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
"Our Town" – Through April 18, Playhouse Theatre, University Park campus. Penn State Centre Stage presents Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” directed by Steve Snyder. Set in Grover’s Corners, Our Town” unfolds with the tender, familiar and fading beauty of lilacs in spring, tracing the lives of the Gibbs and Webb families as they discover love, deal with loss, and come to understand the quiet miracle of everyday life.
Penn State Jazz Festival – Through April 11, Pine Grove Hall, University Park campus. The Penn State Jazz Festival will showcase four days of extraordinary performances featuring acclaimed artists, rising talent, and bold musical exploration.
Bach's Lunch – 12:10-12:45 p.m., April 9, Eisenhower Chapel, University Park campus. "Bach's Lunch" is a weekly concert series during the school year. These popular concerts are brief in order to make it possible for the University community to attend during the lunch hour. Free.
Living Music Presents: Biennial Community Concert – 7:30-9 p.m., April 9, School of Music Recital Hall, University Park campus. Living Music will present its biennial Community Concert, featuring music by Reena Esmail, Zhou Long, Theresa Martin, and more, performed by PSU students. The concert will showcase the vibrant community across Penn State's School of Music.
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain – 7:30 p.m., April 9, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. The musicians of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain bring their genre-bending covers of well-known songs to Penn State in celebration of the orchestra’s fortieth anniversary. The seven artists, their voices, and their ukuleles lead an evening of light antics and popular hits spanning the 1960s through the twentieth century.
“Non più nascoste” – Multiple performances, April 13-14, School of Music Recital Hall, University Park campus. Penn State Opera in the School of Music and College of Arts and Architecture will present “Non più nascoste," a fully staged Baroque pastiche opera that illuminates the remarkable yet often overlooked musical culture of Venice’s historic orphanages.
Faculty Poetry Reading – 12:10 to 1:20 p.m., April 14, Pond View Lounge, Slep Student Center, Altoona campus. Featuring the poetry of Penn State Altoona faculty Todd Davis, Patricia Jabbeh-Wesley and Erin Murphy.
“Dear John” – 7 p.m., April 15, 16 and 17, Mukund S. Kulkarni Theatre, Student Enrichment Center, University Park campus. Penn State Harrisburg’s School of Humanities will present several options to enjoy the spring concert, titled “Dear John” and including songs by and about famous “Johns.”
“Amor Fati (Love of Fate)” – 7:30 p.m., April 16 and 17, Wolf Kuhn Theatre, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. The Ivyside Dance Ensemble, along with Allied Motion Dance Company, will explore the mythology surrounding the human relationship with celestial figures. The production is created and choreographed by KT Huckabee, teaching professor and coordinator for the performing arts.
"Detroit ‘67" – Multiple performances, April 16-18, Penn State Downtown Theatre, University Park campus. The world is shifting for two siblings running an after-hours joint to make ends meet. Tensions mount when dreams diverge, their tight-knit community is threatened by an outsider and the streets erupt in violence in this riveting new play set to a driving Motown beat.
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.
Bird Walk – 8-9:30 a.m., April 9, 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.
Ambassadors and PSAs: Pop Up Exhibition – 3:30-5 p.m., April 9, and noon-2 p.m., April 10, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Explore a special pop-up exhibition shaped by the shared perspectives of our Ambassadors and Palmer Student Ambassadors (PSAs). It celebrates curiosity and the many ways we see and understand art together. Ambassadors and PSAs will share the stories, questions, and connections that inspired their selections April 9. The exhibition will be open for drop-in viewing and conversations with volunteers April 10.
"Dare to Disrupt" Live 50th Episode – 4-8 p.m., April 9, Struthers Auditorium, Smeal College of Business, University Park campus. Invent Penn State’s "Dare to Disrupt" podcast will celebrate its 50th episode with a live episode recording featuring Penn State alumna, creative entrepreneur, content creator and professional perfumer Asia Grant. The program will begin with a fireside discussion, followed by a live podcast recording with Grant and an audience Q&A. Free. Registration required.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: Jasmine Jardin - From Madrid to MarraKech – April 9, 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.
