Summertime events are in full swing and it will be another busy weekend around State College and throughout Centre County.
A longtime annual event, newer traditions, concerts and more are on tap. Take a look at the highlights below and visit our events calendar for more.
Bellefonte Cruise
Friday and Sunday
Downtown Bellefonte
A Father’s Day weekend tradition since 1988, the Bellefonte Cruise returns with food, music, a marketplace and, of course, plenty of cool cars, trucks and motorcycles. Things kick off at 6 p.m. Friday with the open cruise downtown followed by the Sock Hop featuring tribute act The Return of Buddy Holly at 7:30 p.m. at High and Allegheny Streets. Saturday’s lineup includes the all-day car show throughout downtown, the market in front of the courthouse, the Beach Party Boys on stage at 12:30 p.m., awards at 5 p.m. and more throughout the day, including plenty of options for food and drink. Visit bellefontecruise.org for more details.
Juneteenth Celebrations
Friday and Saturday
Various locations
The Centre County community holds its third annual Juneteenth celebrations commemorating the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans on June 19, 1865.
Black 2 Reality hosts an Understanding the Underground tour exploring the Underground Railroad’s history in Bellefonte from 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday starting at the Bellefonte Art Museum. At 7 p.m, on Friday in the Woskob Family Gallery, the State College NAACP presents an exhibition of original art centered on the theme “Reflections of Black Experiences: Voices of Freedom through the Ages,” and submitted by individuals of color in the community, with music by local saxophonist Lake Black and his band.
From noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, a block party at the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in State College will include arts and crafts activities for children, food trucks, a host of live bands from a variety of genres, poetry and dance performances, a dramatic reenactment by Charles Dumas and a DJ throughout the day. It also will showcase Black vendors from across the state who will be selling a variety of merchandise, jewelry, clothing, art and more.
Penns Woods Music Festival
7 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Penn State Music Building, University Park
Penns Woods Music Festival continues its summer lineup with a jazz concert celebrating Juneteenth at 7 p.m. on Friday at Olsan Stone Terrace of the Penn State Music Building. The performance will feature several invited musicians including saxophonist, composer and arranger Dayna Stephens, vocalist and composer Tammy Scheffer, drummer Larry Marshall and bassist Joshua Davis.
On Saturday, the festival continues at 7 p.m. in the Music Building’s Recital Hall with the orchestra performing R. Vaughn Williams’ “The Wasps Overture,” Maurice Wright’s “Concertpiece for Marimba and Orchestra,” and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56 “Scottish”
Tickets for each concert are $25 or $10 for students and are available the the PWMF website.
A Jazzy Evening with Elizabeth Webb and the John Colianni Duo
7 p.m. Friday
The State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., State College
Join Elizabeth Webb for an evening of standards and jazz classics, backed by pianist John Colianni and his duo. Webb, a local to Centre County, has been performing professionally for nearly a decade and made her New York City debut in March 2019 at Birdland Theatre, where she’s performed multiple times since. Colianni is a pianist and arranger based in Philadelphia and New York who has performed long-term stints with Mel Torme, Lionel Hampton, Les Paul, Larry Coryell, and Steve Miller. Tickets are available online.
Village Green Concert
7:30-9 p.m. Friday
Lemont Village Green, 133 Mount Nittany Road, Lemont
The Lemont Village Association continues its annual summer music series with a performance by John Rounds and Friends and ice cream cones provided by Scout Troop 367. Concerts are free but donations for renovations to the Granary are welcomed.
Pollinator Celebration
10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday
H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens, The Arboretum at Penn State, University Park
The Penn State Center for Pollinator Research will hold a celebration to kick off National Pollinator Week, an annual event designed to raise awareness of pollinators and spread the word about how people can best protect them. The day will include a variety of table activities and lawn games for all ages will be and performances of “POLLINATORS! The Musical,” a half-hour puppet show presented by the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of the Snetsinger Butterfly Garden at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Overlook Pavilion.
Music on the Beach
7-9 p.m. Saturday
Whipple Dam State Park, 3746 Laurel Run Rd, Petersburg
Bluegrass and Americana band the Tussey Mountain Moonshiners perform on the beach at Whipple Dam to kick off the park’s summer concert series. Bring a beach blanket, or a kayak and paddleboard if you’d like to watch the show from the water. Suggested donation is $5.
ACRES of Music: Summer of Love
7:30 p.m., Saturday
The State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., State College
Featuring the psychedelic and soulful music of the 60’s performed by some of the best of State College’s music scene, this benefit concert will include Anchor&Arrow, Cone of Silence, Hops & Vines, the J.R. Mangan Band featuring Veronica, Midstate Select, and the all-new group Moshann-o-Tones. All proceeds support local nonprofit the ACRES Project and its work to foster independence, friendship, self-advocacy, employment and lifelong skills for local adults with autism.
Centred Outdoors
1-4 p.m. Sunday, 6 p.m. Wednesday
Talleyrand Park, 320 W. High St. Bellefonte
Centred Outdoors heads to Bellefonte this week for guided adventures exploring several aspects of the county seat. On Sunday, two activities will be offered for all ages and fitness levels. Participants can stop by the Centred Outdoors welcome table at Talleyrand Park for details and instructions for taking a self-guided walking tour to learn about Underground Railroad history in Bellefonte. A croquet demonstration will take place in the annex area of the park with the Talleyrand Croquet Club offering information about the rules and history and a chance to play.
On Wednesday, an expert with Local Historia will guide participants on a walk to explore the heart of the area’s history, Bellefonte’s waterfront. From the Big Spring to the Gamble Mill, the tour will include discussion of industries like the Match Factory, railroads, former structures, the development of Talleyrand Park as well as other stories about Bellefonte and its people.
Summer Music Picnic Series
4-7:30 p.m., Sunday
South Hills School of Business and Technology North Lawn, 480 Waupelani Drive, State College
South Hills’ Summer Music Picnic Series continues with mISS mELANIE performing at 6 p.m. Grounds open at 4 p.m. for picnicking, with Rebelz food truck on site.
Tammy Scheffer & Josh Davis
6 p.m. Sunday
Pine Grove Hall, 101 E. Pine Grove Rd., Pine Grove Mills
Vocalist and composer Tammy Scheffer has been a creative force in New York City’s music scene for more than a decade. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as “innovative, provocative and alluring”, Scheffer lends her voice to ensembles that range from progressive rock to jazz, from improvised music to modern classical music. She’ll be joined by Penn State double bass professor Josh Davis for this Pine Grove Hall show. Purchase tickets in advance to reserve a table.
Summer Sounds from the Gazebo
7-8 p.m., Sunday
Talleyrand Park, 320 W. High St., Bellefonte
A staple of summers in Bellefonte for 40 years, the annual free concert series continues with The Lindy Sisters and John Mills performing sounds of the 1940s and the Mills Brothers. Lawn chairs or blankets are suggested.
Steve Earle & The Dukes
7 p.m. Sunday
The State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., State College
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Steve Earle brings his Americana storytelling to downtown State College along with his band, The Dukes. They’ll be joined by special guests roots music duo The Whitmore Sisters. Tickets are available online.
