What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events — both in-person and virtual — taking place across the University:
Performances
Ivyside Pride: “All Things Under Heaven” — 7:30 p.m., April 24-25, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. The Ivyside Pride choral group has performed both nationally and internationally, including at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Strasbourg Cathedral, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria. Performances are free and open to the public thanks to the Kjell Meling Arts for All Initiative.
“50 Forward: Beethoven’s Ninth Revisited” — 8 p.m., April 25, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Members of the Penn State choral community will join in song to conclude Eisenhower Auditorium’s 50th anniversary season.
"Alice in Wonderland" — Through April 26, Playhouse Theatre, University Park campus. A combination of the well-known stories of Lewis Carroll, this PG-13 production looks at the indelible themes of change, growth, desire, status, societal rules, and loss of innocence, as we unravel the mystery of the human psyche through a highly physical and metaphoric trip down the rabbit hole. Adapted and directed by Jenny Lamb.
Penn State Altoona University Jazz Band — 7:30 p.m., April 26, Wolf Kuhn Theatre, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. Musical selections in a variety of contemporary big-band styles will be performed.
Penn State Campus Orchestra — 7:30 p.m., April 27, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. The Penn State Campus Orchestra presents its spring concert, featuring a vibrant mix of works that contrast exuberance with intensity, including waltzes by Tchaikovsky and Khachaturian, Brahms’ spirited Hungarian Dances Nos. 5 and 6, and darker, dramatic selections by Beethoven and Berlioz, among other selections.
Encore: York County Musical Theatre Showcase – 2:30 p.m., April 27, Pullo Center, York campus. This celebration of musical theatre in York County High Schools is presented annually to recognize the talent, work and accomplishments that is evident in local high school musical productions.
Penn State Rock Ensemble — 7:30 p.m., April 29, School of Music Recital Hall, University Park campus. The Penn State School of Music will present the debut performance of the Penn State Rock Ensemble. This exciting new ensemble, directed by Jesse Moore, brings together a dynamic mix of music majors and students from across the University to perform an electrifying set list spanning the best of 20th- and 21st-century rock and metal.
Bach's Lunch — 12:10-12:45 p.m., May 1, Eisenhower Chapel, University Park campus. "Bach's Lunch" is a weekly concert series during the school year. These popular concerts are brief in order to make it possible for the University community to attend during the lunch hour. Free.
Kane Brown – 7 p.m., May 1, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. Multi-platinum, five-time AMA award-winning entertainer Kane Brown will bring "The High Road Tour" to Penn State, featuring special guests Scotty McCreery and Ashley Cooke.
Movin' On – May 2, Intramural Fields, University Park campus. Penn State’s annual student-run music festival, showcasing a variety of performing artists to celebrate the yearly send-off of graduating seniors, presents headliner All-American Rejects, as well as a lineup featuring Pusha T, Baby Tate, Claire Rosinkranz, and Battle 2025-winner Fez. Free.
Peter and the Wolf – 7 p.m., June 14, the Pullo Center, York campus. "Peter and the Wolf," a classic ballet beloved by children and families, will be performed by Pennsylvania Ballet Academy and Lancaster Symphony Orchestra. Audiences of all ages can enjoy a timeless folk tale brought to life, alongside a sampling of short dances from some of ballet’s most enduring works.
Events
Art After Hours: Poetry and Paint – 5-8 p.m., April 24, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Get creative, connect with others, and learn about self-care art techniques, while taking time to relax and rejuvenate before final exams. Prioritize self-care with therapeutic art practices, build community with other creative people, and get inspired during an ekphrastic poetry tour through the galleries, led by students in the Poetry Club.
Collage Vision Board Workshop – 5-7 p.m., April 24, HUB-Robeson Center, Room 107, University Park campus. Take a break from studying and join Michael Sjostedt of "Cut Loose Collage Workshops" for a workshop on creative collage-making. Sponsored by the Center for the Performing Arts, Flourish Penn State and Student affairs.
Creative Studio at the Palmer: Poetry and Paint – 5:30-7:30 p.m., April 24, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Hosted by museum educators, interns or guest artists, these sessions will focus on the practice of creativity, exploring artistic mediums, and making personal connections rather than on final products.