AnthroFest – 10 a.m.-3 p.m., April 11, the Arboretum at Penn State, University Park campus. The Anthropology Graduate Student Association presents a hands-on, interactive event for all ages to explore the human experience. From pottery-making to excavations to cave painting, this science fair event will showcase the many different ways humans experience and modify the world.
ASME Combat Robotics Tournament – Noon-3 p.m., April 11, Engineering Design and Innovation Building, University Park. The Penn State chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is preparing to host a large-scale combat robotics competition, bringing together 12 student teams from across Penn State’s University Park and Harrisburg campuses to design, build and battle custom-engineered robots.
Nature Sketching – 10-11:30 a.m., April 14, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. This art class for adults explores a variety of art materials and techniques as we connect art and nature. All experience levels are welcome, from beginner to professional. Free.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: Flavors of the Five Rings - From Podiums to Plates – April 14, 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.
Yoga and Mindfulness at the Palmer – Noon, April 15, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation at the museum. All bodies are welcome, and no experience is necessary. This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.
Carnival Dinner – 5-8 p.m., April 15, University Park campus. Penn State Campus Dining will host a Carnival dinner at all University Park, featuring entrees such as chicken on a stick, impossible Greek gyros and corn dogs, as well as a make-your-own lemonade station, a walking taco bar, a soft pretzel and fry bar, and desserts. There will also be face painters, balloon artists and caricaturists.
Wheel Truing Clinic – 6:15-8:15 p.m., April 15, the Bike Den, University Park campus. Participants in this clinic will learn how to true a wheel by adjusting spoke tension to correct lateral, radial, centering and overall tension issues.
SoVA BIPOC Pop-Up Exhibition – 5:30-7:30 p.m., April 16, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Join members of Penn State’s SoVA BIPOC for a one-evening-only pop-up exhibition. Hear from student artists about work they created in response to artwork from the Palmer’s permanent collection.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: La Estancia - From Argentina to Your Table – April 16, 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.
Lectures
"Fostering Healthier Digital Ecosystems Through Prosocial Design and Digital Literacy Interventions" – 12:10 p.m., April 9, E208 Westgate Building, University Park campus. Natalie Bazarova, professor of communication, director of the Social Media Lab and associate vice provost for research at Cornell University, will present a talk hosted by the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series.
“Corrosion-driven electrochemical degradation and quantitative condition assessment of infrastructure systems in United States” – 3:05-4:20 p.m., April 9, 111 Forum Building, University Park campus. Mehrooz Zamanzadeh will give the 2026 David Ford McFarland Award Lecture for Achievement in Metallurgy lecture, examining how corrosion — acting alongside mechanical loading, environmental exposure, and aging — drives major failures in U.S. infrastructure, illustrated through case studies. Zamanzadeh’s presentation will advocate for condition-based assessment frameworks grounded in measurable material-state variables, enabling proactive, data-driven technical management of aging assets rather than reactive repair following failure.
“Beyond the Bell Curve Assumption: Recent Advances in Statistical Graphical Models” – 3:30 p.m., April 9, 201 Thomas Building, University Park campus. Lingzhou Xue, professor of statistics at Penn State, will present a talk as part of the Department of Statistics public lecture series. In his research, Xue explores how to build reliable models and learn from large and complex datasets. Much of his recent work focuses on learning from data collected across diverse sources, and designing models that can support better decision-making in areas such as health, the environment and society.
"Mapping Workshops to Enhance Cartographic and Geographic Research, Education, and Community Engagement" – Noon, April 10, 401 Steidle Building, University Park campus. Robert Roth, professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and director of the UW Cartography Lab, will examine the benefits and potential risks of “map-a-thon”-style workshops and outline strategies to ensure inclusive, ethical and effective collaboration. Roth will also reflect on key insights and partnerships developed through more than a decade of design challenge events, highlighting how cartography labs can support research, teaching and community engagement.
Drop-in Tour: Absence and Presence – 2 p.m., April 12, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Drop in and discover the Palmer’s world-class collections and exhibitions with a friendly and knowledgeable museum guide. Each tour explores a theme, lasts about one hour, and includes close-looking through discussion and experiential learning opportunities.
