Community Calendar

Central Pennsylvania Observers Sky Watch — Friday, April 5

The Central Pennsylvania Observers is hosting its first Sky Watch event of 2024 from 8 to 10 p.m. on Friday, April 5, at Burnel Road Park in State College. The free event is open to the public of all ages and will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about astronomy and to view the night sky through the organization’s telescopes.

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Minions Golf Event — Saturday, April 6

Penn State students in the Recreation, Park and Tourism Management major are hosting a learn-to-golf event for kids as part of the students’ capstone project. The event is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, at the Penn State Golf Courses in State College. The free event is hosted in conjunction with Penn State Golf Courses and will have games, crafts, golf related activities and more. The event is designed for children ages 6 to 10, regardless of experience level.

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SpikesFest — Saturday, April 6

SpikesFest 2024 will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, at Medler Field on the Penn State campus. Presented by Mount Nittany Health, the annual event will lead up to Penn State baseball’s game against Northwestern at the field that day. Both the admission to SpikesFest and the Penn State game are free.

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2024 Sustainability Expo — Saturday, April 6

The 2024 Sustainability Expo is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center in Petersburg. Hosted by the Penn State Eberly College of Science’s Sustainability Council, the free event is open to the public and will focus on sustainability efforts at Penn State. There will also be nature walks, guest speakers, special presentations and more.

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First Sunday Ukulele Jam — Sunday, April 7

The Allegheny Ukulele Kollective is hosting its First Sunday Ukulele Jam from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, at the Nittany Mall Community Room in State College. The free event is open to all ages and all skill levels. The first half-hour of the jam will be geared toward new and beginner players. There will be ukuleles for guests to borrow if they don’t have their own.

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SolarFest — Monday, April 8

SolarFest, a free public solar eclipse event hosted by the Penn State Eberly College of Science and the State College Spikes, is from noon to 5 p.m. on Monday, April 8, at Medlar Field on the Penn State campus. Happy Valley is in the path of 95% totality of the eclipse. Admission to the event is free and participants will receive a free pair of eclipse safety glasses, provided by the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium. The partial eclipse will begin to be seen at 2:04 p.m., reach maximum eclipse at 3:20 p.m. and end at 4:32 p.m.

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Ring in Spring — Monday, April 8

The Cancer Survivors’ Association is hosting an event from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, April 8, at Pine Hall Lutheran Church in State College. The event is set to help build connections between all whose lives have been impacted by cancer. The free event is open to the public and will feature a potluck, pottery painting, seedling planting and games.

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Bird Walks with the State College Bird Club — Tuesday, April 9

The State College Bird Club and Millbrook Marsh Nature Center invite the public to join their bird walk from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 9, at Spring Creek Park in State College. The walks are free and are great for beginner bird watchers. Participants are asked to dress appropriately for the weather and to bring a pair of binoculars.

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Nittany Valley Writers Network Meeting — Tuesday, April 9

The Nittany Valley Writers Network Meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, at the Community Room in the Schlow Centre Region Library in State College. The event is free and open to the public.

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Centre Pieces Quilt Guild Evening Meeting — Tuesday, April 9

Centre Pieces Quilt Guild is holding its monthly evening meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, at Blue Course Community Church in State College. Heather Koontz will be giving a presentation on “Disappearing Spirals Bargello.” The free event is open to the public for a fun evening and the opportunity to meet other quilters and learn more about Centre Pieces Quilt Guild.

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Tail Waggin’ Tutors — Tuesday, April 9, and Thursday, April 11

The Centre County Library in Bellefonte will have trained therapy dogs for children to read to from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, and Thursday, April 11. The sessions are offered to help struggling and reluctant readers gain confidence. Those interested in attending can call the library to sign up for a 10-minute reading session.

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Mid-State Literacy Council Free Technology Training — Wednesday, April 10

The Mid-State Literacy Council is hosting a free technology training at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10, at the Centre Region Active Adult Center at the Nittany Mall in State College. The theme of this session is “Online RX Drug Resources.”

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Family Storytime — Wednesday, April 10

Family storytime will be at the Bellefonte Centre County Library from 11 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10. Guests are invited to the storytime rug at the Bellefonte Library for books, songs, dancing, rhymes and more. The free event is designed for children and babies.

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Lego Hour — Thursday, April 11

Children of all ages are invited to Lego Hour at the Bellefonte Centre County Library in the Community Room from 3 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 28. Stop by to build and play with Legos and Duplos.

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Line Dancing and Instruction — Thursday, April 11

There will be line dancing with instruction from Lion Country Line Dancing from 7 to 10 p.m. at Our Lady – The Snow Skating Rink in Snow Shoe on Thursday, April 4. The event has a $5 admission fee and is open to all ages.

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Smarter Parents Workshop — Thursday, April 11

Centre Safe and the Youth Service Bureau are presenting a workshop for parents and caregivers to be educated about child sexual abuse. The event is from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, at the Penns Valley YMCA in Spring Mills.

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Time to Care: Mothers’ Mental Health and Children’s Development

Dr. Chemba Raghaven, a senior adviser for early childhood development at UNICEF who earned a Penn State Human Development and Family Studies doctorate, will lead a discussion from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, at University Park’s Health and Human Development Building. The discussion on how supporting maternal mental health and well-being plays a crucial role in nurturing healthy childhood development is organized by AAUW State College and the Penn State UNESCO Chair.

Compiled by Danielle Blake. To submit an item to the Community Calendar, email dblake@centrecountygazette.com