The 57th annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts kicks off on Wednesday in State College with Children and Youth Day, which will feature a lineup of new activities and events as well as the largest youth sidewalk sale in the festival’s history.
A Baby Rave will get the day started from 10 a.m. to noon in Sidney Friedman Park. The free, child- and family-friendly dance party hosted by 3 Dots Downtown and Gorinto Productions will feature will feature DJ Elbow Knee Knee spinning all-vinyl disco and old school house. Special areas will be set up for VICs (Very Important Crawlers) and drinks and coffee by SoBar will be available for purchase.
Decibel levels will be friendly to little ears, but attendees may wish to bring baby headphones, along with blankets or chairs.
Another addition for 2023 will be an Alice in Wonderland Journey with Tempest Studios. The adventure begins at Tempest Studios, 140 Kelly Alley, where participants will meet Alice. Then they’ll chase the White Rabbit through downtown State College, where they will “celebrate un-birthdays with Humpty Dumpty, sip tea at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, uncover lions and unicorns with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, slay a Jabberwocky and play croquet with the Queen,” according to a news release.
The 90-minute experience goes from Tempest Studios to the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, visits a few downtown stores, and ends in Sidney Friedman Park.
Six start times will be offered in 20-minute intervals beginning at 11 a.m. General admission is $20, which covers one child and accompanying adult. Admission for additional family members can be purchased for $15 each.
Space is limited and pre-registration is encouraged at tempestproductions.org/alicejourney.
The Children and Youth Day Sidewalk Sale will feature a record 280 young artists and crafters, ages 8 through 18, selling their original creations.
In another new partnership for the festival, DelGross’s Amusement Park will be awarding three prize packs to participants in the sidewalk sale and one to a visitor. Prize packs include all-days ride and slide passes, a Buddy Bear plush and more.
Visitors can find the DelGrosso’s Buddy Bear selfie station, take a photo and share it online with the hashtag’s #delgrossospark and #buddybear for a chance to win a prize pack. All winners will be selected at random.
Children and Youth Day will also feature a lineup of other activities and entertainment throughout the day, including the grand procession of papier-mache puppets at 4 p.m. from Old Main Lawn to Sidney Friedman Park, accompanied by drummers and a pep band from State College Area High School. All are welcome to participate.
The day finishes off with the annual Pat Farrell Community Singalong at 7:30 p.m. in State College Presbyterian Church, 132 W. Beaver Ave.
Children and Youth Day Schedule
10 a.m.-3 p.m. – Children’s Creative Activities in Sidney Friedman Park
10 a.m.-3 p.m.– Children’s Creative Activities on Old Main Lawn
10 a.m.-3 p.m. – Children’s Creative Activities South Allen Street
10 a.m.-3 p.m. – Children & Youth Day Sidewalk Sale
10 a.m. – The Music Academy (Allen Street Stage)
10 a.m. – Baby Rave (Sidney Friedman Park)
11 a.m. – Performing Arts School of Central PA and Nittany Ballet (Allen Street Stage)
11 a.m. – Dance Academy of State College (Festival Shell – Old Main)
11 a.m. – Alice in Wonderland Journey (Tempest Studios)
12:30 p.m. – Rhythm & Music Workshop with Papa (Allen Street Stage)
1 p.m. – Central Pennsylvania Dance Workshop (Festival Shell – Old Main)
2:30 p.m. – The Dance Loft (Festival Shell – Old Main)
2:30 p.m. – North by Southwest (Allen Street Stage)
4 p.m. – Children & Youth Day Procession (Old Main Lawn to Sidney Friedman Park)
4:30 p.m. – Centre Dance Studio (Festival Shell – Old Main)
7:30 p.m. – Pat Farrell Community Sing-Along (State College Presbyterian Church)
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will continue Thursday, July 13, through Sunday, July 16, in downtown State College and on the Penn State campus with the Sidewalk Sale & Exhibition and an extensive lineup of entertainment.
See more Arts Festival coverage at statecollege.com/news/central-pennsylvania-festival-of-the-arts.
