THON Weekend 2024 will take place Friday, Feb. 16, through Sunday, Feb. 18, marking the culmination of year-round efforts to raise funds and provide emotional support for pediatric cancer patients and their families.
Now in its 52nd year, the Penn State student-run philanthropy has raised more than $219 million for the Four Diamonds at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. In 2023, THON raised a single-year record $15 million.
Starting at 6 p.m. Friday and continuing until 4 p.m. on Sunday, 708 official dancers will be on their feet in the Bryce Jordan Center for the annual 46-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon. They’ll be surrounded by thousands more THON volunteers, supporters and Four Diamonds families.
How to Donate
Visit THON.org to make a donation. To count toward THON’s 2024 total reveal, donations should be made before noon on Sunday.
If You Go
THON begins at 6 p.m. on Friday and ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday in the Bryce Jordan Center. Admission is free and members of the general public can enter through the general spectator line at will call via the BJC ticketing office, between gates A and B. All attendees will be required to obtain a wristband, which allows THON staff to manage wait times and entrance into the BJC.
During peak times when the building reaches capacity, entry may be paused, and spectators can go to the ticketing/will call office for further instruction. Spectators awaiting entry will receive a text message when it is their turn and are not permitted to wait on Jordan Center property.
All attendees must pass through a metal detector and adhere to the bag policy. The only bags permitted are a clear tote bag with a maximum size of 12”x12″x6,” a resealable one-gallon clear bag measuring 11”x11”x0” or smaller, or a wallet, clutch or fanny pack measuring 6.5”x4.5” or smaller.
Food and beverages, except reusable water bottles are prohibited.
See THON’s Spectator Resource Packet for more details.
Parking
Parking for the general public is free and available in Stadium West, Jordan East and Porter North and South lots. ADA parking is available on a first-come, first-served ADA designated section of Jordan East near Gate B and in Stadium West.
The Orange L lot located just east of the Bryce Jordan Center and a small section in the middle of the main Jordan East lot will be reserved from Friday through Sunday for THON families.
See the parking map here.
The No Parking 2 a.m.-4 a.m. restriction in the lots is lifted for the weekend.
Traffic and Transportation
The following roads will be temporarily closed on Friday for dancer arrival:
- Curtin Road from University Drive to Commuter Drive will be closed from approximately 2 to 7 p.m.
- University Drive from Hastings Road to Curtin Road will be closed from 3:50 to 4 p.m.
The Centre Area Transportation Authority will operate on its normal weekend schedule, but delays are possible and detours will be in place from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday for routes that travel around the Jordan Center.
The campus Blue Loop, White Loop, and Red Link are free to all riders.
How to Watch and Follow Along
If you can’t be there in person, there are still a number of ways to experience THON Weekend 2024.
The THON livestream produced by 46 Live, a student-run organization in Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, will provide coverage from start to finish with live events, prerecorded features and looks behind the scenes.
At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, “Live From THON” will air live on 6ABC Philadelphia, ABC 7 New York, Fox 43 Harrisburg/York, ABC 23 State College and WTAE ABC 4 Pittsburgh. It also will be streamed online at 6abc.com.
Check in with OnwardState.com and StateCollege.com for coverage throughout the weekend, and follow Onward State’s THON-specific Twitter account, @THONwardState, for non-stop updates.