Bike Den Biking Safety 101 Workshop — 6:15-8:15 p.m., April 24, the Bike Den, University Park campus. This workshop will teach participants the rules of the road and bike safety skills before bringing the group outside to a beginner-friendly practice course. A bike and helmet are required to participate.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: An Evening in Oz: A Wicked Meal Awaits — April 24, Café Laura, Mateer Building, University Park campus. Students in HM 430 Advanced Food Production and Service Management prepare a series of themed dinners throughout the semester to be served in the student-run Café Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
Earth Day on the Farm – 4-7 p.m., April 25, Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm, University Park campus. Celebrate the excitement of Earth Week and emphasize the role agriculture plays in becoming better stewards with the Student Farm. Join local campus and community members for activities for all ages, ranging from Earth-inspired crafting, to wellness activities, gardening tips, live music and local food trucks. The event also features a plant sale.
Blue-White Game – 2 p.m., April 26, Beaver Stadium, University Park campus. The annual Blue-White Game will bring fans of the Nittany Lions together for football other events and programming throughout the day. Free.
Blair Creators Festival – 11 a.m.-7 p.m., April 26, Heritage Plaza, Downtown Altoona. The fourth annual Blair Creators Festival will include a full lineup of live music as well as short performances by local groups such as Arc of Blair County and the Keystone Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps, as well as art vendors and food trucks.
Drop-in Tour: Art in Bloom – 2 p.m., April 26, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Drop in and discover the Palmer’s world-class collections and exhibitions with a friendly and knowledgeable museum guide.
"Physical Rhymes" with Michele Dunleavy – 2 p.m., April 26, Penn State Downtown Theatre Center, State College. Michele Dunleavy, professor of dance and 2024-25 Penn State Laureate, will offer a collaborative dance workshop and performance. During the workshops, open to ages 18 and up, participants will interact with multiple suspended bead sculptures created by Talley Fisher, a senior research artist at the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.
Senior Week – April 28-May 2, University Park campus. Graduating students and friends are invited to a Senior Week celebration from the Penn State Alumni Association that will help commemorate this chapter of their Penn State experience.
Yoga + Mindfulness at the Palmer — 12-1 p.m., April 30, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Join Latisha Franklin for a free yoga class at the Palmer. All bodies are welcome, no experience is necessary.
Campus and Community Sustainability Expo — 5-7 p.m., April 30, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. The Campus and Community Sustainability Expo is a poster style exposition of student work in partnership with Pennsylvania communities. Join community partners, Penn State students, faculty, administration, and guests to learn about these high-impact projects.
Let's Dance 2025 — 5:30 p.m., May 1, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Sing and dance with members of the For Good Troupe, directed by Krista Wilkinson, as they perform excerpts from their favorite musical theatre productions. Then join Penn State Professor of Dance Michele Dunleavy on stage to learn some basic choreography and have some not-so-basic fun! No singing or dancing experience necessary.
Bike Den Women and Queer Night — 6:15-8:15 p.m., May 1, the Bike Den, University Park campus. Open to Penn State students, faculty and staff as well as local community members, attendees can work on their bikes, enjoy free pizza, talk to Bike Den staff and volunteers and learn more about biking at Penn State and the surrounding area.
Night at the Museums — 4-8 p.m., May 1, University Park campus. Night at the Museums is a biannual event that offers students, faculty, staff and the local community an opportunity to explore free of charge various campus museums and galleries during extended evening hours.
2025 Plant Sale – 11 a.m.-5 p.m., May 2, Tyson Greenhouses, University Park campus. Join the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm for the annual plant sale, offering locally grown plants for purchase to take home.
Shaver's Creek Birding Cup – May 2-3, Various locations. The Birding Cup from Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, an annual fundraiser, challenges birders of all skill levels to identify as many species of bird as possible in 24 hours.
Commencement – May 9-11, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. Commencement ceremonies for University Park and World Campus undergraduate students and graduate students in the Graduate School will be held in the Bryce Jordan Center. Additional commencement ceremonies are listed on the full schedule. For commencement ceremonies located at Commonwealth Campuses, see instructions for that campus.
Lectures
“Postcards from the Disaster Fields: A Preservation Librarian’s Tale” — 4 p.m., April 24, Paterno Library, University Park campus and via livestream. Penn State University Libraries’ 2025 William D. Minter Lectureship in Conservation on Thursday, April 24, will feature guest lecturer Randy Silverman, an internationally recognized, innovative expert in preservation and disaster recovery and leader in safeguarding global documentary cultural heritage. Registration requested.
“Oil and Gas Sector: Cutting-Edge Advanced Materials for Sustainable Energy” — 3:05 p.m., April 24, 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, University Park campus. Faisal Mohammed Al-Faqeer, senior vice president of liquids to chemicals at Saudi Aramco, will deliver the 2025 Richard E. Tressler Lecture in Materials.
