By The Connect Crew | March 11, 2026
Now that the unofficial holiday that shall not be named has come and gone, Happy Valley can celebrate “real” St. Patrick’s Day, bringing a little extra spirit to the calendar. With students returning from break and kicking off 55 Days of CafĂ©, it’s another sign that spring is on our doorstep.
But the week isn’t just about shamrocks and beer. A major youth wrestling tournament comes to town, Pegula Ice Arena hosts multiple postseason hockey games, and spring sports continue to ramp up across campus. Add in live music and a few creative community events, and the calendar is anything but quiet.
Here’s a look at some highlights.
🏟️ Sports at a Glance
After another display of Penn State wrestling dominance, the Bryce Jordan Center will be busy again this weekend as the Keystone State Wrestling Championships, one of the state’s largest youth tournaments, come to town.
Penn State Men’s Ice Hockey hosts Minnesota tonight in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal at Pegula Ice Arena after securing home ice for the matchup.
Coming off their fourth straight AHA Championship, Women’s Ice Hockey continues with postseason play in the NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament with their next game at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Pegula Ice Arena.
Sunday also brings the Women’s Lacrosse Pink Game against Princeton, a matchup that combines Big Ten competition with a show of support for breast cancer awareness.
Penn State Baseball hosts Iowa for a three-game series at Medlar Field.
Visit the Penn State Athletic Calendar for more events and information.
🎵 Music & Live Performance
On Friday it’s a St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, as Callanish returns to Pine Grove Hall, bringing their signature blend of Celtic-inspired folk, rich harmonies, and storytelling.
Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam comes to the State Theatre on Saturday, featuring one of the most influential banjo players in modern bluegrass and a lineup celebrating the legacy of Earl Scruggs.
Around town, you’ll also find plenty of St. Patrick’s Week spirit at local pubs, where Irish drinking songs are almost guaranteed to drift through the evening air.
🎠Arts, Ideas & Community
Several programs this week offer opportunities to slow down and learn something new.
On Tuesday, The Anderson Lecture welcomes Ghanaian-born artist Eugene Ofori Agyei, whose work explores themes of migration, identity, and home through ceramics, textiles, and performance.
Later that day, join a public conversation at Paterno Library where leading scholars will discuss the ongoing discoveries and research surrounding the Dead Sea Scrolls.
This Saturday, the Creative Writing Salon at the Bellefonte Art Museum brings together writers and readers for a gathering focused on storytelling and creative exchange.
Pine Grove Hall presents Stirred, Not Stuck: Tiny Habits, Real Life on Sunday afternoon, a conversation-style program exploring practical strategies for building habits and making small changes that stick.
đź‘€ Looking Ahead
Next week brings a few additional events to keep on the radar, including the Nittany Valley Symphony on March 19 and Penn State Softball’s Big Ten home opener against Wisconsin on March 20.
🌅 A Week to Get Back Out
With major tournaments, live music, and spring sports all unfolding at once, the coming week offers plenty of reasons to step out and reconnect with the community.
As always, the full Connect Happy Valley Events Calendar has additional listings and details for the week ahead.
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