Coming up on their 57th year in 2023, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is one of the top-ranked juried art fairs in the country, the highlight of the State College summer, one of the biggest non-football alumni weekends for Penn Staters, the summer’s economic anchor for downtown businesses, and the place to be for art, music, and fun the week after Independence Day.

Founded in 1994, First Night State College has a long history as a beloved community event known for one of Pennsylvania’s largest displays of carved ice; ice-carvers in action; horse-drawn carriage rides; musical and theatrical performances in downtown theaters, churches, and public spaces; and art, craft, and performance workshops for kids and adults. A grand procession with life-size puppets, live reindeer, ice skating at Pegula Arena, a 5K Resolution Run, and indoor and outdoor resolution sculptures and activities are also popular elements of the First Night State College tradition.