In Greater Context: Media, Messaging and the Mon Valley - Harold Hayes – 3:30 p.m., April 13, Student Community Center, Greater Allegheny campus. McKeesport native and retired KDKA-TV journalist Harold Hayes will help kick off a new speaker series designed to spark conversations about media literacy and media careers in the Mon Valley. Hayes has covered such memorable stories as Major League Baseball’s 1985 cocaine scandal, the 1990 Pittsburgh mob trials, and the 2005 funeral of Pope John Paul II.
Dreamery Speaker Series: Jordan Mroziak – April 13-14, University Park campus. Penn State Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) Dreamery Speaker Series will host guest speaker Jordan Mroziak, assistant professor at Colorado State University and lead designer of AI Learning at CodeJoy, for three sessions focused on building durable teaching practices through human-centered artificial-intelligence literacy. Mroziak’s Dreamery Speaker Series sessions will be part of TLT AI Fest.
Anderson Lecture: Kang Seung Lee – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., April 14, Foster Auditorium, Patee-Paterno Library, University Park campus. Kang Seung Lee is a multidisciplinary artist, born in South Korea and now living Los Angeles. His work frequently engages the legacy of transnational queer histories, particularly as they intersect with art history.
Raymond Polak – Noon, April 15, Center for Holocaust and Jewish Studies, Harrisburg campus. Raymond Polak will speak on his experiences as a child Holocaust survivor. Polak was born in France in 1943, in the middle of World War II. His mother and grandmother had been transported to Gurs, a concentration camp in the south of France. There his mother met his father, Arthur “Turl” Schnierer, an Austrian Jew who had been captured in Belgium by the Nazis. Registration requested.
“Does Renewable Diesel Clean the Air? Evidence from California Highways” – Noon, April 15, 157 Hosler Building, University Park campus. Gabriel Lade, an associate professor and C. William Swank Chair in Rural-Urban Policy at Ohio State University, will discuss his research using hourly traffic flow data and roadside air quality data alongside satellite nitrogen dioxide measurements from 2016 through 2024 to estimate whether renewable diesel produced detectable changes in the concentration of nitrogen oxides along California's highway corridors.
Oweida Lecture in Journalism Ethics – 6 p.m., April 15, 112 Chambers Building, University Park campus. Patty Michalski, senior vice president of content strategy and innovation for Hearst Newspapers, will give a talk. Throughout her career, Michalski has led newsroom initiatives that center on digital innovation along with content and engagement strategies.
“What’s fueling your future? Embracing the genius of the AND” – 3:05-4:20 p.m., April 16, 111 Forum Building, University Park campus. Tabbetha Dobbins will deliver a lecture that traces her personal and professional journey from clean energy research to leadership in graduate education. Drawing on her work in hydrogen storage and alternative energies, she will explore how scientific curiosity, persistence and passion can serve as “fuel” for one’s future — a drive that later shaped her transition into academic leadership at Rowan University.
“Artificial Intelligence and Moral Status” – 5 p.m., April 16, 062 Willard Building, University Park campus. S. Matthew Liao, a leading scholar in bioethics and moral philosophy at New York University (NYU), will present as part of the Rock Ethics Institute’s “Ethical Technologies” theme for the academic year, which explores the societal and ethical implications of emerging technologies.
"The Ad Hominem Fallacy: The Rhetorical Power of Name-Calling" – 7:30 p.m., April 16, General Studies Building, Mont Alto campus and via Zoom. In this Evening Talk, associate professor of communications David Seitz will provide a colorful lecture.
In-person exhibits
‘Teathers and Ties’ – Through April 10, Sheetz Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. An exhibit of work by visual art studies student Sophie Replogle. Replogle explores how the experiences that shape who we become and the paths we take are endlessly linked to our past, present and future lives.
‘Creating: Whispering Pines’ – Through April 10, McLanahan Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. An exhibit of work by visual art studies student Taylor Wheeler. Wheeler creates a conceptual world made for highlighting the importance of creative labor, concept art and visual development, which takes place behind many beloved shows, movies, graphic novels and other media.
‘What Once Was’ – April 16-24, 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’ – April 16-24, 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.
"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.