ENTERTAINMENT’S ROLE IN QUALITY OF LIFE
Mellow Honey performing for 814 Originals at Manny’s Live Performance Space
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Entertainment is a key piece to the quality of life of residents within any given community. These types of events have numerous positive implications for both individuals and the community as a whole. Entertainment isn’t limited to sold-out stadium shows and big nights – it’s more than that. Having local venues in Happy Valley means that community members can enjoy live entertainment without having to travel to major cities, which benefits not only the local economy but also provides activities for locals to boost their quality of life.
In 2025, the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance launched the Weekly Lineup: Live Event Calendar. As stated in the name, this calendar is updated on a weekly basis and features all the different entertainment venues in Centre County and what shows are happening. Users are given the option to subscribe to a weekly newsletter in order to get all events sent directly to their inbox, to help make planning easier.
According to Veronica Hamptu’s research article, “Effects of participation in cultural activities on the quality of life and social well-being,” there are multiple benefits for not only the individual but also the community when it comes to participation in various events. She says, “An increased cultural participation positively influences the quality of life, not only at the level of people, but also at the level of interpersonal relationships.”
Furthermore, a white paper from MGM Resorts International states that 93% of people see entertainment as essential to health and happiness. This same source goes on to detail the importance of entertainment in people’s personal lives. For example, live entertainment brings people an immersive experience that concludes with great memories. Oftentimes, these events are enjoyed with family and friends, which allows for valuable quality time with those we love. Attending live entertainment events gives people a welcome change of scenery from everyday life. It also builds community, as residents can connect with others who share similar interests. In fact, according to research from the National Endowment for the Arts, adults who attend live arts events are less likely to report feeling more acute levels of loneliness than their non-arts attending counterparts.
Hannah Bingman performing for 814 Originals at Webster’s Bookstore & Café
Different aspects of entertainment make up individual personalities, and getting to participate directly by attending live events gives people more opportunities to enjoy the parts of their lives that bring them joy. Having access to these entertainment opportunities within the Happy Valley region makes the region livable, not just visitable.
Here in Centre County, we have a full entertainment ecosystem. Varying venues allow for all different types of live entertainment events to enter the region. Larger venues, such as the Bryce Jordan Center and Beaver Stadium, draw headliners like Drake, Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgraves, and Luke Combs. And while these major venues are able to bring in some of the big names, smaller stages allow for recurring live programming. Happy Valley offers several entertainment venues of smaller capacities, such as the State Theatre and Pine Grove Hall. Because of their ability to host frequent live entertainment, there is something to do every single night for locals.
Both large and small venues are essential to the entertainment ecosystem in Happy Valley. Small venues offer intimate connections between performers and audience members, making these audiences more engaged with the live entertainment before them. Large venues, however, are able to generate a lot of direct revenue through major ticket sales that come with headlining acts. These same acts bring increased visibility to Happy Valley, and many people will travel to the area to see their favorite performers.
Chris Bell Band performing for 814 Originals at The State Theatre
Having these venues in Centre County also provides a sense of convenience and accessibility for residents of the region. Members of the local community don’t have to travel as far to see live entertainment. And because the travel distance is shorter, the costs are often lower, as less gas is required to travel to the venue, and overnight accommodations don’t have to be made. And because touring shows can’t happen every night, local venues fill the gap in entertainment that would otherwise exist if smaller venues didn’t host frequent events. As a result of these local venues, there’s a lot for the residents to do every night.
Having local venues also keeps the money that is spent on entertainment local, as well. By having frequent events, local venues and artists receive support from community members. And hosting these smaller, but more frequent, live events adds up and creates meaningful economic impact in the long run. These local venues also strengthen community connections and provide residents with places to meet up with friends.
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