To many people the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts (the Festival, or CPFA) is something that “just happens” each summer. School lets out for the summer, and in what seems like the blink of an eye, the Festival is upon us. Landscapers, stage hands, musicians, artists, and volunteers all appear – and in their wake both State College and the Penn State campus are alive with visitors. Approximately 125,000 people visit the Festival each year.