State College Downtown Improvement District joins holiday celebration

STATE COLLEGE — As the holiday season kicks into high gear, the Downtown Improvement District is playing a major role in ensuring an atmosphere of celebration.

At the center of the season is the DID’s partnership with Penn State that establishes the local Military Appreciation Week.

“We kicked it off at the November First Friday event,” said George Arnold, executive director of the DID. “With the approval of my board, I asked businesses to make a donation to the Penn State Military Student Fund. We received donations from 60 businesses totaling more than $7,500 so far. I’m sure we’ll finish over $8,000. We think this program is a huge accomplishment for the university and downtown.”

Coming up on two weekends, Saturday, Dec. 3, and Sunday, Dec. 4,  and Saturday, Dec. 10, and Sunday, Dec. 11, is the annual Polar Express event. More than 1,200 children and their families are expected to take part.

The Polar Express begins at the Schlow Center Region Library. Library volunteers read the book of the same name to participants, who then ride a trolley car to the State College Municipal Building. There, they enter Santa’s workshop.

Children can purchase one toy and also get pictures taken with Santa. This event is free, but registration is required.

December’s First Friday event will take place Friday, Dec. 2.

“Our theme this year is a Dickens Festival,” said Arnold. “We will have actors portraying characters from Dickens’ novels. We will also have dancers and carolers from the Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania.”

The First Friday event will include a number of community groups, such as Faith United Church and the Waskob Gallery.

As for the health of the Downtown, Arnold  pointed to several developments.

“It is great to see new life on Fraser Street,” he said. “Many local business owners are being ‘discovered,’ now that Target and H & M are open. It’s definitely a destination.”

Arnold said that many local residents and business people have commented that the Fraser Centre brings a cosmopolitan flavor to the downtown. Construction on the Fraser Centre and the Metropolitan continues.

Arnold also pointed to the new Martin Luther King Plaza that is currently under construction on Fraser Street.

“The brick walkways were deteriorating and the borough decided to take action. With input from the community, they decided to create the new plaza.”

Arnold said the plaza will be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. “We expect the plaza to be completed in May or June of 2017, weather permitting.”