Wednesday, March 11th, 2026 in State College, Pennsylvania
Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W Park Ave, State College, PA 16803
8:30am to 4:30pm

The Region’s Forward-Thinking Economic Growth Event

Bringing together like-minded professionals, that have a vested interest in smart economic and industrial growth, to advance the Central Pennsylvania region.

The 2026 Industrial Development Forum will be held in beautiful State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania! State College is proudly home to the Penn State University main campus, University Park, that is home to over 42,000 students.

Dress Code: The Forum is a business casual event. 

Tuesday, March 10th, 2026: A Networking Dinner is planned to be held at the Hungry Run Distillery Event Center located at 10 Ridens Rd, Lewistown, PA 17044 in Mifflin County, PA from 5:15pm to 7:30pm. Mifflin County is an important economic part of the region and a part of Pennsylvania that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, rich history, and charming small-town atmosphere amongst stunning valleys and scenic river landscapes. 

Transportation to Networking Dinner: There is plenty of parking at the event center for those that want to drive directly or separately to the reception. For those that pre-register to attend the reception, charter bus transportation will be provided from the Nittany Lion Inn with plans to depart at 4:30pm and will return back to the Nittany Lion Inn around 8:30pm. The travel time from the Nittany Lion Inn to the Hungry Run Distillery Event Center is approximately 45 minutes. 

Event Venue: The 2026 Industrial Development Forum will be held at the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W Park Ave, State College, PA 16803, a historic hotel on the Penn State campus that is owned by the Scholar Hotel Group. The Scholar Hotel Group recently invested over $10 million in renovations, which updated the interior while preserving the historic exterior. The Nittany Lion Inn was established in 1931 and is a historic Georgian colonial-style hotel, known as “Penn State’s Living Room,” it has been a central hub for visitors, alumni, and the local community. The Inn boasts multiple dining venues, including Lionne & 1855 Lounge, offering innovative American cuisine with French influences, and Triplett’s, a casual spot honoring Penn State football legend Wally Triplett.  As well as causal coffee eatery Dear Joe.

Room Block Rate: A discounted room block rate of $169/night + tax is available for IDF 2026 attendees. The Group Code is FOCUS26A.

Make time to travel in early or stay following the Forum to enjoy the beautiful Central Pennsylvania region! 

Happy Valley: There is always something going on in Happy Valley, visit the #1 source for information on all there is to see and do in Happy Valley, PA! https://happyvalley.com/ 

Juniata River Valley: Wide valleys separated by heavily forested ridges define the landscape of the Juniata River Valley. Explore quaint shops, fabulous restaurants, outdoor recreation, Amish heritage in Big Valley, and charming small towns. Explore more at https://jrvvisitors.com/.

Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway – https://www.visitpa.com/

Directions to the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W Park Ave, State College, PA 16803: Google Map

From East:

• I-80 to Exit 158 at Milesburg, then get on I-80 eastbound to take Exit 161, the Bellefonte exit to access I-99. *The normal round and what GPS might show is to take Exit 161; however, there is a current detour in place until the end of March.
  • *Detour: Progress is underway on the high-speed interchange project connecting Interstates 80 and 99 near Bellefonte, Trumbull Corporation of Pittsburgh is the contractor on the $259 million interchange project, which will create a direct connection between I-80 and I-99 via high-speed ramps. Click here to learn more.
• Take Exit 161 onto US 220/I-99
• Take Exit 74 toward Penn State University
• Follow E Park Ave to Fischer Rd

From South:

• US 322
• Take Penn State University Exit
• Follow E Park Ave to Fischer Rd

From West:

• Take I-99 N/US 220 N
• Take exit 69 for US-322 BUS E/Atherton St
• Take a Left on W Park Ave to Fischer Rd

Parking: Parking is available next to the Nittany Lion Inn in the Nittany Parking Deck – Google Map – Next to Nittany Lion Inn on Fischer Rd.

Note: Parking fees are not included in registration and there will be separate fee. 

Parking can be paid on site or be pre-purchased. To pre-purchase a parking permit please click this link for instructions.

The Nittany Lion Inn also offers a limited number of valet parking spots as well.  

Weather: Visit AccuWeather to see the latest weather outlook for March 10th and 11th, 2026 in State College, Pennsylvania. www.accuweather.com

Fun Fact: AccuWeather was founded in 1962 in Central PA by Joel N. Myers and is headquartered in State College, Pennsylvania. Joel was a Pennsylvania State University graduate student working on a master’s degree in meteorology. Today, AccuWeather is the most recognized and most used source of weather forecasts and warnings in the world, known to billions, and is proven and verified to be the most accurate. Digitally, AccuWeather is the #1 weather destination in the world and one of the top destination sites that exist globally.