Arts and Entertainment

Things to Do at Penn State: Dec. 7-31

A selection of cultural events happening on campus this weekend and next

The Arboretum at Penn State will host its annual Winter Celebration on Dec. 8 at University Park campus. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Editor's Note: This is the final edition of 'Things to Do at Penn State' for the semester. The column will resume publication with the start of spring classes.

What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events taking place at the University from Dec. 7 through the end of the calendar year:

Performances

Fall Festival of Plays7 p.m., Dec. 7, Perkins Student Center Auditorium, Penn State Berks. The Penn State Berks Theatre Department will present a showcase of student written and produced plays. Free.

Tuba Christmas1 p.m., Dec. 9, Reed Union Building, Penn State Behrend. Student, amateur and professional low-brass musicians perform songs of the season. Free.

The NutcrackerDec. 9-10, Eisenhower Auditorium. The Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania presents the classic ballet. 

PAW Patrol Live! The Great Pirate AdventureDec. 12-13, Bryce Jordan Center. Preschoolers' favorite pups take to the stage for an action-packed musical adventure.

Events

De-Stress FestDec. 5-14, Various locations. The University Libraries offers its semesterly de-stress event. Free.

Campus and Community Sustainability Expo4:30-6:30 p.m., Dec. 7, State College Municipal Building. Students will showcase their semester-long projects. Free.

Winter Celebration 5-7 p.m., Dec. 8, the Arboretum at Penn State. The arboretum will host its annual event featuring holiday displays and seasonal music. Free.

Candle Lighting5 p.m., Dec. 12, Old Main Lawn. Penn State Hillel and Chabad will mark the start of Hanukkah with a community candle lighting. Free.

Lectures

Sustainability Showcase Noon, Dec. 8, third floor, Huck Life Sciences Bridge. Heidi Kunka, director of the Central Pennsylvania United States Green Building Council, will be the final speaker for the fall semester. Free.

Exhibits

"Field to Front: Nittany Lions at War, 1917-1919"  April 23, 2017-April 30, 2018, the Penn State All-Sports Museum. The exhibit chronicles the contributions of Nittany Lion lettermen during World War I and follows their service from training in the U.S. to fighting in France and Italy. Free.

"Asher B. Durand: To Begin Again" — Sept. 5-Dec. 10, Palmer Museum of Art. This exhibit focuses on the early career of this leading artist of the Hudson River School. Free.

"BIG Deal: Sizeable Paintings" — Sept. 5-Dec. 17, Palmer Museum of Art. The museum showcases some of its monumental canvases from its permanent collection, many of which have not been on view in recent years. Free.

"Minna Citron after Atelier 17" — Sept. 5-Dec. 10, Palmer Museum of Art. Four decades of printmaking by artist Minna Citron. Free.

"The History of Pattee Library and Paterno Library" — Oct. 3, 2017-Jan. 15, 2018, Pattee Library. This exhibit chronicles the University Libraries' 162-year history at University Park campus. Free.

"Keith Lemley: A Theory of Everything" — Oct. 26, 2017-Sept. 30, 2018, Woskob Family Gallery, 146 S. Allen St., State College. Penn State alumnus and artist Keith Lemley will craft a new work that combines maple and neon and unify them through geometry and form. Free.

"They Have Names" — Nov. 3-Dec. 31, various locations at University Park campus and State College. The internationally recognized photo exhibit showcases the children of Syrian, Afghani and Iraqi refugees. Free.

"Esemplastic"Dec. 4-8, Patterson Gallery. Students in ART 430: Advanced Sculpture display their work. Free.

Last Updated December 7, 2017