What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events — both in-person and virtual — open to the University and local community:
Performances
Jeff Dunham: “Artificial Intelligence” – 7 p.m., April 23, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. Get ready to laugh out loud when internationally acclaimed comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham brings his Artificial Intelligence Tour to the Bryce Jordan Center.
A Boogie wit da Hoodie – 8 p.m., April 24, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. Bronx-bred superstar A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie takes the stage at the Bryce Jordan Center for an unforgettable night of hip-hop and entertainment.
Encore - York County Musical Showcase — 2:30 p.m., April 26, The Pullo Center, York campus. ENCORE is a highly anticipated afternoon of theatre magic showcasing the hard work of these high school students, directors, and production teams bringing pride to York County.
Rock Fest — 6:30 p.m., April 28, Recital Hall, University Park campus. This high-energy performance serves as a shared final concert for Penn State’s two Rock Ensemble groups. Featuring 30 student musicians, the fully audio-equipped stage will come alive with a wide range of styles, including hard rock, country, metal and more.
Symphonic Band and Concert Band performance — 7:30 p.m., April 29, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. The evening will feature a varied program of works for winds spanning more than a century, from early 20th-century classics to contemporary compositions.
Events
Earth Month events – Multiple events and locations. Penn State Sustainability and other Penn State units will host a series of events throughout April in celebration of Earth Month, offering students, faculty, staff and community members numerous opportunities to engage in sustainability through education, collaboration and action.
Campus Pride Month events – Multiple events and locations. Campuses across Penn State are offering events in recognition of Campus Pride Month this April.
4th Annual Student Sustainability Summit — 12:30-6:30 p.m., April 23, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. Penn State Sustainability and multiple campus partners will host the 4th Annual Student Sustainability Summit, bringing together students, faculty, staff and community members for a day of programming centered on collaboration, recognition and forward-thinking sustainability solutions.
"Night at the Museums" — 4-8 p.m., April 23, Multiple locations, University Park campus. A wide variety of Penn State museums and special galleries will be open to the public.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: March Madness — April 23, Café Laura, Mateer Building, University Park campus. Students in HM 430 Advanced Food Production and Service Management prepare a series of themed dinners throughout the semester to be served in the student-run Café Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
Jeff Dunham: “Artificial Intelligence” – 7 p.m., April 23, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. Get ready to laugh out loud when internationally acclaimed comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham brings his Artificial Intelligence Tour to the Bryce Jordan Center.
Students vs. Employees Basketball Game — 7:30 p.m., April 23, Adler Athletic Complex Arena, Altoona campus. In addition to the game, there will be contests and challenges between quarters, including a push-up battle and a half-court competition with small prizes for the winners. The event will conclude with a large raffle.
Bird Walk – 8-9:30 a.m., April 23, the Arboretum, University Park campus. Drop in to the Arboretum for a guided bird-watching walk, led by avian expert Joe Gyekis. Please dress for the weather, wear shoes suitable for walking on rustic trails, and bring binoculars if you have them.
Art After Hours: Rhythms + Rhymes – 5-8 p.m., April 23, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Enjoy contemporary ensemble performances by students in the School of Music and experience works of art in a new light through ekphrastic poetry readings by Penn State students. Repurpose artwork labels to create your own Dada poems and enjoy light refreshments.
"Celebrating Environmental Sustainability Around the State: An Earth Week 'Popcorn' Session" – Noon, April 24, via Zoom. In honor of Earth Month, experts from across Pennsylvania will celebrate progress being made to build healthier, more resilient communities that work for all. They'll discuss exciting leadership and innovation from multiple communities and sectors that will inspire participants to join the effort to make Pennsylvania more sustainable.
Earth Day Birthday — 4-7 p.m., April 24, Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm, University Park campus. The event will feature more than 20 interactive stations with activities and demonstrations focused on farming, environmental stewardship and sustainability. Attendees can participate in hands-on experiences and learn about food systems and sustainable practices.
Blue-White Practice — April 25, University Park campus. Penn State Athletics has a full slate of activities planned for fans of all ages. This year’s event will feature an open-practice format.
Wild Wellness Festival and Market — Noon-5 p.m., April 26, The Arboretum, University Park campus. The community event will include a combination of free children’s programming, paid wellness activities for adults ages 18 and above and an outdoor market with food trucks and vendors.
Open Dance Class for Adults — 1-2:15 p.m., April 26, Dance Studio, Room 148, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. The free class is open to those 18 and older and will feature movement and engagement through modern dance technique and improvisation. Dancers of all levels, styles, backgrounds and experiences are welcome.
