Downtown State College Improvement District’s (DSCID) annual Sips and Sounds Downtown returned for a third year of craft beverages, food and live music on Friday in Sidney Friedman Park.
The event featured craft vendors from the Central PA Tasting Trail, a local nonprofit geared toward promotions of local craft beverage producers, from wineries to breweries, offering tastings and experiences in the region.
“The event was born out of a community survey and lots of feedback from our local residents on ways that they can engage in the summer,” DSCID executive director Lee Anne Jeffries said. “It’s especially exciting to be able to drink alcohol downtown because we have an open container ordinance, so this is a way for people to enjoy outside in the summer and bring the community together.”
Last year, the free-admission event attracted over 1,200 attendees.
“This is the third year that the Central PA Tasting Trail has been a part of the event with the Downtown State College District,” Tasting Trail managing director Celesta Powell said. “Our real kind of connection and motivation is to have a really great summer opportunity for people to be outside and enjoy the downtown environment.”
This year’s event featured 814 Cider Works, Antifragile Brewing Co., Axemann Brewery, Barrel 21 Distillery, Big Spring Spirits, Boal City Brewing, Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery, Otto’s Pub & Brewery and University Wine Company, with alcohol-free options provided by Happy Valley Nomadic Spirits and Moody Culture Kombucha.
“We really love that we’re returning to the Sydney Friedman Park,” Powell said. “This is our second year there, and it’s probably one of the most perfect parks to have a community event in State College. We love the fact that it is family-friendly. It’s just this easy approach.”
In addition to drinks, food was also available from Juana’s Venezuelan Cuisine, Uncle John’s Jawns, Island Noodles, The Windy Wagon and Naughty Nutz.
A variety of sounds filled the air as well, with live music by Honey Pie from 4 to 6 p.m. and Coal Aly from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m.
“We really try to make a really low-key event,” Powell said. “Our focus is not alcohol. Our focus is people coming out and being able to really have a normalized activity… It’s a lot of effort and a lot of lift to put an event somewhere that it doesn’t normally exist.”
Sips and Sounds was made possible through grant from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Board of Commissioners.
The post
State College Celebrates Local Food and Drink at 3rd Sips & Sounds Festival
appeared first on
.
