First Friday
December 6, 2019 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Relax. Play. Shop. Stay.
It’s the holiday season and this First Friday will be filled with events to help you tackle your shopping list at your favorite small businesses! Enjoy festive food, live music and carolers throughout the streets!
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.
Opening Reception for Art Heim
5:00- 8:00 pm
On Friday, the Downtown Improvement District will be holding an opening reception for artist Art Heim at 127 S Fraser Street.
Heim, a local from State College, discovered his passion for art and photography when he traveled to Africa with the U.S. Peace Corps after retiring from Penn State University. Photography provided the artistic and communication medium to share his experience with others.
Since Heim’s return from Africa in 2010, he has been capturing images of the natural, human and built environment during all of his travels. He has been all over the United States as well around the world, including, but not limited to Asia, Europe, and Africa. His primary artistic interest lies in the graphic interpretation of the beauty and uniqueness of the natural environment through landscape, wildlife and cultural imagery and a deep desire to share the work for the enjoyment of others.
The artwork will remain in the Downtown Improvement District for viewing for both December and January.
State College Winter Village @ The MLK PLaza
3:00- 7:00 pm
Penn State’s Apollo Benefitting THON will be hosting their first ever annual winter village in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza this First Friday. Swing by with friends and loved ones to get into the Holiday spirit with us. It’ll be a beautiful sight filled with delicious food, musical groups, and magic to get you in the festive mood!
Jana Marie Foundation Exhibit @ The Expect More Store
5:30- 7:30 pm
The Expect More Store presents “Expressions” by Jana Marie Foundation during First Friday! Stop by to view this art exhibit and enjoy a special performance from Eric Ian Farmer from 6-7 pm. Light refreshments will be available.
Since its incorporation in February 2012, Jana Marie Foundation has devoted its energy to opening minds and saving lives through educational programming and community mobilization to empower young people in the Centre County region. The mission of Jana Marie Foundation is to harness the power of dialogue and creative expression to spark conversations, build connections, and promote the mental well-being among young people and their communities.
Webster’s Holiday Marketplace
5:00- 9:00 pm
Hand-made jewelry, up-cycled one of a kind clothing, textiles, tarot readings, live music, great food, and the warm & fuzzy feeling of belonging! Stop by Webster’s Bookstore & Cafe and support local artists and craftspeople this holiday season on First Friday.
Pop Up Party @ The Makery
6:00- 9:00 pm
Join The Makery for a holiday kickoff right in downtown State College! This will be their fifth annual holiday pop up party! They will have cocktails, carols, and the very best local makers market, all in our festive, fun art studio!
Holiday Gelliplate Workshop @ Art Alliance Downtown
5:00- 8:00 pm
For the first time ever Art Alliance is hosting single-lesson, 3-hour gelliplate printmaking workshops just in time to fix all your last minute holiday needs for card making, gift tags, small art and holiday stress relief!!! If you can’t make it yourself consider giving a friend a pre-Christmas gift of a fun workshop where all materials are included and all levels are welcome and you don’t need to think – just enjoy!
Only $35! Sign up online here:
https://reg137.imperisoft.com/ArtAlliance/ProgramDetail/3435343735/Registration.aspx
An Evening with Tom Mosser @ Lions Pride
4:00- 8:00 pm
WE ARE…Pleased to announce that Lions Pride will host artist and Penn State graduate, Tom Mosser, for an art show on Friday, December 6, 2019 as part of First Friday! Light refreshments will be served. They will also be offering FREE gift wrapping for the holiday season.
Holiday Gift Gallery and Quilt Raffle at the Art Alliance Galley Downtown
5-8 pm
Shop during First Friday at the Holiday Gift Gallery at the Art Alliance Gallery Downtown and you will have the opportunity to put your name in for a raffle to win this beautiful hand-made quilt (spend $15 or more)!!
Light refreshments will be served
The Clef Hangers
5:00- 8:00 pm
The Clef Hangers are a choral chamber ensemble from our local Mount Nittany Middle School. They are an auditioned, extracurricular choir that meets every week. They perform at the school’s winter and spring concerts and will also be performing on First Friday for us to enjoy. Visit downtown State College and try to find the Clef Hangers as they carol throughout the town!
ROAR! Club Brass Ensemble
5:00- 8:00 pm
On First Friday, ROAR! Club Bass Ensemble will be performing at the top of the MLK Plaza at the corner or Fraser and Beaver.
ROAR! Club Brass Ensemble is a university ensemble that began during the Fall semester of 2015. They consists of trumpets, flugelhorns, mellophones, trombones, baritones, and tubas. Their members consist of musicians ranging from all sorts of majors, demographics, and musical experience.
The purpose of the ROAR! Brass Ensemble is to encourage individual growth, discipline, and pride while also instilling the values of teamwork and collaboration. The organization inspires its members to creatively express themselves through their interpretation of music, while promoting an overall desire for excellence in showmanship. They strive to provide a unique visual and musical entertainment experience to people from all walks of life.
Walk by the corner of Fraser and Beaver on Friday and catch some of their beautiful music.
Rockette Workshop @ The Central PA Dance Workshop
6:00- 7:00 pm
The Central PA Dance Workshop is bringing Radio City Music Hall to State College! Join them on First Friday to learn some real Rockette choreography, including one of their famous kicklines! The focus of the workshop will be on precision movement and unison dancing.
Workshop admission is $15 / $10-Students and $8-current CPDW Students.
Please wear either dance shoes, socks, or dance in your bare feet (there are no street shoes allowed in the studio).
No dance experience necessary—all ages welcome!
Holiday Open House @ Looks Hair Design
9:00 am- 8:00 pm
Holiday Snacks, Refreshments, and Cheer. Don’t miss Looks Hair Design’s annual Holiday Open House on Friday Dec. 6th! They will be hosting a food drive as well as a Brow Bar that is benefitting the State College Food Bank. They will also have many different sales and giveaways.
Find more details about the food drive and discounts on their Facebook Event Page
First Friday @ Harpers
5:00- 8:00 pm
Visit Harpers and Courtney Chambers from BeautyCounter!
BeautyCounter is leading a movement to a future where all beauty is clean beauty. Our collective mission is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. Formulate, advocate, & educate—that’s our motto for creating products that truly perform while holding ourselves to unparalleled standards of safety. Why? It’s really this simple: beauty should be good for you.
First Friday @ 3 Dots Downtown
5:00- 8:00 pm
Stop by 3 Dots Downtown on First Friday for a fun time that it will be filled with music, creative expression, and hot beverages!
The Candy Shop
Stop by trendy new clothing store, The Candy Shop, located on 231 East Beaver Ave and welcome them to State College. Everything in store will be 15% off all day for First Friday!
First Friday @ Woskob Family Gallery
5:00- 8:00 pm
Don’t miss the last First Friday of the fall at Woskob Family Gallery. Visitors will be able to draw inspiration from Rachel Hayes’s work to create stained glass-effect two- and three-dimensional works using translucent materials. BS Jazz will also be playing holidays tunes, so stop by to get in the holiday spirit!
First Friday at Appalachian Outdoors
5:00- 8:00 pm
Appalachian Outdoors always has a fun First Friday event with food, drinks and a variety of vendors! Make your way to your favorite outdoor store during First Friday from 5-8 pm!
First Friday at Hotel State College
5:00- 8:00 pm
Enjoy 15% off of food…just mention FIRST FRIDAY from 5-8 pm on November 1st at Spats at the Grill, The Corner Room, Bill Pickle’s Tap Room and Chumley’s!
