New Year’s Eve is always a wonderful time to spend time with family and friends. Amongst the many New Year’s traditions, there will always be one for State College as a whole.
First Night is always filled with various activities, ranging from food and desserts to walking around the town and the parklet right outside Memorial Field.
First, with the events on South Allen Street, a food truck sold cookies stuffed with delicious filling. One of the best-selling cookies was Ultimate Peanut Butter, which had an array of peanut butter-flavored items mixed into the batter of the cookie, such as Nutterbutters, peanut butter chips, and a peanut butter filling.
As community members walked down the streets towards Allen Street, there was no shortage of ice sculptures at every restaurant’s door. With places like the Allen Street Grill, Brothers Bar and Grill, and The Corner Room, amongst many others, all had their entry adorned with professionally done ice sculptures that matched their logo.
However, those were much smaller compared to the famous 2026 sculpture, and the icy throne anyone could sit atop. Visitors could even hang a New Year’s resolution on a silver plate, so the community could look up and see what so many people want to accomplish in the new year.
Continuing down towards Schlow Library, many wheels of fate were stationed. These were attractions where people could spin a wheel and see predictions for the next year, or what they should change in the year to come. Things like spending time with friends and going out to do something exciting were included on the wheel.
In the parklet, more ice sculptures from donors lined the walkways. Many people lined up to grab a bag of the famous kettle corn. Reindeer were on the side next to a giant ice slide kids slid down, going so fast they ran into haybales at the end of their journey down the slide.
As the year comes to an end, State High students obviously have their own plans moving forward in their own lives and reflect on what they did in 2025. Brothers, freshman Fyfe Humphris and senior Fin Humphris, both look forward to 2026.
“I am looking forward to my goals, turning 18, and being able to work on myself,” Finn said, as he thought of what he was most excited for in 2026.
The brothers had never attended First Night before, but they enjoyed seeing all of the ice sculptures and participating in many of the other activities that First Night has to offer.
“My favorite parts of this year were getting to travel and my last prom; it was super memorable,” Kiersten Ohlson said.
As she looks forward to the new year, her resolutions don’t disappoint. “For me, probably getting a good GPA in college, and being more active than I was in the fall,” she said.
All in all, First Night was a small and simple festival, representing hopes for the future and reflection on the past. With fun activities and various foods and sculptures to enjoy, the 2025 First Night Festival was a fun experience, as it typically is.
