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
Bach's Lunch – 12:10-12:45 p.m., Jan. 22, 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.
DaBaby Welcome Back Concert – 8 p.m., Jan. 23, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. Multi-platinum, chart-topping hip-hop artist DaBaby will headline a concert, which will also feature music by DJ JA and a live performance from rising artist Slickk Lando.
U.S. Naval Academy Band – 7 p.m., Jan. 24, Pullo Center, York campus. The Naval Academy Band proudly presents a performance of the iconic jazz album Birth of the Cool. This concert celebrates 2026 as the 250th in the history of the United States of America and the 100th anniversary of the birthday of one of the most important and influential American musicians, Miles Davis. Free. Ticket required.
Annual MLK Day play – 2 p.m., Jan. 24 and 25, Multiple locations. Penn State Harrisburg’s School of Humanities, in partnership with the Sankofa African American Theatre Company, will present two performances of its annual Martin Luther King Day play. This year’s production, The Artistry and Activism of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, explores the life and legacy of the influential 19th-century writer, abolitionist, and activist. Free.
Tiger Lily Trio – 5-6:30 p.m., Jan. 26, School of Music Recital Hall, University Park campus. Tiger Lily Trio is a faculty-ensemble-in residence at the University of Delaware School of Music. The trio specializes in performances of contemporary literature by living composers and is dedicated to performing the music of marginalized composers and active in commissioning new works for the medium. Free.
Drum Tao – 7:30 p.m., Jan. 27, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Drum Tao presents a performance of powerful and athletic drumming, blending traditional wadaiko (Japanese drums) with modern energy and theatrical flair. Drum Tao shows feature vibrant costumes, dramatic synchronized drumming, and movement set to a variety of traditional Japanese flutes, harps, and the massive taiko drums.
"Composers of the Holocaust Era and Beyond" – 7 p.m., Jan. 28, Sutherland Auditorium, Abington campus. The Meiravi Quartet will feature works by composers whose lives were impacted by the Holocaust along with an original piece inspired by the actions of one brave youth. The musicians bring this powerful repertoire to the stage with narrator Avi Nocella, who will provide context to illuminate the musical selections. Free.
Jason Aldean: Full Throttle Tour 2026 – 7:30 p.m., Jan. 29, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. Jason Aldean will perform at Penn State with special guests Nate Smith, Lanie Gardner and Dee Jay Silver as part of his Full Throttle Tour.
Events
Schuylkill Art Space Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and artist reception – 4:30 p.m., Jan. 22, Classroom Building, Room 100, Schuylkill campus. Members of the campus and local community are invited to tour the newly furnished Art Space and learn more about its role in supporting arts and culture at Penn State Schuylkill. An artist reception and gallery talk with Ibiyinka “Ibi” Alao, whose exhibition will be on display in Art Space, will follow the opening.
Creative Studio at the Palmer: Mandalas – 5:30-7:30 p.m., Jan. 22, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Draw repeated patterns to build complex designs around a circular path and enjoy the meditative and introspective process. Hosted by Erin E. Carter, assistant teaching professor of creative arts therapies, and Erin Bolger Welsh, art educator, these sessions offer art-based creative activities designed to encourage relaxation, connection with others, and rejuvenation of spirit. Free.
Shaver’s Creek Opening Day Hike – 1 p.m., Jan. 24, Shaver’s Creek, Petersburg, Pennsylvania. Kick off Shaver's Creek's milestone 50th anniversary year with various naturalist-led hike options for all ages. Stick around after the hike for games, snacks and hot cocoa by the fire. Registration required.
Family Gardening Club – 1:30-3:30 p.m., Jan. 25, the Arboretum at Penn State, University Park campus. This monthly program series will take place on Sunday afternoons from January to June. Participants will receive all the supplies necessary to grow six seasonally appropriate plant varieties from seed to harvest, including seeds, soil, and full-size containers suitable for small outdoor spaces. Registration required.
Open Dance Class – 1-2:15 p.m., Jan. 25, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Altoona campus. Penn State Altoona will host open dance classes for those 18 and older, featuring movement and engagement through modern dance technique and improvisation. Dancers of all levels, styles, backgrounds and experiences are welcome. Free.
