Happy Friday, Happy Valley! This State College weekend is filled with holiday events.
First Friday in downtown State College gets things started with a special Dickens Festival. Then there’s Merry Millheim, Lemont’s German Christmas Market and Boalsburg Hometown Christmas. Plus all around the region you’ll find holiday craft and art fairs, music and celebrations.
Plenty more is on tap as well, with Penn State hockey, basketball and wrestling, concerts and The State Theatre’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, to name a few. We’ve compiled some of the highlights of the weekend.
Of course this isn’t all that’s happening. There is plenty more around the area for you to enjoy and you can find it all on our calendar page. Explore the weekend’s events and add your own if it isn’t listed. Or see our Bar Tour and Movies pages for more options this weekend or anytime.
And if this weekend has you in the holiday spirit, visit our Holiday Guide for upcoming events, shopping, volunteer opportunities and more.
FRIDAY
OLV Craft & Bake Sale
The Catholic Daughters of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church will have a craft and bake sale at the Activity Center behind the church, 820 Westerly Parkway, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The kitchen will be open.
Stocking Stuffer Sale
The Centre County Historical Society Stocking Stuffer sale features the hand-crafted work of local artisans and fine antiques by local dealers, creating a unique indoor showcase featuring over 50 vendors. The sale will be held 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and noon-4 p.m. on Sunday at Centre Furnace Mansion. Admission is $5 for the society’s biggest annual fundraiser.
Merry Millheim
Millheim Borough hosts its sixth annual Merry Millheim with food, crafts, music, shopping and entertainment Friday through Sunday. The weekend includes the 2016 Festival of Trees: One Horse Open Sleigh and Wreath Display at the historic Millheim Theatre. Full schedule of events and activities.
First Friday Dickens Festival
Enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas past, present and future from 5-9 p.m. at the First Friday Dickens Festival as you explore the streets and shops of Downtown State College. Warm lights, carriage rides, and carolers set the stage for a magical holiday experience.
Lemont German Christmas Market
The eighth annual German-style “Weihnachtsmarkt,” celebrating Christmas in Lemont, will be held 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday at The Granary on Mount Nittany Road. Local arts and crafts, music, bratwurst and treats, beverages and good spirits, together with local products, will be offered.
Polar Express Pajama Storytime
Get in your PJs and join the Benner Pike Barnes & Noble at 7 p.m. for its annual Polar Express Storytime. Coloring and activities will follow, including writing a Dear Santa letter.
Christmas Joy
Arietta Women’s Ensemble presents Christmas Joy!, a concert of delightful seasonal music, at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 205 S. Garner St. The performance features unique and beautiful settings of some of the most beloved Christmas carols. Suggested donation is $10/person.
Penn State Hockey vs. Michigan
The No. 7 Penn State men’s hockey team is off to a terrific start, and now it begins Big Ten play against an always-tough No. 20 Michigan. The puck drops at 7 p.m. at Pegula Ice Arena. Ticket info.
Twelfth Night
It’s the final weekend to catch Penn State Centre Stage’s production of one of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Penn State’s Pavilion Theatre. Tickets and info.
Cabinet at The State
Innovative Pennsylvania-based Americana and bluegrass band Cabinet, touring in support of its third studio album ‘Celebration,’ visits The State Theatre for an 8 p.m. show. Tickets and info.
SATURDAY
Boalsburg Hometown Christmas
A full day of family-oriented events, Boalsburg Hometown Christmas kicks off with Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Boalsburg Fire Company. The day is filled with events including caroling, carriage rides, Christmas crafts with Santa’s Elves, shopping, a live Nativity and much more. Sponsored by the Boalsburg Village Conservancy, this celebration demonstrates the epitome of community.
41st Annual Winter Craft Market
The Central Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen presents the 41st Annual Winter Craft Market from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at Mount Nittany Middle School. This Happy Valley shopping tradition features over 70 juried craftsmen with local, handmade and high quality creations for sale. Food also will be available. $3 admission and kids 12 and under are free.
Elves Gift Shop
The Junior Woman’s Club of State College Elves’ Gift Shop, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Park Forest Middle School, is one of the longest-running fundraisers in the area, having been held annually for the past 30 years. Children can shop for inexpensive gifts for parents, teachers, friends, siblings, and pets with the help of “elves” (local Girl Scouts). The gift shop also includes a small holiday craft bazaar in the cafeteria for the adult shoppers, a snack bar, holiday raffle and cookie sale.
