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., March 19, 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.
"America at 250" – 7:30 p.m., March 19, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. The Nittany Valley Symphony will celebrate styles and genres that define the collective sound of the United States with the program “America at 250.” The program highlights multiple different styles and genres, from jazz to popular song, from Broadway to Hollywood.
Brandon Lake – 7 p.m., March 20, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. Award-winning performer Brandon Lake will bring the King of Hearts Tour to Penn State with special guests Franni Cash and Pat Barrett.
Rhapsody Series: “The Soldier’s Tale” – 4 p.m., March 22, School of Music Recital Hall, University Park campus. Audiences will experience Stravinsky’s theatrical masterpiece, "The Soldier’s Tale," presented by trumpet professor George Carpten IV and faculty colleagues. This witty and poignant fable combines music, narration and staging to explore themes of temptation, ambition and destiny in a performance both timeless and fresh.
Fanoos Ensemble – 7:30 p.m., March 24, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Fanoos Ensemble features four musicians from the world-renowned Fanoos family as they perform songs on traditional instruments in the Afghan classical style, at the crossroads of Persian poetry, Hindustani rhythms, Central Asian and Western harmonies and improvisation. Registration required.
Malcolm Todd with Laundry Day — 8 p.m., March 24, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. The Penn State University Student Programming Association (SPA) Concerts Committee welcomes Malcolm Todd, a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and producer known for his unique blend of indie pop, alternative R&B and bedroom pop. Also performing is Laundry Day, a New York City-based pop-rock band known for blurring the genres of indie pop, alternative rock and hip-hop.
Events
National Women's History Month – Through March, multiple campuses. Penn State student organizations and units at campuses across the commonwealth are offering events during National Women’s History Month, held during the month of March each year.
Poetry reading by Danielle Ryle — 4 p.m., March 19, 102 Burrowes Building, University Park campus. Accomplished poet Danielle Ryle will offer a reading and Q&A session. Ryle's work has appeared in Seneca Review, Appalachian Review, and Cordella among others, as well as her chapbook "Fetching My Sister." Her new book of poems, “Philomel, Whose Reputation Precedes Her” (Lit Fox Books, 2025), measures the distance between a poetic form and a form to fill out.
Creative Studio at the Palmer: Circles in Sound & Motion – 5:30-7:30 p.m., March 19, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Use clay to build art intended for movement, sound or adornment. Create textured circles to become a windchime, necklace, magnet or something else of your choice and enjoy the relaxing effect of shaping clay. 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.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: La Estancia — From Argentina to Your Table – March 19, 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.
Guided forest walk with Ethan Tapper — 10-11:30 a.m., March 23, Arboretum at Penn State, University Park campus. Forester and author Ethan Tapper will lead a guided forest walk as one of multiple events exploring the intersection of ecology, land stewardship and storytelling during his visit to campus.
"Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future" — Noon, March 26, Fireside Lounge, Slep Student Center, Altoona campus. In this panel discussion for Women's History Month, women leaders from the region will share how they are driving environmental, social and economic sustainability in their communities. Free.
Art After Hours: College Couture – 5-8 p.m., March 26, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Show off your fit and celebrate fashion during this edition of Art After Hours. Hear from experts about special exhibition “Who Wears the Pants?! Fashion History One Leg at a Time” and take a front-row seat for an in-gallery fashion show. Discover your own aesthetic through a fun art-making activity, explore artistic style with an interactive scavenger hunt, and enjoy light refreshments.
Reading by Tyler Mills — 6 p.m., March 25, Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library, University Park campus. Acclaimed poet, essayist and educator Tyler Mills will offer a reading as part of this year's Mary E. Rolling Reading Series. Free.
Wet Weather Biking 101 — 6:15-7:15 p.m., March 26, Bike Den, University Park campus. Workshop instructors will share tips to keep cyclists safe and bikes in working order during seasonal rain. As this is an indoor, classroom-style workshop, a bicycle will not be required for participation.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: March Madness — March 26, 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.
Planetarium show — 7 p.m., March 26, Allied Health Building White Box (Room 115), Mont Alto campus. Participants can explore the night sky, fly around solar system objects, and immerse themselves as they enter one of many astronomy-themed full-dome videos. Hosted by Penn State Mont Alto associate professor of physics and astronomy Kim Herrmann, evening planetarium shows will be offered to the public.
Lectures
Beekeeping Around the World: Northern Quebec – Noon, March 19, via Zoom. Penn State Extension will host a webinar series for those interested in learning about beekeeping practices and challenges in different parts of the world. Each week will feature a different location, and presenters will discuss what beekeeping is like there.
Tolkien’s Middle-earth – 12:15 p.m., Thursday, March 19, 139 Hawthorn Building, Altoona campus. Penn State Altoona alumnus Carl Sell and Nick Katsiadas will discuss their co-edited collection of essays, “Tolkien's Medievalism in Ruins: The Function of Relics and Ruins in Middle-earth,” and the collection's path to publication.
“Fighting Crime with Feathers: The Casebook of a Forensic Ornithologist” – 6-7:30 p.m., March 19, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus and via Zoom. What connects true crime with carved hornbill skulls, Harpy Eagle headdresses and hummingbird love charms? In the 2026 Avian Lecture, Pepper Trail will describe his unique career as senior forensic ornithologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, a subject which illustrates the vital role of wildlife law enforcement in bird conservation.
"Emerging Water Issues in PA: Managing Pollutant Threats" – Noon, March 20, via Zoom. Sherri “Sam” Mason, director of Project NePTWNE at Gannon University, and Heather Preisendanz, professor of agricultural and biological engineering and director of the Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science at Penn State, will talk about how awareness of novel pollutants like microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or “forever chemicals” has raised new questions about safely managing this critical resource and reducing the threats to human health and ecological integrity.
A conversation with Leah Wellbaum — 4:30-5:30 p.m., March 24, 62 Willard Building, University Park campus. Critically acclaimed musician, visual artist, writer and teacher Leah Wellbaum will visit Penn State for a conversation on music, communication and creativity.
"Failure, Pivots and Building What Lasts" — 12:15 p.m., March 25, Perkins Student Center Lion's Den, Berks campus. Justin Rosenberg, founder of honeygrow and Penn State alumnus, will lead a luncheon conversation. Free. Registration required.
2026 Richard B. Lippin Lecture in Ethics — 6 p.m., March 25, Freeman Auditorium, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. In this lecture, acclaimed science-fiction author Ted Chiang will consider the incompatibility between generative AI and art, a subject that he has examined extensively in his fiction, as well as in essays published in venues like The New Yorker.
Gallery Talk + Conversation: Who Wears the Pants?! – 6 p.m., March 26, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. Enjoy an interdisciplinary gallery conversation about special exhibition “Who Wears the Pants?! Fashion History One Leg at a Time” with Charlene Gross, Associate Professor of Costume Design and Director of the Fashion Archive.
In-person exhibits
"Rough It Out" – Through March 28, Patterson Gallery, University Park campus. Through "Rough It Out," Katie Talis explores the profound parallels between the cycles of life and the transformative journey of clay. From raw earth to refined ceramic, clay reflects how hardship can transform people into stronger, more compassionate individuals.
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.
“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.