“The Past, Present and Future of Inclusive Net Zero” — noon, April 25, 401 Steidle Building, University Park campus. The Penn State Department of Geography will conclude its spring 2025 Coffee Hour lecture series with a talk by Jessica Omukuti, senior research fellow at the University of Oxford’s Institute for Science, Innovation and Society and Oxford Net Zero.
Tree Planting Series: "Battling Barriers" — 6 p.m., April 28, via Zoom. Planting native trees and shrubs can enhance landscapes, support wildlife and improve water quality — especially when planted as riparian buffers along streams and other water bodies, organizers noted. This session from Penn State Extension will explore common challenges to planting and maintaining buffers, from site selection to funding assistance, and offer strategies to overcome these obstacles.
Gallery Talk: Conversation with the Collector – 5:30 p.m., May 1, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Discover the delightful images in the special exhibition "Parallel Play: Photographs" from the Nancy Arnold Collection with Interim Director Joyce Robinson and collector Nancy Arnold.
Tree Planting Series: "Installation and Maintenance" – 6 p.m., May 5, via Zoom.This webinar from Penn State Extension will address key steps in site selection when planting trees, best practices for installation, and strategies for ongoing maintenance, whether on agricultural land or residential properties or in neighborhoods governed by homeowners associations.
Library Discovery Hour: Coal and Coke Heritage Center — noon, May 6, via Zoom. This online Special Collections Spotlight highlights the Coal and Coke Heritage Center museum and archive, housed on the ground floor of the Fayette Campus Library at Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus.
Dionne Patterson — 7 p.m., May 7, Conference Center, Great Valley campus. Historian and researcher Dionne Patterson will explain the connection between the Underground Railroad and Valley Forge Park. Patterson, an education consultant and founder of UGR3DAY Underground Railroad Experiences Inc., is dedicated to illuminating the antebellum era by exploring the lives of both free and enslaved African Americans, as well as the multifaceted history of the Underground Railroad. Free.
Onward and Upward: Mark Shulman — 10-11:30 a.m., May 9, Stuckeman Family Building Jury Space, University Park campus. B. Stephen Carpenter II, Michael J. and Aimee Rusinko Kakos Dean in the College of Arts and Architecture, will host a public conversation with Mark Shulman – senior vice president of programming for Oak View Group, a global leader in the live event industry.
Tree Planting Series: "Case Studies and Lessons Learned" — 6 p.m., May 12, via Zoom. This webinar from Penn State Extension will examine real-world case studies from professionals experienced in planting trees and installing riparian buffers. Presenters will discuss lessons learned and practical tools to help measure the success of tree plantings.
OLLI After Hours: Unlocking the Power of AI: Understanding Large Language Models — 6:30-8 p.m., May 15, Penn State Outreach Building, University Park campus. Explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing business with instructor Larry Pruss, from enhancing customer experiences to driving operational efficiencies.
OLLI After Hours: Keystone of War: Altoona and the Civil War — 6:30-8 p.m., May 21, Penn State Outreach Building, University Park campus and via livestream. This course with instructor Jared Frederick brings to life the dramatic tales of railroaders, soldiers, southern sympathizers, enslaved freedom seekers, governors and Underground Railroad conductors during that volatile era in national history.
Gallery Talk: Novel Objects — 6 p.m., May 29, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Enjoy a conversation hosted by museum educators Keri Mongelluzzo and Brandi Breslin on special exhibition "Novel Objects: Connecting Art and Language."
In-person exhibits
"A Fly on the Wall, A Story Untold: Objects Imbued with the Human Soul" — Through April 26, Ronald K. De Long Gallery, Lehigh Valley campus. The soulful, down-home spirit of American folk art will be on display, featuring pieces from the private collection of Vincent DiCicco, a passionate collector of Americana and American Folk Art. The items featured portray the likeness of people in paintings, photographs and objects that were used in human interaction.
Architecture Design Research Studio Exhibition — Through April 27, Landscape Architecture Library, Stuckeman Family Building, University Park campus. Work from upper-level Penn State architecture students in the College of Arts and Architecture using wool as a building material is featured in a showcase exhibit.
"Empty and Full: Series & Introduction to Self-Painted Korean Traditional Art Pieces" — Through April 30, Friedman Art Gallery, Wilkes-Barre campus. The artist, Tae Hee Kim ("Ajin") was born in 1978 in Seoul, South Korea and now lives and studies in State College while teaching an art course and pursuing a doctorate in art education at Penn State's University Park campus. Ajin’s artistic practice focuses on creating photographs, paintings and installations that explore the philosophical theme of “Empty is Full; Full is Empty.”
