Retired Penn State professor and woodcarver E.I. Farmer, of Boalsburg, carves faces on a tiki walking stick at the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts on Thursday, July 10. A tiki is a large or small, wood or stone carving in human form. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts began Wednesday, July 9, with Children and Youth Day. The festival runs through Sunday, July 13, and features hundreds of independent vendors at tents and stages throughout Downtown State College and Penn State's University Park.
See images from the first few days of Arts Fest in the photo gallery below.
The 59th annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts returned to the streets of downtown State College and Penn State’s University Park campus Wednesday, July 9. The festival will run through Sunday, July 13. The festival attracts approximately 125,000 visitors each summer. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
For nearly 60 years, the arts festival has brought visitors and the community alike together to enjoy all that State College and Penn State's University Park campus have to offer. On Children and Youth Day, tents from University departments and centers offer younger visitors the chance to get up close and personal with wildlife, paint murals and learn more about the world around them. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
Shannon Bishop, owner of Black Cat Belly Dance and chief of staff and business administrator in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, performs during the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. Dance and musical performances will last throughout the weekend. Credit: Jessica Hallman / Penn State. Creative Commons
Founded in 1967 by the State College Chamber of Commerce and Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture, the festival brings visitors to downtown State College and the Penn State University Park campus to enjoy live performances, art vendors and activities throughout the weekend. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
Addie Davy and Henry Davy, with dad Eric Davy, collect snow cones on Allen Street during the opening of the festival on Wednesday, July 9. The first day of the event is designed for kids and younger attendees, with the annual Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale featuring young artists. Credit: Jessica Hallman / Penn State. Creative Commons
More than 300 independent artist-entrepreneurs from across the country visit State College to sell handmade art, photography, sculptures and much more during the festival. But visitors can also enjoy snacks and foods, from kettle corn and Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream to full meals from food trucks. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
The Children and Youth Day on Wednesday, July 9, featured youth activities, dance, music and theater, culminating with the annual Grand Procession of papier-mâché puppets, a march from Old Main Lawn to Sidney Friedman Park accompanied by drummers and a pep band from State College Area High School. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
Heidi Busse, a graduate student in the Eberly College of Science’s Freedman Lab, lead an invisible ink activity demonstrating acids and bases during the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts Children and Youth Day on Wednesday, July 9. Throughout the day, children are invited to learn through hands-on activities and lessons on the Old Main Lawn with members of the Penn State community. Credit: Jessica Hallman / Penn State. Creative Commons
Retired Penn State professor and woodcarver E.I. Farmer, of Boalsburg, carves faces on a tiki walking stick at the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts on Thursday, July 10. A tiki is a large or small, wood or stone carving in human form. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
Penn State alum and Bucks County teacher Abby Cramer works on a chalk art street painting of “The Presentation of the Portrait of Marie di Medici,” by Peter Paul Rubens, on Thursday, July 10. The chalk artists will work on their pieces throughout the Arts Festival, finishing up by Sunday. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
Pups Ricky Ricardo, a Havanese, and Rosie, a Lhasa Apso, enjoy a ride as their owner Lois Hayes strolls around the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts on Thursday, July 10. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
Allen Baney, of Bellefonte, arranges pieces in the festival's Silent Auction gallery, located this year in a booth on the 100 block of South Allen Street. The silent auction, open to all festival-goers, features a wide array of fine art and craft donated by sidewalk sale artists. All proceeds from the annual auction benefit Arts Festival programs. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
Colorful banners above Allen Street sway in the breeze during the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. The Banner Exhibition and Competition is one of the signature events of the festival, which displays selections of present and past winners every year. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
The 59th annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts returned to the streets of downtown State College and Penn State’s University Park campus Wednesday, July 9. The festival will run through Sunday, July 13. The festival attracts approximately 125,000 visitors each summer. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
For nearly 60 years, the arts festival has brought visitors and the community alike together to enjoy all that State College and Penn State's University Park campus have to offer. On Children and Youth Day, tents from University departments and centers offer younger visitors the chance to get up close and personal with wildlife, paint murals and learn more about the world around them. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
Shannon Bishop, owner of Black Cat Belly Dance and chief of staff and business administrator in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, performs during the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. Dance and musical performances will last throughout the weekend. Credit: Jessica Hallman / Penn State. Creative Commons
Founded in 1967 by the State College Chamber of Commerce and Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture, the festival brings visitors to downtown State College and the Penn State University Park campus to enjoy live performances, art vendors and activities throughout the weekend. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
Addie Davy and Henry Davy, with dad Eric Davy, collect snow cones on Allen Street during the opening of the festival on Wednesday, July 9. The first day of the event is designed for kids and younger attendees, with the annual Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale featuring young artists. Credit: Jessica Hallman / Penn State. Creative Commons
More than 300 independent artist-entrepreneurs from across the country visit State College to sell handmade art, photography, sculptures and much more during the festival. But visitors can also enjoy snacks and foods, from kettle corn and Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream to full meals from food trucks. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
The Children and Youth Day on Wednesday, July 9, featured youth activities, dance, music and theater, culminating with the annual Grand Procession of papier-mâché puppets, a march from Old Main Lawn to Sidney Friedman Park accompanied by drummers and a pep band from State College Area High School. Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger / Penn State. Creative Commons
Heidi Busse, a graduate student in the Eberly College of Science’s Freedman Lab, lead an invisible ink activity demonstrating acids and bases during the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts Children and Youth Day on Wednesday, July 9. Throughout the day, children are invited to learn through hands-on activities and lessons on the Old Main Lawn with members of the Penn State community. Credit: Jessica Hallman / Penn State. Creative Commons
Retired Penn State professor and woodcarver E.I. Farmer, of Boalsburg, carves faces on a tiki walking stick at the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts on Thursday, July 10. A tiki is a large or small, wood or stone carving in human form. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
Penn State alum and Bucks County teacher Abby Cramer works on a chalk art street painting of “The Presentation of the Portrait of Marie di Medici,” by Peter Paul Rubens, on Thursday, July 10. The chalk artists will work on their pieces throughout the Arts Festival, finishing up by Sunday. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
Pups Ricky Ricardo, a Havanese, and Rosie, a Lhasa Apso, enjoy a ride as their owner Lois Hayes strolls around the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts on Thursday, July 10. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
Allen Baney, of Bellefonte, arranges pieces in the festival's Silent Auction gallery, located this year in a booth on the 100 block of South Allen Street. The silent auction, open to all festival-goers, features a wide array of fine art and craft donated by sidewalk sale artists. All proceeds from the annual auction benefit Arts Festival programs. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
Colorful banners above Allen Street sway in the breeze during the 2025 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. The Banner Exhibition and Competition is one of the signature events of the festival, which displays selections of present and past winners every year. Credit: Laura Waldhier. All Rights Reserved.
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