NEWS
State College, PA, Feb. 17, 2026 - The Hoppy Valley Brewers Fest is set to return to State College for its third year on Sunday, May 24, 2026, bringing together the best of craft beverages, live music, and local flavor. This year’s festival will be hosted at Panzer Stadium, home of Penn State’s lacrosse teams and a new venue for the growing event.
The festival will run from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for VIP ticket holders and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for General Admission, giving attendees a full afternoon to explore pours from top regional breweries, enjoy live entertainment, and sample delicious local food.
Sporting events have benefits for the entire community outside of just athletes and fans who participate and watch these events. Everyone sees a positive outcome, from businesses to long-term residents. Research from Evan Guido says that fans increase economic prosperity through dining experiences and merchandise sales surrounding sporting events.
STATE COLLEGE — The Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA), in partnership with Teammates for Life, will host a new girls-only, multi-sport event celebrating athletics, leadership and empowerment.
The See Her Win festival will make its debut at Penn State University over the Memorial Day weekend. Designed for middle school and high school athletes, the festival will bring teams from across the region together for a weekend of competition, connection and inspiration.
A new girls-only, multi-sport festival will debut at Penn State this spring. “See Her Win” was designed by Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA) in partnership with Teammates for Life, a Penn State women’s athletics initiative. The event, to be held over Memorial Day weekend, will bring middle school and high school female athletes from across the region to compete, connect and grow on and off the field, according to a press release.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) — A new girls-only sporting event is coming to Happy Valley later this year.
The “See Her Win Festival” is scheduled for May 22 and 23 on Penn State’s main University Park campus. It will include various sports for girls to compete in, including:
Flag football
Field hockey
Lacrosse
Rugby
Wheelchair basketball
The Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA) describes the event as being “designed for middle school and high school athletes,” while also creating “opportunities for girls to compete, grow and lead both on and off the field.”
HVSEA Event Manager Meghan Boyle says the idea came from looking at low occupancy rates during Memorial Day weekend.
The Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance and Teammates For Life, a Penn State women’s athletics initiative, will host a new festival called See Her Win this coming Memorial Day weekend.
The girls-only event will take place at Penn State. It is designed for middle and high school athletes from across the region and will feature competitions in flag football, field hockey, lacrosse, rugby and wheelchair basketball. Details around schedules and registration will be made available at a later date.
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.
The popular series returns for riders ages 15-18, with an expanded calendar, updated points structure, and junior development opportunities.
The overall series champion will be determined by total accumulated points across the season once the three race minimum is met. Each event will utilize a points system that combines points from the riders finishing place with a starter bonus based on field size, rewarding both results and participation.
The Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA), in partnership with Teammates for Life, will host a new girls-only, multi-sport event celebrating athletics, leadership and empowerment. The See Her Win festival will make its debut at Penn State University over the Memorial Day weekend. Designed for middle school and high school athletes, the festival will bring teams from across the region together for a weekend of competition, connection and inspiration.
Volunteers shape the way that the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance is able to host large-scale events for the community. Without our volunteers, our events wouldn’t be able to operate successfully, as their continued generosity and support make all the difference.
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau will host its Annual Marketing Summit on February 25, 2026, at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. Doors open at 7:30 a.m., and a buffet breakfast will be available beginning at 7:45 a.m.
This event is intended for festival and event organizers, museum and attraction representatives, lodging and food and beverage teams, tourism grant applicants, and others interested in improving customer experience and tourism marketing efforts.
Calling All Centre County Businesses!
Want to get your name in front of major sporting events and thousands of athletes and families traveling into Happy Valley? Each year, premier competitions bring visitors who are eager to shop, dine, and explore everything Centre County has to offer.
The Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Alliance works hand in hand with global brands and premier events, and we are on a mission to drive that visitor traffic directly into local businesses like yours.
Happy Valley is gearing up for a blockbuster year in 2026, welcoming thousands of athletes, families, and fans for some of the biggest sporting events in Pennsylvania and beyond. From packed arenas in March to endurance racing and multi-sport celebrations all summer long, here’s what’s coming and why you won’t want to miss it.
With Rothrock by UTMB™, a new stop on the UTMB™ World Series, coming to Happy Valley on May 16-17, 2026, it’s important to understand and recognize the value of endurance events within the Happy Valley region. Endurance events have several benefits to the community and the residents within those communities. Examples of these events not only include UTMB™, but also IRONMAN®, which was the first race introduced to Happy Valley through the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance. In fact, after a successful three years of hosting the event, Happy Valley has been selected as the location for the North American Championship, happening June 14, 2026.
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.
The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) World Series announced that Rothrock by UTMB would join its 2026 North American calendar, marking the circuit’s second East Coast race alongside the Grindstone Running Festival by UTMB. The inaugural event is scheduled for May 16–17, 2026, in Pennsylvania’s Rothrock State Forest.
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.
An international trail running series is bringing one of its events to Happy Valley in 2026.
The UTMB World Series is introducing Rothrock by UTMB as its second event on the eastern side of the U.S. Runners from across the globe will have the chance to compete in 25 km and 50 km distances.
A prestigious, international trail running event is coming to Happy Valley in May. And with it will come trail improvements, a bigger spotlight - and an opportunity to qualify for a championship race in the Alps.
UTMB World Series, which annually hosts more than 50 trail-running events around the world, announced Tuesday morning that its newest race would take place May 16-17, 2026, in Rothrock State Forest near Tussey Mountain. Rothrock is one of only eight spots in the U.S. to host a race next year; other picturesque destinations include those in Argentina, Thailand and New Zealand.
A new international trail running event will launch in Centre County this spring, expanding the long-running Rothrock Trail Challenge into a two-day race weekend under the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc World Series banner.
Organizers announced at a press conference on Tuesday at Tussey Mountain that Rothrock by UTMB will take place Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 in Rothrock State Forest, featuring a 50-kilometer race on Saturday and a 25-kilometer race on Sunday.
The UTMB World Series is pleased to announce the addition of the new Rothrock by UTMB™, joining the circuit as the second event on the Eastern side of the U.S. alongside Grindstone Running Festival by UTMB®. The first edition of Rothrock by UTMB is scheduled to take place on May 16-17, 2026, bringing the UTMB World Series experience to Pennsylvania’s Rothrock State Forest for the first time.
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.
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau on Wednesday honored standouts in the Centre County hospitality and tourism industry.
The fourth annual Happy Valley Hospitality Awards welcomed more than 300 hospitality leaders, community partners and elected officials to Brass 16823 in Bellefonte for a celebration recognizing winners in seven categories.
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 2025 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. This year’s winners are responsible for contributing a more-than-welcome boost of more than $1.4 billion to the national economy over the past year.
Among the winners was the 2025 Keystone State Wrestling Championships, hosted at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pennsylvania.
The State Games of America, coming to Penn State July 24–August 2, 2026, will bring more than 8,000 athletes and thousands of fans to Happy Valley. Tens of thousands of room nights and millions in visitor spending are expected. For the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA), the small nonprofit that helped land the event, it is proof that measurable, visitor-driven growth works.
A celebration of community and impact, thanks to the power of filmmaking, runs throughout much of the first half of November with the seventh annual Centre Film Festival — which offers hundreds of viewing options along with question-and-answer sessions with filmmakers, special themes and much more.