“Before I Wake” — Through May 3, Sheetz Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. A body of work by visual art studies student Maggie Parks, whose work focuses on the natural environment and the human mind through a mixture of conceptual and abstract ideas.
“Workout” — Through May 5, McLanahan Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. An exhibition of student artwork, including pieces from students in the Visual Art Studies program and general education art courses.
"Strange Attractors" — April 28-May 9, Zoller Gallery, School of Visual Arts, University Park campus. Cecil Fish's thesis exhibition, "Strange Attractors," explores the complexity of truly connecting with the world, with nature, with other people, and with ourselves. The show features large-scale paintings and other work.
"Apprentice" — Through May 9, Freyberger Gallery, Berks campus. Visiting artist Abbey Muza uses artwork to share her archival research on the history of the textile industry in northeastern Pennsylvania and the history of Penn State Berks, whose forerunner was Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, a training school established by the owners of Textile Machine Works to provide training its workers.
"The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art" — Through May 11, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Drawn from the rich holdings of the Chrysler Museum of Art’s Walter P. and Jean Chrysler collection, this exhibit showcases more than 120 glittering Art Nouveau objects — including furniture, paintings, sculpture, mosaics, posters, Japanese prints, lamps, jewelry and glass — that introduce the exuberant, radical, international Art Nouveau style and its celebration of beauty, nature and innovation.
"Capacities of Care" — Through June 1, HUB Gallery and Art Alley, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. “Capacities of Care,” a group exhibition curated by Aaron Knochel, associate professor of art education in Penn State’s School of Visual Arts, is a concept framework to understand and explore how care relationships manifest in our lives in distinct and interconnected ways.
"nosegay" — Through June 1, Exhibition cases, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. “nosegay,” curated by Philadelphia-based artist Caitlin McCormack, features sculpture work that explores the complexities of crochet to straddle the line between fine art and craft, and its cultural ubiquity. The heavily embellished sculptures assume the form of domestic and sartorial objects laden with text, as well as silent, observational beings.
“Biomachine” — Through Spring 2025, Hite Lobby, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. A collaboration between Daryl Branford and Talley Fisher of Huck SciArts offers a glimpse into the microscopic world of viruses and is a reaction to how humanity must learn to coexist with them.
“Soothsayer” – Through June 8, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. Lindsay Montgomery works across a variety of media including ceramics, painting and puppetry to create narrative videos, performances and objects. Her work is focused on creating personal mythologies that address a wide range of topics and issues including death and mysticism, family dynamics, and evolving modes of power.
“Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper” – June 7-July 27, 2025, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Nine contemporary Japanese artists embrace the seemingly infinite possibilities of washi paper using a wide range of techniques. Thirty-seven highly textured two-dimensional works, expressive sculptures, and dramatic installations will explore the astonishing potential of the art form, which has been integral to Japanese culture for over 1,000 years.
"I Am a Penn Stater: Nittany Lions in World War II" — Through June 2025, Penn State All-Sports Museum, Beaver Stadium, University Park campus. Timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the conflict, "I Am a Penn Stater" chronicles the contributions of Nittany Lion varsity lettermen and Women’s Recreation Association athletes during the conflict and follows their service from training in the United States, to fighting on battlefields around the globe, to their postwar occupations. Free.
"Sustainable Narratives: Visualizing Data, Design and Community" — Through July 25, Henry Art Gallery, Great Valley campus. The exhibition, led by Huiwon Lim, assistant professor of graphic design at Penn State, showcases his solo works as a graphic designer and design educator, as well as collaborative projects with students, offering diverse perspectives on how data can be transformed into powerful narratives. The projects reflect on pressing global issues — climate change, social equity and community resilience — while exploring creative solutions through design.
“Give us also the right to our existence: Collecting and Surfacing Queer Narratives” — Through Sept. 12, Eberly Family Special Collections Library, University Park campus. Gathering together a selection of materials that illustrate the varied formats and expansive time periods of queer history, “Give us also the right to our existence: Collecting and Surfacing Queer Narratives” explores the many facets of gender and sexuality. The exhibition — inspired by the Penn State motto “We Are” — provides context for how we collect, describe and represent our shared humanity in the library. Free.
Virtual exhibits and online resources
In addition to in-person events, a number of virtual exhibits and online resources are available through University departments. The Palmer Museum of Art and Penn State University Libraries offer a rotating selection of historical and artistic collections to view via their websites, as well as other online resources.