As the year comes to a close, all of us at the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance would like to wish you a joyful and relaxing holiday season. This year was filled with memorable moments, exciting events, and strong community connections, and none of it would have been possible without the continued support of our partners, participants, volunteers, and fans. Your enthusiasm and dedication help make Happy Valley a premier destination for sports and entertainment.

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on another exciting year in Happy Valley. From the Keystone Wrestling Championships to the State College Criterium, this year was filled with memorable events that brought energy, competition, and community together.

Inside, we’re highlighting some of our most-read blog posts of 2025 on topics that made this year so special. We’re proud of what was accomplished and grateful for the partners, participants, and fans who helped make it all possible.

2025 was a year of momentum for Centre County and the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance, with new events taking shape and longtime favorites continuing to grow across Happy Valley. During the year, HVSEA supported more than 40 events that drew over 23,000 athletes and nearly 58,000 spectators from around the world to experience the region. Those visits fueled local impact, generating more than 40,000 room nights and supporting over 11,000 jobs. Altogether, these events delivered more than $21 million in direct visitor spending to Centre County.

Wondering what’s happening around Happy Valley? From live music and performances to comedy, nightlife, and community events, there’s always something going on, and we’ve made it easier than ever to stay in the know.

Our Weekly Lineup is your go-to calendar for live events across Happy Valley, refreshed every week so you never miss out. Whether you’re planning your weekend or looking for something to do tonight, the Weekly Lineup keeps everything in one place.

With less than a month left in 2025, you might be reflecting on those fitness resolutions you made back in January. The good news? It is not too late to accomplish something big before the year wraps up. The Nittany Valley Half Marathon returns this weekend, and whether you want to run, volunteer, or just support a great local cause, there is still time to get involved.

Happy Valley experienced a record year for visitation and visitor spending in 2024. Tourism over the past year was strong and vibrant, setting the stage for a promising 2026.

The official numbers won’t be known until mid-year next year when The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) receives its 2025 visitation report from Longwoods International, a leading travel industry research firm. Centre County has, however, experienced visitor growth in every month this year except February, April, and November.

If you live in Happy Valley, you already know the Bryce Jordan Center isn’t just Penn State’s sports arena, it’s the region’s go-to spot for big touring shows, major concerts, comedy, family entertainment, and those once-a-year spectacles that fill the whole place with energy. As we move into a new year, the BJC is lining up an impressive mix of events that bring something for everyone: chart-topping artists, nostalgia tours, high-flying performance groups, and full-throttle family shows.

Pablo Lopez speaks about film with the confidence of someone who believes the film industry can take root here in Centre County. Not in New York or Los Angeles, but in the valleys and brick-lined main streets of State College.

That mission is cresting this month with the Happy Valley Film Production Boot Camp, a three-day intensive designed to give students, freelancers and career-changers hands-on skills and real industry context, from fundraising to cinematography to on-set workflows. The boot camp runs Oct. 21–23, using venues in State College and Bellefonte, including the Ramada by Wyndham State College and Brass 16828 at Titan Energy Park.