First Friday
August 2, 2019 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Relax. Play. Shop. Stay.
Experience the cool vibe of downtown State College during our monthly First Friday events. A casual atmosphere features art, people-watching, mingling with friends, shopping, and dining at the diverse and delectable State College restaurants. First Friday goers will experience after-hours access to galleries and shops, free bites and beverages, live music and entertainment, retail and restaurant specials, and more. And there’s free parking in the Pugh, Fraser and Beaver garages with validations from participating merchants. Visit FirstFridayStateCollege.com for all the details.
This event kicks off the Sidewalk Sale and Street Bazaar with retailers throughout the downtown district placing sale items on the sidewalk. The official sale starts Saturday, August 3rd on Allen Street from 9:00am to 4:00pm.
*This month we will be pairing local wineries and cideries with several participating First Friday merchants. Enjoy a sampling from each location and pick up a bottle or growler of your favorite beverages to take home!
Nicole Packard Art Opening Reception at the Downtown State College Improvement District
5 – 8 pm
Enjoy light appetizers and Keewaydin Cider provided by Otto’s Pub & Brewery while enjoying Nicole Packard‘s abstract paintings! The DSCID will be providing validations for garage parking!
Nicole Packard is a local artist and art educator. She received her masters in Art Education and BFA in Drawing and Painting from Penn State University. Currently, she is working as an art teacher at Park Forest Middle School and enjoys teaching both adult and youth classes at the Art Alliance. Much of her artwork deals with the idea of mapping and often these maps are of information not easily quantified, like memories or imagined worlds. She is fascinated by the line between reality and fantasy, as well as the duality of beauty and destruction. These ideas fuel her acrylic paintings, which often combine cellular biology with imagined outer space galaxies.
Tribute Show Opening Reception at The Art Alliance Downtown Gallery
5 – 8 pm
Enjoy the opening reception of The Tribute Show at The Art Alliance Gallery Downtown while enjoying light appetizers & wine tastings by Mount Nittany Winery!
The Expect More Store presents the work of Chuck Fong
5:30 – 7:30
The Expect More Store presents the work of local photographer Chuck Fong during First Friday! Stop by to view his photographs and enjoy cheeses, wine, and beer. 814 Cider Works will be on hand with samples to sip!
After an honors-filled Penn State career, Fong honed his skills in New York, and then attended the Winona International School of Professional Photography and trained with nationally renowned photographers at workshops and seminars. For more than twenty years, his experience has provided the Centre region with fine professional photography.
Pressed Plate Party at The Makery
6 – 8 pm
Join in an evening of First Friday fun creating pressed clay plates!
Roll out a slab of clay, press in lace or flora, drape over a hump mold, then paint with glaze.
As always, sips and sweets and creative conversation are included. We recommend registering in advance to be sure they have enough supplies!
John Solo on Allen Street
5 – 8 pm
Enjoy your favorite tunes from the 60’s to present day with John Solo on Allen Street!
Carl Ector & Friends on the MLK Plaza Stage | Fraser Street
5 – 8 pm
Enjoy the jazz sounds of Carl Ector & Friends performing on the MLK Plaza Stage from 5-8pm!
First Friday at Appalachian Outdoors
5 – 8 pm
Appalachian Outdoors will host Happy Valley Vineyard & Winery for this Sip & Shop event!
Enjoy samples of Happy Valley’s own wine, register for the raffle and maybe take a bottle of your favorite wine home with you!
First Friday at Lion’s Pride
5 – 8 pm
Lions Pride is pleased to announce that it will host Brookmere Winery, as part of the August First Friday celebration. This casual wine tasting will take place at Lions Pride located at 112 East College Ave., directly across from Old Main. Shop at your favorite official Penn State retailer while enjoying the area’s finest local wine. Light snacks will also be served.
FREE rides around downtown from Vamos! Lion Chariot
5 – 8 pm
Vamos! Lion Chariot will be looking for lucky passengers to enjoy this fun filled ride through town during First Friday!
Surprise First Friday at 3 Dots Downtown
5 – 8 pm
Kick off August with 3 Dots Downtown and experience something truly unique! There are *secret plans* in the works for this event, so make sure you stop by!
Carl Ector & Friends on MLK Plaza Stage on Fraser Street
5 – 8 pm
Enjoy the jazz sounds of the Rotec Group performing on the MLK Plaza Stage from 5-8pm!
Create a light painting at the Woskob Family Gallery
5 – 8 pm
Create a light painting only a camera, flashlight, and your creativity at Woskob Family Gallery from 5-8pm and sample libations from Good IntentCider.
