The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.

Arts Fest.

Our claim-to-fame creative summertime spectacle! 

When I personally think about this State College tradition, a few things come to mind. 

One? Instantly becoming really sweaty.

Two. Losing at least one friend in the slowly surging sea of people. You turn to your left. They used to be there! Now there’s an equally sweaty stranger in a sun hat wrangling an ice cream covered toddler. They’ve got a mini portable mister fan, though. For a moment, you forget your friend and enjoy the breeze.

And three. That glazed-over look that descends upon our faces when we’ve meandered by one booth too many and the smell of chicken on a stick starts messing with our hungry, dehydrated brains.

What I’m trying to say here, is that in the past, Arts Fest has felt like something I had to survive.

I knew that this year, I was ready for a new strategy. The Saturday afternoon, sweaty, crowded Fest story had played out too many times. I needed a new way into an “old” State College experience.

So I sought counsel from some trusted fellow residents. They offered two very helpful tips on how to experience Arts Fest like a true local.

The first piece of practical advice? “Get out of town!”

If crowds, a congested downtown, and general unwieldy chaos are not your thing, this is the option for you.

This is the time to go see the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, plan a spa getaway, or visit out-of-town family.

But if you’re looking for a way to get in on the fun, with a decreased dose of pandemonium, this was the second piece of wisdom handed down to me:

“Go Thursday morning, right at opening time.”

If you want to actually see the booths and walk through the festival at more than a sleepy-herd-of-cows-on-a-summer’s-day pace, this is your golden ticket. You can stroll, skip, and twirl through the streets. There’s room to spare! The sun isn’t yet baking your insides and the artists are fresh with Day 1 energy. You can pop into booths that pique your interest and pop back out into the not-yet-crowded streets.

And the probability of losing a friend at this hour? Highly unlikely.

In fact, I saw two older locals walking for exercise together, chatting and laughing and enjoying the booths.

The great thing about seeing everything Thursday morning is that, should you choose to come back again during the festival’s run, you don’t have to multitask.

You can meet up with a friend and enjoy the lively Saturday Fest energy while catching up, without feeling pressured to be simultaneously shuffling through the crowds to see all of the art.

Or, you can walk over during your lunch break on Friday, get that chicken on a stick, park yourself on a bench, and people watch without feeling like you’re missing out.

You can bring your family down for some live music and a picnic dinner and just relax and enjoy the weekend atmosphere.

As a local, you have the luxury of taking your time and taking in the festival over multiple days. No extra nights at an Airbnb required.

The other thing I did differently this year was to actually go to the festival website.

This sounds like a no-brainer. But my previous strategy had basically been, “Pick a time to meet friends, arrive downtown, walk through Arts Fest.” Whatever music we heard or performance we saw, we saw by chance. (What can I say, I learned these habits from those who came before me. I didn’t know any better!)

I had no idea there were so many other fun events orbiting festival week.

There was a buffet of dance performances, live music of every kind, improv, yoga, and poetry readings! A steady stream of events happening not just on festival stages, but at local churches, the State Theatre, and an array of other venues around town.

Moving forward, I’ll have a whole new game plan when it comes to experiencing this State College classic.

Oh! And finally. I would be totally remiss if I didn’t shout out possibly the best thing about Arts Fest.

The Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale is the feel-good event that every Wednesday needs and feels like a true gem for the local community.

Good vibes abound and it’s so fun to see all of the creative ideas that the kids come up with each summer. (And, whether yours have signed up to sell their own crafts or not, plan on a mini reunion! You’re bound to bump into lots of classmates and parents from the previous school year throughout the afternoon.)

“Kids’ Day” is a perfect midweek pick-me-up activity and a joyfully energetic opening day tradition that should be on every local’s festival to-do list.

So. Can I now call myself an Arts Fest pro?

Heck no! I tried to drive to the downtown post office on Friday afternoon, was thwarted at every turn by closed roads, miraculously found a parking spot, and then hauled my big box of packages on foot. Rookie mistake.

But it’s only a matter of time.

And when I have more great tips for how to have the best festival week possible, you know I’ll share!