Ready for live music in Happy Valley? Check out summer concerts — including free shows

Matt DiSanto
·6 min read

As the school year winds down and summer quickly approaches, Happy Valley’s live music scene is preparing to move into high gear.

Spring and summer present countless opportunities to get outside and take in some live music in and around Centre County. Outdoor concerts and community events aren’t hard to come by, so no matter where you are, there’s always somewhere to be.

Here’s a brief roundup of concerts, festivals and community events that are slated to bring live music to the Centre County area.

Friday in the ‘Fonte

Bellefonte’s summer concert series will return and bring live music and entertainment to the borough on the last Friday of May, June, July, September and October.

May 26’s Friday in the ‘Fonte event will kick off the 2023 edition of the annual series. According to host organization Downtown Bellefonte Inc., the May 26 event will feature live music from indie singer-songwriter Caryn Dixon from 5 to 8 p.m. in front of the Centre County Courthouse along Allegheny Street.

Friday in the ‘Fonte admission is free, but guests are encouraged to visit local shops and restaurants during each event.

Standing Stone concert series

You can check out four free and outdoor live music performances through Standing Stone Concerts’ 2023 series.

The Brass Rats will kick off this summer’s series with a 7:30 p.m. show May 21 at Homecoming Park in Milesburg. Refreshments will be provided, according to an event press release.

Winners of the 2022 State College High School Battle of the Bands, the Brass Rats cover jazz, funk, pop and more in their sets. The group’s May 21 concert is free to attend through a grant provided by the State College chapter of The Awesome Foundation.

First Friday

State College’s own live music series returns June 2 with another free outdoor concert.

June 2’s event will feature live music from Sidewinder from 5 to 8 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza along Fraser Street. Additionally, Anna Pearl Belinda will perform at the First Friday Market Jam, hosted in conjunction with the Downtown State College Farmers Market, from noon to 2 p.m.

The Downtown State College Improvement District’s First Friday series brings live music, retail experiences and more to the borough the first Friday of every month between April and September. Attendance is free, and no-cost parking is available at several downtown garages through validations from participating merchants in the area.

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Burning Ma’am

The third annual Burning Ma’am music festival, dedicated to local music in Pennsylvania, returns May 20.

Hosted in Woodward, roughly 30 minutes from State College, Burning Ma’am is set to host nearly a dozen acts at this year’s festival. The event, started by the band Ma’am, is slated to begin at 2 p.m.

Tickets for Burning Ma’am are available online starting at $40. Additional fees are included for those who choose to park and camp on-site.

Find more information online at burningmaam.live.

The State Theatre

State College’s nonprofit theater routinely hosts live music on top of its rotating slate of film screenings and special events.

Here’s a quick look at the State Theatre’s upcoming lineup of live music acts:

Music on the Beach

Whipple Dam State Park’s summer concert series continues this year with another evening of tunes along the shore.

The Tussey Mountain Moonshiners will host a free concert of their own from 7 to 9 p.m. July 15 at the state park. Guests are encouraged to bring their own beach gear to properly enjoy a night of music under the stars.

This popular Pennsylvania destination was named one of the top ‘secret beaches’ in US

Tussey Beer Garden

Tussey Mountain’s beer garden will host dozens of local acts this spring and summer. Lineups are already available for May and June, and more shows are in the works for July and August.

Here’s a look at Tussey Beer Garden’s upcoming lineup:

  • Eric Ian Farmer (May 19)

  • Triple A Blues Band (May 20)

  • Tapestries (May 25)

  • The Jaded Lips (May 26)

  • The Rocket Blasters (May 27)

  • Hannah Bingman (June 1)

  • The Stevedores (June 2)

  • Natascha & The Spy Boys (June 3)

  • Granma Ben (June 8)

  • Anna Pearl Belinda (June 9)

  • Donny Burns Duo (June 15)

  • The Centrefugues (June 16)

  • The Long Afternoon (June 17)

  • Ma’am (June 23)

  • The Extractors (June 24)

  • Anchor&Arrow (June 30)

Kids and pets are welcome to attend these events, Tussey Mountain says, though performances are weather-dependent. Parking is free.

WingFest

Tussey Mountain’s entertainment offerings continue through its annual celebration of wings and live music.

The festival will bring guests to Tussey Mountain every Thursday between June 22 and Aug. 10. While parking is free, admission costs $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 7 to 16. Those 6 years old and younger get in at no cost.

Here’s a look at WingFest’s tentative entertainment lineup, which mostly consists of local tributes and cover bands:

  • Best Friends Girl (June 22)

  • Nightrain — The Guns ‘N Roses Tribute Experience (June 29)

  • Velveeta (July 6)

  • Completely Unchained (July 13)

  • Fleatwood Mac Tribute Show (July 20)

  • Fooz Fighters (July 27)

  • The Clintones (Aug. 3)

  • Who’s Bad (Aug. 10)

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Upcoming festivals

Centre County’s summer festivals annually bring loads of live entertainment to the area.

Though most entertainment lineups have not yet been announced, you can expect plenty of live music at this year’s Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, People’s Choice Festival, Centre County Grange Fair and more.

Live entertainment is typically included with admission or the purchase of a separate pass.

Below are the tentative dates for Centre County’s major summer festivals:

Local bars & breweries

Though it would be a tall task to list every tentative performance lined up for Centre County’s many bars, restaurants and breweries, these sites are one of your best bets for cheap live music this spring and summer.

A quick scan of nearby Facebook events shows a wide array of upcoming shows, including Hops & Vines at Antifragile Brewing Co., a mariachi band at Plaza Azteca and Wicked Chicken at Titan Hollow.

This is not an exhaustive list of upcoming entertainment in the Centre County area. If you know of an event that should be included, please email mdisanto@centredaily.com to have it added to the list.