Penn State Laureate Pearl Gluck — 12:15 p.m., April 28, Wolf Kuhn Theatre, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. Gluck will screen and discuss her short documentary films, then take part in a Q&A led by Penn State Altoona professor emeritus Jerry Zolten.
Biking Brake Clinic – 6:15-8:15 p.m., April 28, the Bike Den, University Park campus. Participants will learn how to identify, install and adjust various bicycle brake calipers (and their corresponding levers), including disc (cable and hydraulic), side pull, cantilever and V-brakes.
Engineering Learning Factory Spring Capstone Design Showcase – 1-3:30 p.m., April 28, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. The Penn State Learning Factory will host its biannual end-of-semester showcase, including a virtual showcase April 29-May 6. The showcase offers an opportunity for first-year cornerstone and senior capstone students across the College of Engineering to present their solutions to real-world design challenges posed by sponsors.
Garden & Gallery Book Club: A Bigger Picture – 6-7:30 p.m., April 30, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Join educators from the Arboretum and the Palmer Museum for the spring 2026 edition of the Garden & Gallery Book Club discussing :A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis” by Vanessa Nakate, which explores themes that resonate with the Palmer’s special exhibition “Insistent Presence: Contemporary African Art from the Chazen Collection.” Registration required. Free.
Lectures
"Advances in mechanical characterization of structural ceramics" – 3:05-4:20 p.m., April 23, 111 Forum Building, University Park campus. Jeffrey J. Swab, founder of Swab Consulting LLC, will present a Richard E. Tressler Award lecture examining several decades of advances in mechanical characterization methods that have improved the understanding, quality, consistency and reliability of advanced ceramic materials. He will focus on key developments in mechanical testing and fracture analysis that have shaped modern ceramic design and qualification practices.
"A Wunderkabinett: Bookbinding and Book and Paper Conservation" — 4 p.m., April 23, Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library, University Park campus. Renate Mesmer, whose craftsmanship, technical expertise and dedication to teaching have earned her broad recognition in the international conservation community, will deliver the University Libraries’ 2026 William D. Minter Lectureship in Conservation.
"Recovering Lost Voices: Yiddish Women’s Literature in Translation” – 2-3:30 p.m., April 27, via Zoom. Lois Rubin, emeritus associate professor of English, taught literature and composition at Penn State New Kensington for 31 years. This lecture will explore efforts to recover, translate and publish works by Yiddish women writers, introducing their lives and literature and highlighting the insights these texts offer into women’s experiences and historical Jewish communities.
In-person exhibits
‘What Once Was’ – Through April 24, Sheetz Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. A body of work by Visual Arts Studies (VAST) student, Grace Brown rooted in nostalgia and the longing for moments shaped by her childhood memories, relationships and familiar places.
‘Blood is Thicker Than Water’ – Through April 24, McLanahan Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. A body of work by Visual Arts Studies (VAST) student Richard Mitchell exploring family, memory and the emotions that shape who he has become.
"Who Wears the Pants?! Fashion History One Leg at a Time" – Through April 26, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. The exhibition in the Barbara and Lee Maimon Teaching Gallery, organized by Charlene Gross, associate professor of theater in costume design, and Keri Mongelluzzo, educator for academic engagement and access at the Palmer, explores the often-complex history of who wore pants, who didn’t and why it matters.
“Unmuting the Noise” — April 30 through May 7, Sheetz Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. A body of work by Visual Arts Studies student Makenzie Kunkle inspired by the feelings and emotions that surface from music. A reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, in the Center’s Titelman Study.
“The Warning” — April 30 through May 7, McLanahan Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. A body of work by Visual Arts Studies student Talon McKendree exploring the dangers of advanced technologies, such as social media and artificial intelligence through visual metaphors and bright colors. A reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, in the Center’s Titelman Study.
"Malaysian WWII Oral Histories: A Digital / Virtual Art Exhibition" – Through May 1, Freyberger Gallery, Berks campus. Created by Cheryl L. Nicholas, associate professor of communication arts and sciences at Penn State Berks, the exhibition draws directly from her Malaysian WWII Oral Histories Project, which opened to a crowd of 3,000 at Perak Museum in Malaysia in 2023. Viewers will walk through a Malaysian house facade into a digital experience, where they can watch videos, listen to interviews, and experience an interactive VR environment, which includes artifacts from family collections.
Student art exhibit – Through May 1, Friedman Art Gallery, Wilkes-Barre campus. Artwork created by students enrolled in the "Renaissance through Modern Times," "Perceiving the Arts," "Rhetoric and Composition" and "Crime and Detection in World Literature" courses will have their artwork on display.
