sponsors (https://arts-festival.com/sponsors), Penn State University, the Borough of State College, a dedicated volunteer board, more than 600 devoted volunteers, and a dynamic and passionate staff. We look forward to seeing YOU at this year’s Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts!
###
February 17, 2025
CONTACT: Jennifer Shuey, Director of Development, (814) 237-3682, jshuey@arts-festival.com
Calling All Pennsylvania Artists – Applications Now Being Accepted for Images 2025 Exhibition
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its prestigious juried fine art exhibition, Images 2025. The exhibition runs from July 1 – 31, 2025 at the Schlow Centre Region Library in downtown State College, Pennsylvania.
Images 2025 is open to artists 16 and older whose primary residence is in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Eligible 2D media include drawings, paintings, pastels, mixed media, photography, hand-pulled prints, watercolors, fiber, paper, and digital art. Digital images of original work produced after January 1, 2022 may be submitted. The entry deadline is May 9.
The application and full Call For Entries may be found online at arts-festival.com/images-juried-exhibition. That’s also where you can find a link to last year’s Images 2024 online gallery.
Richard Rinehart, Director of the Samek Art Museum at Bucknell University, will be the juror for the Images 2025 Exhibition. Richard has served as Digital Media Director & Adjunct Curator at the UC Berkeley Art Museum and as curator at New Langton Arts and for the San Jose Arts Commission. He juried for the Rockefeller Foundation, Rhizome.org, and others. He has taught courses on art and new media at UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Art Institute and elsewhere. He served on the boards of the Berkeley Center for New Media, New Langton Arts, and the Museum Computer Network. He led the NEA-funded project, “Archiving the Avant-Garde”, to preserve digital art and has co-authored a book with Jon Ippolito for MIT Press on collecting and preserving media culture, “Re-Collection: Art, New Media, & Social Memory”.
The juror will award a total of $1,800 in cash prizes as follows: Best of Show ($500), Best Painting ($200), Best Pastel ($200), Best Photograph ($200), and 4 merit awards ($150 each). There is also an award for Best Student Submission ($100). Winners will be announced at an Awards Reception during the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts on July 10, 2025.
Double Parked, an oil painting by Nasir Young of Willow Grove, PA was awarded the Images 2024 Best of Show, sponsored by the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County.
“Pennsylvania has such a rich diversity of artists, and the Images Exhibition is a great display of what we have to offer the world”, said Nasir.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts looks forward to showcasing the talent and creativity of Pennsylvania’s artists and encourages all to apply.
The exhibition is just one facet of the 59th Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, which will be held July 9 through July 13, 2025. Watch for more information at arts-festival.com.
The Arts Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and additional grant support from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Centre County Commissioners.
Get a Festival poster and buy Festival t-shirts and other merchandise at the corner of College and Allen – or visit our online store.
