Vitruvius Celebrates Another Arts Fest

by Jeff Brown, Vitruvius Chapter, Penn State
September 3, 2005

At most colleges when finals end, students rush back to their dorms, apartment, or rented houses to pack up their things and leave for the summer. This happens at Penn State, but with one exception. When Penn Staters leave for summer vacation they don't wish their friends "a great summer and see you in the fall". They wish them "a great summer and see you at Arts Fest." Arts Fest is the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts held every July, typically between the 10th and 20th. Crafters come from all over the country to invade this small town with a big university.

The venders line the streets of State College with tents filled with wooden spoons, ceramic goods, paintings, photographs, digital pictures, metal sculptures, rocking chairs, brooms, and many other interesting things to be sold. These items are browsed over under the umbrella of live music from one of the many stages set up around town, while the food vendors sell funnel cake, turkey legs, crab cakes, chocolate covered strawberries, and many other fair favorites.

This weekend long bazaar gives students an excuse to return to Old State from wherever they have settled for the summer. APX brothers both active and alumni flock to the house during this week. The front porch is usually filled with brothers, significant others, and friends all laughing and sharing their stories from the summer and time in APX. The porch of the Vitruvius house sits about 10ft. above the street, which allows for an excellent view of the activity on the street below.

Arts Fest has been going on for many years and will continue to beckon both alumni and college students back to State College for a weekend of fun during the month of July.