“Squeeze Me In” – Through May 2, Woksob Family Gallery, downtown State College. This exhibition features artworks created by Beatrice Opokua Atencah, John M. Anderson assistant teaching professor of art in the College of Arts and Architecture’s School of Visual Arts. The exhibition explores how identity is rediscovered and transformed through clothing by combining craft processes — dyeing, sewing and beading — with spatial considerations and the complex history of corsetry as frameworks for examining acceptance and belonging.
"Like It Is" – Through May 9, Ronald K. DeLong Gallery, Lehigh Valley campus. This exhibit features the work of abstract artist Femi J. Johnson. Johnson was born in Manhattan, New York, and raised in Easton, Pennsylvania. His early talent in graphite and charcoal led to a professional career as a master draftsman and designer for companies in Pennsylvania and New York before he returned his focus to fine art.
"Insistent Presence: Contemporary African Art from the Chazen Collection" – Through May 10, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. The exhibition presents 40 works of sculpture, painting, ceramics, printmaking and photography by 22 living artists who have lived and worked on the African continent or in the diaspora.
"Playing Favorites: Highlights from the Special Collections Library" – Through May 13, 104 Paterno Library, University Park campus. For this endeavor, those who teach, catalog, research, acquire, curate and describe rare book and archival materials were invited to choose one or two items to share with a wider audience — in hopes that visitors will be enraptured with the eclectic results.
"Refugee" – Through June 5, Woskob Family Gallery, 146 S. Allen St., Downtown State College. An exhibition of large-scale paintings created by School of Visual Arts alumnus Michael Fratangelo.
“Sweet Solidarity: Portraits of Learning and Liberation” – Through June 8, Exhibition Cases, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. Jasmine Cho’s work intertwines activism, artistry, and culinary creativity to explore the intricate relationship between food, cultural identity, and community care. Through the unique medium of pastry art, she invites visitors to reflect on how our shared experiences and culinary traditions can nourish not just the body, but also the spirit of solidarity among diverse communities.
Center for Arts and Crafts Artist and Instructor Exhibition – Through June 8, Exhibition cases, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. The exhibition features artwork by instructors and students from Penn State’s Center for Arts and Crafts, representing a range of classes and workshops. The annual exhibition highlights a variety of craft materials and techniques and reflects the ways artists learn from and influence one another.
“Expanding the Collection: Recent Acquisitions” – Through June 14, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Reflecting the nearly encyclopedic nature of the Palmer’s permanent collection, new acquisitions represent a wide range of cultures, time periods, and artistic approaches. In this exhibition, a wide range of artistic pieces cover the continued relevance of art throughout history and into today. The exhibit also offers insight into how works of art enter the museum’s holdings. All collecting is guided by the museum’s Collections Plan, which defines the scope of the collection, identifies areas for growth, and establishes priorities to ensure that each acquisition contributes meaningfully to the museum’s mission and long-term vision.
“Puss an dawg nuh have di same luck” – Through July 19, Art Alley, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. Krystle Lemonias’s multifaceted art practice explores the intersections of labor, identity, and social justice, providing a powerful commentary on the experiences of Black immigrants and the complexities of working-class life. Her work not only highlights the often-overlooked contributions of these individuals to society but also challenges the stereotypes associated with their roles in the workforce.
“Through Different Eyes: Industrial Worlds by Women Artists” – Through December, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery, University Park campus. This exhibit explores the lives of women artists in 20th-century industrial Pennsylvania through their artwork and premiers the curatorial work of undergraduate students Alexis Woodring, a public relations major, and Gabriella Heidorn, an art history major with a minor in French and Francophone studies, who both have special interests in American art.
“Hybrid Zones” – Through March 8, 2027, HUB Gallery, University Park campus. “Hybrid Zones” is an immersive exploration of the post-industrial landscape of Eastern Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region. Through drawing, photography, and video installation, the artists trace the environmental and psychological imprint of centuries of resource extraction. In this powerful new body of work, Rachel Bacon and Meredith Davenport confront the entanglement of human and nonhuman systems, reflecting on how deeply industrial history is inscribed into the land—and into us.
"The Way I Saw It: A Photography Retrospective" – Through Aug. 1, 2027, Penn State All-Sports Museum, University Park campus. “The Way I Saw It” celebrates the work of Penn State alumnus Pat Little, who started out with the Daily Collegian and spent over three decades as a photojournalist with the Centre Daily Times, Associated Press and Reuters. Starting from a million photo negatives then narrowed down to a set of 5,000 photographs, the exhibit presents a final curated collection of 100 unique and powerful images of Penn State athletes, coaches, venues and fans, shot by Little between 1977 and 2005.
Virtual exhibits and online resources
In addition to in-person events, a number of virtual exhibits and online resources are available through University departments. The Palmer Museum of Art and Penn State University Libraries offer a rotating selection of historical and artistic collections to view via their websites, as well as other online resources.