State College summer (aka May, post-graduation) is going to be here before we know it and we’ll once again be gathering hundreds of neighbors and welcoming the season together at the 2nd Annual Townie Takeover at Champs Downtown on Friday, May 15!
We’re kicking around a bunch of ideas behind the scenes about how to make this year’s event even bigger and better, but in the meantime, consider this your Save the Date. Print it out. Hang it on your fridge. Make a mental list of the friends you’re going to text to invite after you finish reading this.
Here are the details we can share so far, with lots more to come!
WHAT: 2nd Annual “Summer is for the Locals” Townie Takeover at Champs Downtown
WHEN: May 15, 2026
TIME: 4-7pm
ENTRY FEE: Nada. $0. Free.
ALL AGES? Yes! Although this event will be most enjoyed by adult townies!
New to town? Come introduce yourself! We’d love to meet you and are here to help you get settled and connected in State College.
Why this event? Why now?
The shift that happens every year when students pack up for the semester and head out of town is palpable. Summer in State College is laid back, spacious, and peaceful – the perfect balance to the busy, vibrant energy of the school year. (And how cool to live in a town that gets to have it both ways?!)
If you’re downtown during the semester, the line of students waiting to get into Champs is probably a familiar sight. But after graduation, while the students are away, the locals get to play! So we’re once again taking over this popular student hotspot for our locals-centric summer kickoff celebration.
If you were a fly on the wall during last year’s packed-house event, you saw 400 locals show up to welcome summer, munch on tasty sliders, enjoy refreshing drink specials, and bask in good vibes together.
Who is this event for?
Rediscover State College exists to help those making the move to town. Our concierge service, blog, podcast, and newsletter are all aimed at keeping future residents in the loop about what’s going on around town and offering ways to make the actual move itself more streamlined and less stressful.
But we also love to help those who are new to town get plugged in and find their people – and stir up lots of local pride while we’re at it! (Our merch line was created with that purpose in mind.)
This event is for locals old and new, with a special invitation to those who are newer around town. If that’s you, we hope you’ll come introduce yourself and let us know if there’s anything we can do to help you get settled and connected!
What to Expect
Champs will be serving up drink specials ($9 Frozen Mango Aperol Spritz and $5 Espolon Tequila drinks) and spoiling us with app samples (Smash Sliders! Wings! Pizza!) throughout the evening. For those who want to get mingle-y with a purpose, we’ll have a local-themed game for you to get into upon your arrival that’ll help you connect with others at the event. (Complete the game and be entered to win some great prizes!)
The evening will culminate in a New Year’s Eve-style countdown to officially ring in State College summer.
On a downtown post-graduation Friday evening, the vibe will be super laid back. Come and stay or come and go and bring your friends!
If you’re new to town, our team will be on hand to answer any questions or to provide an intro to other awesome locals who are there at the event too.
