You probably have never heard of a small borough in Pennsylvania called State College. This simply named town is a large college town with many activities to explore. It also has the unusual nickname of “Happy Valley”. If you have heard of it, then you know that State College is where the Penn State Univerity campus is. This is a small town with a huge university, so the town has several events that brings in thousands of people. So, lets discuss some of these events and you will know why they call it Happy Valley.
I might be regretful not to point out the PSU Football team when speaking of travel to State College. They may be undoubtedly the most important draw, as much as State College tourism applies. You can find tons of State College Hotels that might be out of business, if the PSU football season dissapeared. Just consider that Beaver Stadium, home of the PSU Nittany Lions, holds above one hundred thousand people. State College is likewise well-known for its Tail Gating culture so a home game is much like the largest celebration you have possibly ever been to. Even as the game is in progress and ticket holders are inside the stadium, I’d gamble there are nevertheless several 1000′s of folks that stay in the lots which encircle the arena. These people pay attention to the game on the radio or bring portable antennas to look at it on television, it is quit a site to view.
As you would speculate numerous travelers rent hotel rooms for the weekend or camp out out around the arena in RVs as well as tents. These accommodations prospects can become a little expensive depending on how you view them. State College is full of what I have to say are very nice hotels and motels and other lodging, that I think are reasonably priced. Nonetheless, just like any additional vacationer type city, when the football games are going on, guess exactly what happens? The rates go way up! At this point, it might appear cheaper to buy a parking pass and camp close to the stadium however you have to be careful when you do this because it not a park, so you can’t just wing it and I don’t have to tell you how expensive it could be to buy and operate an RV. Some fans have resorted to finding houses that are offered for home game weekends and rent them instead. This is especially prudent if you travel with a big group and simply divide the expense out among every person, rather than everyone renting rooms.
If you reside close to State College, then there is a strong possibility that you have heard of the Dance Marathon, also called just “Thon”. The students put it on every year and they raise cash for childhood cancer for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Children’s Hospital. The first dance goes clear back to 1973 and it grown tremendously ever since.
It takes about 15,000 college volunteers to put Thon together. As huge as the dance is, I don’t know how many people journey into State College for it. I do know that it raises a lot of money and that the Four Diamonds Fund is huge for the National Cancer Society. Thon is a year round deal now, so I am sure that many more people travel in and out of State College than many people believe. Either way, it’s a wonderful tradition that aids lots of children, so I thought I would plug it, just because I can. Although they do many additional events, the 2 day long dancing marathon is generally put on in February.
One more of the biggest events that people travel to State College every year for is the PA Festival of the Arts or a/k/a Arts Fest. Arts Fest happens every July right in the heart of the downtown and pulls 1000′s of consumers from the local surroundings as well as from across the world. It entails way more than it’s name implies. Yes, it had small roots and started off as an outdoor artwork exhibit but now, the several day function is a lot more. Art’s fest has something for everyone. Combined with the usual art, sculpture, music, food and drink, jewelry and crafts, there’s a kid’s day, where the kids are vendors along with face painting and, well you get the idea.
Arts Fest happens in the summertime when the majority of students aren’t on campus but you probably would not know if you have ever been to the festivities. The downtown is not really set up for that much influx. State College is a small town with a big campus, so parking and lodging can be problems. Since Arts fest is a several day event, it can get quit expensive, notably if you are a vendor and need to set up, attend every day and then tare down. Like mentioned previously with the football games, many folks share lodging or rent a whole house and divided the expenses, rather than renting hotel rooms in the State College area.
I will conclude on this note. To me the primary reason that more and more people travel to State College each and every year is because the University is a great institution that many people only want to be associated with it. I have heard this many times but I can’t validate it but many people have told me that more PSU students return to State College to live than any other college near your vicinity and I believe it. The big little town is such a social hub that once people live there, they long for it and want to get back. I am sure that many people miss college after they graduate but I am talking about people that leave the area, work a complete career in another cit or state and then return to State College once they retire. So, should you be thinking about State College travel, you better be cautious, you might not ever want to return home.
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