UNIVERSITY PARK – One of the highlights of the Penn State sports calendar, Blue-White Weekend presented by Donate Life Pennsylvania, gets under way Friday, April 24, with the Blue-White football game as the centerpiece for numerous activities.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, in Beaver Stadium. As in previous years, there will be no admission or parking fee for the Blue-White game. Stadium parking lots will open at 8 a.m. If needed, one-way traffic patterns will be in effect for inbound traffic sometime between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and for outbound traffic after the game. Stadium Gates A, B and C will open for fans at noon.
Numerous events will be held during Blue-White Weekend to celebrate Penn State football, including two new events, a Wing Fest presented by WTAJ-TV and an Xbox gaming tournament. The popular pre-game autograph session with the players will take place starting at 12:30 p.m. Saturday inside Beaver Stadium. A carnival, children\’s games, food vendors and the student entertainment stage will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. The student stage hours are from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday.
At approximately 9 p.m. on Friday, fireworks will be launched near Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, located across the street from Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lion baseball team hosts Illinois at 6:35 p.m. Friday.
The Blue-White Game presented by Donate Life Pennsylvania is one of the nation\’s most popular spring football contests. The past two years, the school\’s spring game attendance record has been broken and ranked among the top five in the nation. Two years ago, a crowd estimated at 71,000 was in attendance at the Blue-White Game. That mark was broken by the 73,000 fans that attended the 2008 contest. More than 40,000 loyal and enthusiastic Penn State fans have attended the game in 10 of the past 13 years, with rainy conditions during the other three contests.
In accordance with the Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act, smoking will not be allowed inside Beaver Stadium. University Police want to remind patrons that no alcohol consumption will be permitted in the parking lots during the game. Blue-White Weekend is a family-friendly event, and police will have patrols in the parking lots to address unlawful activity.
Among the myriad of events planned during the weekend are:
— Blue White Weekend Wing Fest presented by WTAJ-TV, from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. Several vendors will compete to sell the most wings to be named the Blue-White Weekend Wing Fest winner. Tickets will be sold for $1, and each ticket will entitle the buyer to three wings. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Penn State Uplifting Athletes and the Penn State Lift for Life, which raises funds for the Kidney Cancer Association.
— The finals of a University-wide rap contest will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at the student stage. On Saturday, various student acts (10 a.m.), the Lionettes Dance Team (12:45 p.m.), Blue Band and cheerleaders (1 p.m.) and local musical groups (4 p.m.) are among the performances scheduled for the student stage.
— During the game, the spring football award winners and recipients of the PNC Bank \”Player of the Game\” from last season will be announced, in addition to the 2008 All-Big Ten and Academic All-Big Ten honorees.
— The annual Nittany Lion Club Event featuring Joe Paterno and the senior football players, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Bryce Jordan Center. Doors open at 9 a.m. Tickets are on sale at the Jordan Ticket Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Friday or by calling (814) 865-5555. Seating will be available in the lower bowl of the Bryce Jordan Center. Arena seats are $25, which includes a snack pack and a Nittany Lion Club give-away. Former All-America tailback D.J. Dozier and defensive end Matthew Rice also are expected to attend.
— The Penn State baseball team will host Illinois during Blue-White Weekend and fireworks are planned following Friday\’s 6:35 p.m. game. The teams also will play at 4:35 p.m. Saturday and at 11:05 a.m. Sunday in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, across the street from Beaver Stadium.
— The Nittany Lion softball team hosts Purdue at 1 p.m. Saturday and at noon Sunday, and the men\’s lacrosse team entertains St. Joseph\’s at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Jeffrey Field.
— The Penn State All-Sports Museum will have extended hours of operation during Blue-White Weekend. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, April 24, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 26. The museum will be closed on Saturday.
The Blue-White Game can be heard on more than 25 Penn State Sports Network radio affiliates across the Commonwealth and metropolitan New York City, with Steve Jones and Joe Paterno calling the action. The contest also will be available at http://www.GoPSUsports.com online, the official Web site of Penn State Athletics. A complete listing of the Penn State Sports Network affiliates carrying the game can be found at the same Web site.
Entering his 44th season as head coach and 60th on the Penn State coaching staff, Coach Joe Paterno returns 37 letterwinners and 10 starters for the 2009 campaign.
Penn State has earned one of the nation\’s Top 10 records since the start of the 2005 season, posting a 40-11 (78.4) mark, good for No. 9 nationally. The Nittany Lions (11-2) won their second Big Ten title and Bowl Championship berth in the past four years during the 2008 season. Penn State was No. 8 in the final Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, earning its 22nd final Top 10 ranking under Paterno.