Frankly, we were a bit concerned. Worried even. After nearly 30 years, the People’s Choice Festival abruptly stopped for two years while we all sat out the pandemic. As with many other things during the Age of COVID, we really didn’t know what was going to happen, but we were determined to have a festival this year anyway.
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 13th through Sunday the 16th. 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!
