First Night workshops are a fun way to let your creative juices flow. Age is no barrier to participating—we have workshops for children and adults! What better time is there to work on a craft project with your children, learn a few dance moves (guaranteed to embarrass your kids!), or find out why ukuleles are so popular? Come on out and join the fun—you will be surprised at how creative you are!
A First Night State College button is required for all workshops.
11:00 am – 9:00 pm; 2000 Degrees, 202 West College Avenue
Decorate a bisque mug that you’ll treasure long after your New Year’s resolutions are forgotten. 2000 Degrees provides almost everything you need to immortalize your new year’s resolution in ceramics. You provide the missing piece–the creativity!
After you add the creativity, the staff will fire your work and in a couple of days you’ll have a beautiful hand-painted reminder to fill with your morning beverage of choice.
In addition to a First Night button, this workshop costs $7 per person. The activity is not appropriate for unsupervised and small children. The last seating is at 8:00 pm.
2:00 pm; Social Hall, State College Presbyterian Church
Bling—otherwise known as flashy jewelry—was invented with New Year’s Eve in mind. Create a First Night friendly version of it with workshop leaders Jill and Jan.
This workshop is designed so that parents can help children with a simple craft project. The project should take less than an hour to complete. While we welcome folks of all ages at our children’s art and craft workshops, participants should be under 12 years old. Crafts are to be completed on site so that participants can take inspiration and share results with each other.
A First Night Button is required for this workshop.
12:00 pm; Westminster Hall, State College Presbyterian Church
The best way to learn to play the ukulele is to come jam with the Allegheny Ukulele Kollective! Playing the uke is fun, but playing with others is even more fun! If you have your own instrument, please bring it, but a limited number of instruments will be available for the uke-less.
A First Night Button is required for this workshop.
The group will present a concert in St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 2:30 p.m.
1:00 pm; The Attic, State Theatre
This workshop is a great introduction to Improvisational Style Belly Dance with Shannon Bishop, the leader of Black Cat Belly Dance. No experience in Middle Eastern Dance is necessary. You’ll shake and shimmy and wonder why you didn’t take up this popular art form sooner!
A First Night Button is required for this workshop.
The group will also perform at the University Baptist & Brethren Church at 3:30 p.m.
3:00 pm; The Attic, State Theatre
This family friendly workshop uses improv games and activities to introduce participants to theatrical improvisation. Happy Valley Improv’s experienced facilitators will make sure that the exercises are engaging and easy to learn. No prior improv or acting experience is required. Come with an open mind and a willingness to have fun. Attendance is limited to 25.
A First Night Button is required for this workshop.
The group will present three shows in the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center at 4:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.
4:00 pm; Ballroom, Hyatt Place State College
Breaking, also called breakdancing or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance, which traces its roots to the South Bronx in the early 1970s. Brian Transcend started dancing in 2006 and entered his first competition in 2009 in North Philadelphia. After enrolling at Penn State Abington in 2010, he joined a dance group, learning more skills along the way. Today, he offers workshops and tutorial videos that teach the history, technique, culture and community of bboying. His mission is to heal Happy Valley (and the world) from hate with Hip-Hop.
A First Night Button is required for this workshop.
A First Night button gets you into all performances and some activities – for just $10!
