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An estimated crowd of more than 7,000 amateur athletes, coaches and families is expected to descend on Happy Valley starting Friday for the biennial State Games of America, a 10-day, Olympic-style sports festival that welcomes competitors from at least 45 states.
The event is organized by the National Congress of State Games, a nonprofit member of a U.S.
Olympics/Paralympics council.
Each participating state sends its top-3 winners in each event to the national competition, which is held around Centre County this year and was last hosted by San Diego, California, in 2024.
Our goal was to bring this event to Happy Valley because its such a large-scale national event that brings people from every state and its also benefitting our local hospitality industry, local official Meghan Boyle told the CDT.
Theyre coming over a two-week period, so that gives them a chance to check out what we have to offer in Happy Valley.
Two local partner organizations, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) and Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA), have helped organize this years edition of the State Games of America.
According to Boyle, who serves as HVSEAs director of event operations, the area is expected to benefit from an economic impact that exceeds $5 million.
About 2,500 local hotel rooms alone have already been booked through a link available only to competing athletes and their families, Boyle said.
More than 30 sports from archery to golf to wrestling will award gold, silver and bronze medals at venues around the Centre Region.
Although most sports will take place at Penn State venues, there will also be events at Bellefonte Area High School (track and field), Ferguson Townships Arena Bar & Grill (darts) and Northland Bowling (bowling), Harris Townships John Hess Field (archery), Patton Townships Nittany Valley Sports Centre (multiple), and State Colleges Ramada Inn (boxing) and Holmes-Foster Park (bocce).
All events are open to the public, but tickets must be purchased online and start at $23.
The Games technically kick off Friday, July 24, but only ice hockey begins play that day.
About nine other sports will see events Saturday, as the Games continue through Aug.
2.
Some sports will need just a single day to award medals, while others will be held over multiple days.
Bowling and figure skating will both be held over a six-day period, for example, from July 28 to Aug.
2.
This is going to make an incredible impact on the community, especially economic impact-wise, Boyle added.
Its an incredible opportunity to introduce thousands of families and athletes to Happy Valley.
So, they might not be familiar with Happy Valley they might recognize it as a home to Penn State but were hoping to widen their eyes.
Famed acrobat to perform The opening ceremony for the State Games of America will actually take place near the end of the sports festival, July 31, because more athletes will be on-hand then and attendees should see a familiar (performing) face.
Chinese-American acrobat Rong Niu, better known as Red Panda, is set to perform during the festivities at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Red Panda is known for riding a tall unicycle and catching bowls on her head, and shes performed during several Penn State basketball halftimes over the years.
Red Panda isnt the only highlight at the ceremony, which is open to the public but also costs $29.40 for adults (and $18.60 for children under the age of 13).
The event will also feature the Parade of Athletes, a ceremonial lighting of the cauldron, appearances by the State College Spikes mascots and a cameo by British cyclist/BMX gold medalist Charlotte Worthington.
According to Boyle, the ceremony should last about 90 minutes.
The event starts 7:30 p.m.
July 31, and doors open at 6:30 p.m.
More information about tickets can be found at bjc.psu.edu/state-games-america-opening-ceremony.
Schedule of events Officials said traffic congestion shouldnt largely be an issue outside of the opening ceremony, and all events are open to the public.
(More on tickets farther below.) Here is a list of all the planned sporting events.
Please note that start times apply only to the first day of each sports competition and could vary on other days.
- July 24-26 (8 a.m.): Ice Hockey at Pegula Ice Arena - July 25 (8 a.m.): Badminton at IM Building - July 25 (9 a.m.): Bocce at Holmes-Foster Park Bocce Courts - July 25 (2 p.m.): Darts at Arena Bar and Grill - July 25 (TBD): Jiu Jitsu at Nittany Valley Sports Centre - July 25 (9 a.m.): Racquetball at IM Building - July 25 (TBD): TaeKwonDo at Nittany Valley Sports Centre - July 25 (9 a.m.): Racquetball at IM Building - July 25 (7:30 a.m.
weigh-ins): Wrestling at Nittany Valley Sports Centre - July 25-26 (10 a.m.): Basketball Shooting at IM Building - July 26 (TBD): Judo at Nittany Valley Sports Centre - July 26 (TBD): Karate at Nittany Valley Sports Centre - July 28-Aug.
2 (8 a.m.): Bowling at Northland Bowling - July 28-Aug.
2 (TBD): Figure Skating at Pegula Ice Arena - July 29 (10 a.m.): 5K Run/Walk at PSU Golf Course Trail - July 29 (9 a.m.): Disc Golf at Bernel Road Park Disc Golf - July 29 (9 a.m.): Pickleball Singles at IM Building - July 30 (9 a.m.): Pickleball Doubles at IM Building - July 30-31 (8 a.m.): Swimming Short Course (Youth) at McCoy Natatorium - July 31 (9 a.m.): Archery at John Hess Field - July 31 (9 a.m.): Pickleball Mixed Doubles at IM Building - July 31 (8 a.m.): Swimming Long Course (Youth) at McCoy Natatorium - July 31-Aug.
1 (TBD): Gymnastics at Nittany Valley Sports Centre - July 31-Aug.
1 (TBD): Track & Field (Youth) at Bellefonte Area HS - July 31-Aug.
2 (TBD): Yoga at Nittany Valley Sports Centre - Aug.
1 (TBD): Baton Twirling at Nittany Valley Sports Centre - Aug.
1 (TBD): Boxing at Ramada Inn Conference Center - Aug.
1 (TBD): Dodgeball at IM Building - Aug.
1 (10 a.m.): Football/Softball Throw at IM Field - Aug.
1 (8 a.m.): Golf at Penn State Golf Courses - Aug.
1 (10 a.m.): Powerlifting at IM Building - Aug.
1 (8 a.m.): Table Tennis at IM Building - Aug.
1-2 (8 a.m.): Tennis at IM Building - Aug.
2 (10 a.m.): Cornhole Tailgate at IM Field - Aug.
2 (8 a.m.): Masters Swimming Long Course at McCoy Natatorium - Aug.
2 (TBD): Track & Field (Open/Masters) at Bellefonte Area HS How to get tickets Tickets can only be purchased online, and no in-person ticket sales are available even at the hosting venues.
Tickets can be purchased for a specific day, which then entitles the ticket-holder to attend any and all events that day, or for the entire duration of the Games.
Day passes are $23, which includes a $3 processing fee, while the all-event pass that spans all days is $41 (and includes a $6 processing fee).
Neither the all-day pass nor the all-event pass includes admission to the opening ceremony at the Bryce Jordan Center.
The tickets can be purchased on Hometown Ticketing via the State Games of America website.
More information can be found at event.racereach.com/keysg-admissions.