Nature Sketching – 10-11:30 a.m., Jan. 27, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. This drop-in class for adults explores a variety of art materials and techniques to connect art and nature. Each class wraps up with an informal “salon,” during which participants share their artwork and what inspired them. All experience levels are welcome. Free.
Yoga and Mindfulness at the Palmer – Noon, Jan. 28, 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. Free.
Palmer Art Kids – 2-3 p.m., Jan. 28, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Preschool children and their caregivers will discover fascinating works of art, listen to engaging stories, and create hands-on crafts inspired by the museum’s collection. Through sensory-rich experiences, young learners will strengthen their connection to art while expressing themselves creatively. Registration required. Free.
Bird Walk – 8-8:30 a.m., Jan. 29, 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.
Up Close at the Palmer: A Sensory Exploration – 5-7:30 p.m., Jan. 29, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Explore objects from the Palmer's handling collection that are not currently on view. Get close, feel the textures, notice the details, and discover the stories these objects tell when they’re experienced through touch. Staff will be on hand to guide examinations and answer questions. Free.
Lectures
“Written in Wind and Water? The Evolving Right to a Healthy Environment in Climate Litigation” – 11:30 a.m., Jan. 22, 117 Earth and Engineering Sciences Building, University Park campus and via Zoom. The Penn State Climate Consortium will host its next Climate Conversation Café featuring Jonathan Marks, professor of bioethics, humanities, law and philosophy at Penn State.
Book Talk: “Silver Stories” by Micaela Amateau Amato – 12:30 p.m., Jan. 23, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Author, artist, and Penn State professor emerita Micaela Amateau Amato will talk with Sarah Rich, associate professor of art history about “Silver Stories,” which invites readers into a lyrical exploration of memory, injustice, love, trauma, and the mystical power of voice.
“Imaging Deformation Processes in Areas Prone to Natural Hazards with Satellite Geodesy” – Noon, Jan. 23, 401 Steidle Building, University Park campus and via Zoom. Christelle Wauthier, associate professor of geosciences at Penn State, will deliver a talk on how volcanic unrest and associated hazards, such as eruptions, landslides, earthquakes and tsunamis, can be better understood through the imaging of surface displacements over time.
Ashtekar Frontiers of Science Lecture: "Origins" – 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Jan. 24, 001 Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Building, University Park campus. Suvrath Mahadevan, Verne M. Willaman Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Tom Stewart, assistant professor of biology, will deliver talks focused one of the big societal questions that drive research in the Eberly College of Science under the theme "Unexpected pairings: Addressing today’s biggest societal questions using different disciplinary approaches."
Paul Hendrickson – 5:30 p.m., Jan. 26, Kern Auditorium, University Park campus. Award-winning author, journalist and Penn State alumnus Paul Hendrickson will be the featured guest during a public lecture and Q&A session. Hendrickson has authored eight books, most recently “Fighting the Night: Iwo Jima, World War II, and a Flyer’s Life,” which provides an account of his father piloting a Black Widow night fighter on Iwo Jima in the last part of World War II.
“Sustainability Careers in Nonprofits” – Noon-1 p.m., Jan. 28, via Zoom. Sustain Penn State will host “Sustainability Careers in Nonprofits,” a virtual career panel from noon until 1 p.m. on Jan. 28, designed to help students explore the benefits and challenges of working in sustainability-focused nonprofit organizations.
“Brutal Intelligence and Vulgar Sophistication: The Smithsons’ Mies-Image” – 4 p.m., Jan. 28, Stuckeman Family Jury Space, Stuckeman School, University Park campus and via Zoom. Mark Linder, author and professor of architecture in the Syracuse University School of Architecture, will deliver a lecture hosted by the Department of Architecture.
In-person exhibits
"My FireFlies – Creating Peacemakers in Our Region" – Through Feb. 27, Art Space, Classroom Building, Room 100, Schuylkill campus. An exhibition by Ibiyinka “Ibi” Alao, an internationally recognized artist, architect and author whose work explores themes of peace, childhood memory and renewal. He earned a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Ife in Nigeria and won first place among artists from 61 countries in the United Nations International Arts Competition. He also serves as a United Nations Arts Ambassador.
“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.
"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.
“Through Different Eyes: Industrial Worlds by Women Artists” – Through December 2026, 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.
"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.