By The Connect Happy Valley Crew | April 15, 2026
Mid-April ushers in Earth Day and outdoors-oriented events across the area. This week you’ll find a strong lineup of performances, community gatherings, and the first wave of spring festivals beginning to take shape.
Recently named the best college town in the country by USA Today, State College has a calendar that continues to reflect it. Here are a few highlights to help you make some plans.
🎶 Live Music & Performances
Pine Grove Hall anchors the week with a strong run of live music, beginning tonight with No Filter featuring Luke Cimbala and Coltt Winter, followed by the Steel City Rovers on Thursday.
Comedy at Manny’s returns tonight.
Saturday, Mojofest takes over Tussey Mountain with a full afternoon and evening of live music, making it one of the biggest days of the week.
Downtown, The State Theatre hosts Melt on Thursday, while Jeffrey Gaines takes the stage over the weekend, adding to a mix of touring and regional acts across the area.
🎭 Arts, Theatre & Classical
Penn State Centre Stage opens Detroit ’67 this week, adding a new production to the spring theatre calendar.
Also at Penn State, the Oriana Singers perform Sunday at Recital Hall, part of a steady lineup of campus performances continuing through the week.
🌿 Earth Day & Outdoor Events
Earth Fest returns to Millbrook Marsh on Sunday, offering one of the area’s signature environmental events, while Earth Day Celebration follows on Tuesday at Sidney Friedman Park.
🧠 Talks, Experiences & Things to Do
Kicking off the section with one of our own: this Sunday, April 19, Connect Happy Valley hosts Stirred, Not Stuck Session 4: Happy Valley Hacks at Pine Grove Hall’s Upstairs Listening Room from 5 to 7 PM. Everyone has a Happy Valley hack worth sharing, and everyone leaves with a few new ones. It’s free, but grab a reservation to keep things intimate.
Beyond that, tonight brings Whiskey Study Hall back to Alla Spina, a laid-back night that’s part education, part happy hour.
Thursday brings Lion Country Line Dancing to Brass16823 for something a little more active.
If you’d rather spend Friday evening outside, Plants in Classical Mythology at the Arboretum is a unique way to learn something new.
👨👩👧 Family-Friendly Events
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live arrives at the Bryce Jordan Center for a full weekend run.
Family Day at the Palmer Museum provides a more relaxed, arts-focused option on Saturday.
🏟️ Sports to Watch This Week
Penn State Women’s Lacrosse hosts Johns Hopkins on Thursday.
Men’s Volleyball returns for a weekend matchup with George Mason, including Senior Day on Saturday.
Penn State Baseball hosts Rutgers for a three-game series starting on Friday.
Visit Penn State Athletics for the full team schedules.
For Your Radar
After Blue White Weekend, Chris Buchignani brings another session of Inside the Story of Penn State Football to Pine Grove Hall on April 30, and book lovers should mark the annual AAUW State College Used Book Sale coming up on May 9 -12.
