South Bend, Columbus, Happy Valley and Austin will see millions in economic impact. As the final weeks of the college football regular season wound down, destinations across the country were watching with more interest than previous years knowing four cities would host first-round games in the expanded College Football Playoff.

The holidays are just around the corner and with that comes a busy time of year for Happy Valley! With holiday performances and markets, Centre County is filled with fun festive activities for all! Our family at the Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Alliance is wishing you the happiest of holidays this season!

Organizers of the 25th Tussey Mountainback, a regional footrace event held in Central Pennsylvania’s Rothrock State Forest, will announce the event’s 2024 fundraising total in support of this year’s beneficiary, the Centre Region Down Syndrome Society, on Dec. 10. The donation will be presented at the meeting of the Nittany Valley Running Club at Hi-Way Pizza Pub, 1301 W. College Ave., State College, PA. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public. 

As 2024 comes to an end, we would like to look back at all that we accomplished throughout this amazing year. From IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley to Hoppy Valley Brewer’s fest in Beaver Stadium we would say it was quite the successful year! Here are some of our top read blog posts throughout the year along with a recap of our 2024 highlights. We can’t wait to see what 2025 has to offer and hope you will all continue to join us as we embark on another great year for sports and entertainment in Happy Valley!

December will be quite the busy month in Happy Valley if Penn State hosts a College Football Playoff Game at the end of the month.

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) recognized standouts in the Centre County tourism and hospitality community on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Third Annual Happy Valley Hospitality Awards.

The sixth annual Centre Film Festival recently wrapped after bringing nearly 200 thought-provoking independent films spanning multiple genres and formats to audiences in theaters throughout Happy Valley, PA, as well as to virtual audiences throughout the commonwealth.

Centre County’s tourism bureau has secured more than $93,000 in state funding for the bureau’s support of the 2024 Ironman 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley Triathlon, state Rep. Paul Takac announced today.

Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger announced a $5 million investment in eleven major sporting events across the Commonwealth through DCED’s Sports Marketing and Tourism Program. Expected to bring an estimated $240.2 million into Pennsylvania’s economy, the grants are helping attract more visitors to Pennsylvania and supporting major events like the 2025 Men’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Allegheny County, the 2025 Little League World Series and Major League Baseball Draft Game in Lycoming County, and the 2026 Major League Baseball All Star Game in Philadelphia. 

It’s time once again for the Centre Film Festival, and this year’s event will take place from Monday, Nov. 11, through Sunday, Nov. 17, at theaters in State College, on the Penn State campus and in Philipsburg. As always, there will be a wide range of films from full-length features and documentaries to short films, and from domestic to international and even locally produced.

December 8, The Nittany Valley Half-Marathon returns to Happy Valley inviting runners to join for another year of racing and support of a great cause. The Nittany Valley Half-Marathon, formerly a Nittany Valley Running Club Race, proudly supports Centre Volunteers in Medicine, a free clinic that offers essential medical and dental care to residents of Centre County.

No great film or story follows a linear narrative. There are always challenges and changes, twists and turns — and nobody knows that better than Penn State alumnus Pablo Lopez.

November 15-17, the National Club Basketball Association returns to Happy Valley, taking over the C3 Sports complex. Collegiate club basketball teams from universities and colleges, will converge on Happy Valley to kick off their seasons.

NCAA wrestling champion John Hughes was eager and enthusiastic to come back to Happy Valley for another competition. This time, however, he wasn’t back to wrestle. Instead, his journey is that of pursuing excellence: bringing quality wrestling into Pennsylvania. The competition was fierce, with high-level action and great sportsmanship displayed by coaches, wrestlers, and fans, according to head official Brad Strubel, who officiated the event.

Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, has announced the 2024 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. This year’s winners are responsible for contributing a more-than-welcome boost of over $1.88 billion to the national economy over the past year. 

This past week Penn State Golf Course hosted the 2024 PIAA Golf State Championships. With an amazing turnout and lovely weather, the three-day tournament, taking place from October 21 - 23, was a success! Teams from all over the state traveled to Happy Valley to compete in the State Championships. Here are the results:

If you’re a student or a recent graduate looking to dive into the dynamic world of sports and entertainment, look no further than the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA). Interning at HVSEA is more than just a steppingstone in your career; it’s an immersive experience that blends professional development, networking opportunities, and personal growth.

USA Field Hockey National Indoor Tournament Qualifier (NITQ) will make its return to Nittany Valley Sports Centre this January. 

John A. Hughes, globally experienced wrestling coach, is proud to announce the launch of the America’s Wrestling Cup, a wrestling tournament taking place in Centre County. 

For the fourth time ever, the NCAA has put most of its championship up for bid with Penn State earning the honor to host four different events between 2027-2028.

The annual Centre Film Festival is returning to Happy Valley for its sixth year in a row. The festival will take place through a seven-day period starting November 11 until November 17. The annual festival allows filmmakers the chance to see their movie on the big screen. With screenings from local filmmakers across PA, the festival presents itself as a great learning opportunity for all involved.

When new owners took over Tussey Mountain in Boalsburg two years ago, they knew there was much work to be done to improve a lodge and other buildings that haven’t seen many updates since the ski and recreation area opened in the 1960s.

The Nittany Lions welcomed alumni, students and faculty on Sunday to the dedication of the Char Morett-Curtiss Field. Named after longtime head coach and former Nittany Lion Char Morett-Curtiss, the field was one of many additions to the growing atmosphere of Penn State sports.

According to the Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Alliance, “In the aggregate, sports events and associated activity generate an annual economic impact of $417 million within Centre County, supporting 4,315 jobs with $133 million in employee compensation. Impacts of this economic activity within Pennsylvania are $467 million.” 

The USCAA and PIAA are headed to Happy Valley and are looking for volunteer help. With the USCAA tournament running from October 13 to 15 and the PIAA tournament from October 21 to 23 the Penn State Golf Course is going to be busy with many volunteer opportunities!