Polar Bear Plunge
Brave, generous volunteers raise funds for the Centre County YMCA and then take the Polar Bear Plunge into the chilly water at Black Moshannon State Park. Funds raised support two YMCA programs that directly benefit kids and families from the local community. The day begins at 10 a.m. and the plunge is at 11 a.m. Registration info
Model Railroad Open House
Come see the sites and hear the sounds of the University Park and Eastern Railroad, at the Penn State Model Railroad Club‘s Fall Open House, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 10 Pinchot Hall. Guests will have the opportunity to be the engineer, guiding a train through scenic landscapes reminiscent of central Pennsylvania.
Palmer Museum Holiday Art & Ornament Sale
The Friends of the Palmer Museum of Art will host their annual Holiday Art and Ornament Sale fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Palmer Museum on the University Park campus. Local artists will be offering ornaments and other works of art for sale throughout the museum’s galleries and lobby.
Winter Craft & Local Food Fair
Join Taproot Kitchen and friends from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at The Meeting House on Atherton, 318 S. Atherton St., for the Winter Craft & Local Food Fair. Purchase handmade, locally-sourced ceramics, wood block prints, hand-knit clothing, baby toys and mobiles, holiday ornaments and cards, specialty foods and more from local vendors. $3 admission benefits Taproot Kitchen, building community and creating opportunities for young adults with intellectual disabilities.
Habitat for Humanity Gingerbread House Build
Penn State Habitat for Humanity is hosting its first Gingerbread House Build and Christmas Festival from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 208 W. Foster Ave. The day will include a gingerbread house competition (supplies provided), a cookies and milk bar, Christmas movies and music, a Toys for Tots toy donation box, and lots of other activities to get you into the holiday spirit. Registration fee and details.
Polar Express
Listen to the story of the Polar Express in the Schlow Library Children’s Department and then ride the trolley through downtown State College. Children will receive a small drawstring bag with a bell and a coin that they can spend at Santa’s Workshop, where photos with Santa also will be available. The Polar Express is scheduled for Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sunday 2-4:20 p.m., with the same times again next weekend. Pre-registration is full. Call (814) 237-6236 for walk-in registration information.
Hoops Doubleheader
The Penn State Lady Lion basketball team (5-2) takes to the Bryce Jordan Center court for a 1 p.m. tip-off vs. Marshall. The men’s team (5-3), fresh off a win over Georgia Tech, then takes on Wright State at 5 p.m.
WTMP’s New Deal Holiday Extravaganza
Tempest Productions Inc. and Webster’s Bookstore Café present ‘WTMP’s New Deal Holiday Extravaganza,’ an old-time radio production and a delectable BYOB dinner, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Webster’s. Enjoy dinner and the show or just the show. Full details and ticket info.
State Theatre 10th Anniversary
The State Theatre will celebrate 10 years as a cultural staple of downtown State College with a full evening of music and performances. The night will feature great musicians including Zeropoint Big Band and local artists Ted McCloskey, The Nittany Knights, Jackie Brown, Elizabeth Webb, Tommy Wareham, Eric Ian Farmer, The Unbanned, Ramalama, JR and Olivia, Richard Sleigh and Jerry Zolten. Performances also include local dancers Sarah Mason and the Avid Dancers from Centre Dance and musical theater from the Delta program. Tickets and reception info.
SUNDAY
Bellefonte Art Museum Holiday Show & Sale
The Bellefonte Art Museum Holiday Show and Sale features more than 60 artists taking inspiration from other artists, art styles, authors, composers and others to create a new piece of art. Opening reception is noon-4:30 p.m. with children’s art activity (holiday garland and lego art) from 1-4 p.m. The show and sale lasts through Dec. 23.
Alternative Christmas Fair
The Alternative Christmas Fair, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at University Baptist & Brethren Church, 411 S. Burrowes St., offers a different opportunity to shop for meaningful holiday gifts by donating to any of 26 participating nonprofit organizations. A Children’s Fair and lunch are also available.
Penn State Wrestling in the BJC
The No. 3 Penn State wrestling team hosts No. 9 Lehigh in the 2016-17 BJC Dual. The Nittany Lions and Mountain Hawks tangle at noon. Showcasing two of Pennsylvania’s top wrestling programs, 15 ranked wrestlers could compete in the dual featuring two top-10 teams.
Mosaic
The Penn State School of Music presents its annual showcase concert, ‘Mosaic,’ at 4 p.m. in Eisenhower Auditorium. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Mosaic promises 90 minutes of surprises and delights, with an array of Penn State bands, choirs, orchestras, chamber ensembles, and soloists situated throughout Eisenhower Auditorium. [Tickets and info]
