• Visit the Magical “Christmas in July” tent– every day during the festival!
  Decorated and sponsored by Christmas Décor by Jabco, Jabco Custom Lawncare and also sponsored by Keystone Payroll, wYs Interior Design and Fullington Tours, this festive space will transport you straight to the North Pole!
  
• Santa’s Grand Entrance, Saturday, July 12 at 11:00 am:
  Catch Santa Claus himself as he arrives on the Centre Hall Fire Company Fire Truck! Be there at 11:00 AM sharp to welcome and meet him! Santa will be available until 4:00 pm.
  
• Snow in Summer? Believe it!
  That’s right, it’ll be snowing in July at the festival!
  
• Christmas Coloring Contest
  Get creative with Christmas Décor by Jabco’s Kids Coloring Contest! Prizes will be sponsored by Keystone Payroll!
  
• Family-Friendly Festivities
  Local charity booths will offer games, prizes, and interactive experiences for all ages.

Sponsored by:

Jabco’s Custom Lawn Care, Christmas Decor by Jabco’s, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, Renewal By Anderson, Keystone Payroll, wYs Interior Design, and Fullington Tours

• Special 30th Anniversary Memory Tent – full of photos and memorabilia from the past 30 years. Sponsored by State College Framing Company, Delectable Delights and Fullington Tours

• Special 30th Anniversary Cake to be cut on Saturday at 2:00 pm under the tent – By Delectable Delights of Centre Hall

• A special 30th Anniversary Commemorative Totebag will be available at the Information Booth – sponsored by Fullington Tours

This is brought to you by Bath Fitter and Kitchen Saver.

Oh, but wait! Ever since its inception, People’s Choice had been held at the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg and that was a large part of its appeal.  Unlike the older, downtown festival, People’s Choice had plenty of wide-open spaces, with room for the kids to run around and play, and for everyone to enjoy the relaxed environment.  After some unsuccessful negotiations with the Military Museum, we had to move to a new venue: Grange Park in Centre Hall.  It’s a very nice place, but quite different from our traditional venue.  

Although most area residents are familiar with the Grange Park because of the annual Grange Fair in August, those from out of the area may not be.  And one of the other things that made things work was the Military Museum proximity to the downtown festival: only a couple of miles away.  Many people came to town to attend both festivals, a symbiotic relationship that boosted the popularity of these annual Central Pennsylvania events. 

So what would happen?  Well, the new venue was a smashing success!  In 2022, we had our largest crowds ever. As co-director Cindy Rockey says, “The music, food, art, kids’ activities and the positive energy was beyond our expectations!” 

And camping spots were available as well, for the first time in the Festival’s history.

So let’s do it again next year!  Our 2023 Festival is scheduled for Thursday July 13^th through Sunday the 16^th.  Applications will be available September 1, 2022.  Artisan applications are due December 1, 2022.  Specialty Food and Winery application are due  February 1, 2023.  Thanks again for supporting our celebration of the arts, music, food and camping in Central PA!

We now offer camping for vendors and visitors!

Grange Park Camping reservations can be made by calling 814-380-1893.

Camping guidelines can be found at grangefair.com

Would you enjoy standing out in the sun on a hot Pennsylvania July day, spending hours and hours by a forge hammering red hot iron? No? We’re lucky, though, that Tim Bradford enjoys just that – and puts his blacksmithing skills on display at the People’s Choice Festival.

Those skills are pretty rare in today’s world, but Tim, who lives in Pleasant Gap, followed in the steps of his father-in-law and keeps the ancient skills alive. And Tim likes to demonstrate his art, “so that people can see how the old-time blacksmiths did their work.” And, he says, it gives people the opportunity to ask questions. “And they have the chance to special order something and watch while it’s being made.”

And what kind of products does Tim create? He says, “My low-end products include J-hooks, leaf hooks, S-hooks, bottle openers and key rings. The key rings vary, but one style is a piece of metal tied in a knot.” But there’s a lot more coming from Tim’s forge. “I make household items for inside the home such as candle holders, chandeliers, fireplace sets, coat racks, basket hangers, and table-top sculptures, some of which perched on rocks.”

Tim’s inventory also includes items for outside the home. “Boot scrapers, plant hangers, dinner bells, flag holders and poles, and hose holders.” Of course, they are all made by hand. With fire. And red-hot metal.

Blacksmithing is, today, almost a lost art. But it’s not entirely lost. There are enough blacksmiths in Pennsylvania that they have an organization: the Pennsylvania Artist-Blacksmiths’ Association, which boasts a membership of 175. And the organization has a tool that old-time blacksmiths did not have: A website. For those who may be interested in exploring blacksmithing, it’s pabasite.org. And by all means, come see Tim Bradford at this year’s People’s Choice Festival. He’s in Booth 1.

(Boalsburg) – The People’s Choice Festival is fortunate to have many specialty food vendors, with scrumptious treats for people of all ages. And, for that matter, for dogs of all ages. Me & My Dog Pet Bakery is one of two specialty food businesses that caters to the canine crowd.

“It was a Sunday night idea 15 years ago, while my wife and I were sitting at home,” says Tim Robson, the owner of Me & My Dog Bakery. “The next morning, we went to the grocery store in search of ingredients. That same day we created and baked about a half dozen dog treats. Over the next 4-5 months, we created additional treats and purchased basic equipment and supplies. After about 5 months, we were ready to sell. We set-up a booth at Rice’s Flea Market in New Hope, PA, and have been growing ever since.”

Their products are all-natural, handmade gourmet dog treats. Tim says, “My wife and I bake daily during the week to prepare for our weekend craft shows. We encourage pepople to pick up the treats and smell the difference that freshness makes.

This years People’s Choice Festival is the second year in which Me & My Dog will participate in the Festival. And festivals are the main source of new clientele. “Our business is mostly craft shows, street festivals, etc.,” Tim says. “We do not have an actual store. We also sell online (at meanmydogpetbakery.com) and do a small amount of wholesale.” They participate in events in New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware, in addition to several here in Pennsylvania.

Tim says the People’s Choice Festival was highly recommended by some of their crafter friends, and enjoyed their first Festival so much, they’re eagerly anticipating this year. And so are a good many local dogs!