‘Sips and Sounds Downtown’ June 26 in State College

STATE COLLEGE — The Downtown State College Improvement District invites the community to celebrate summer at the fourth annual “Sips and Sounds Downtown” on Friday, June 26, from 4 to 9 p.m. at Sidney Friedman Park. The outdoor festival will feature live music, local craft beverages, food vendors, and family-friendly activities in the heart of downtown State College.

Attendees can enjoy shaded seating areas, open grassy spaces ideal for picnicking, a children’s play area and lawn games throughout the day.

A suggested donation of $10 will help support the continuation of free community events hosted by DSCID throughout the year.

Parking is available in downtown garages, with free three-hour parking validations provided for the Pugh, Fraser and Beaver garages. Attendees can pick up validation vouchers at the Downtown State College Improvement District information table during the event.

For more information, visit the Sips and Sounds Facebook or website.

Extension offers workshop on cooking with herbs and spices

STATE COLLEGE — Home chefs can learn how to prepare and cook delicious foods with herbs and spices by attending an upcoming Penn State Extension workshop.

Part of Extension’s “Let’s Cook” cooking class series, “Let’s Cook: Herbs and Spices” will be held July 27 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Special Services Building, 151 Standing Stone Ln., State College.

Participants will discover the basics of how to use herbs and spices in place of added sugars, saturated fat and sodium during this workshop. Educators will offer ideas for using dried herbs and spices to create flavorful, long-lasting, salt-free seasoning blends; strategies to add more vegetables to meals; and simple cooking tips for healthy eating. Register for this workshop by July 22, 2026.

For more information or to register, call 1-877-345-0691 or visit the Extension website.