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The Beginning
In 1974, East Halls brought the students of Penn State Good Feelin’s. It was a twelve-hour day of music and fun. It took place May 18 as a way to wrap up the school year. Bands from all over Pennsylvania entertained the crowds, while a “gift man” walked around handing out posters, t-shirts and more. After the bands were finished, films were shown for an additional three hours.
The First Movin’ On
Penn State’s very first Movin’ On took place on April 26, 1975. It was held on the HUB Lawn and lasted from noon to midnight. Eight local bands performed. All performances benefited the local Volunteer Service Center. After this, Movin’ On would become a yearly tradition.
A National Band Plays
In 1977, Orleans, a nationally known band, played at Movin’ On with financial help from the University Concert Committee and ARHS. This festival was two days, lasting from Saturday, May 7 to Sunday, May 8. Performances were broadcasted live onto a radio station. Proceeds from this years’ concert – which ended up being over $1000 - were donated to the Society of Protection of Cruelty to Animals.
Nighthawks as the Headliner
Movin’ On 1978 would bring Movin’ On’s first headliner: the Nighthawks. This two-day event featured performances by fifteen artists. Attendance to this festival was increased by a special appearance by musician Greg Allman alongside the Nighthawks.
Tenth Annual Movin’ On
The tenth annual Movin' On took place in 1984. This year, it was changed from a two-day festival to a one-day festival, so it would not compete with other end of the year activities. Unfortunately, the event had to end early due to thunderstorms and only four out of the seven acts performed.
Big Names Perform
In 1996, for the first time in Movin’ On history, the coordinating team decided to book multiple nationally known bands to perform. All of the artists agreed to share the bill with each other. The headliner was Buffalo Tom, an alternative rock band. Among the other performers this year were The Roots, the current band from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Shadowland, a progressive rock band from Philadelphia, Edison, an alternative band, Skavoovie and the Epitones, a ska band, and Jewel, an acoustic act.
Side Stage
In 2000, Movin’ On added a second stage, known as the side stage, to the festival. This stage was used to highlight local bands, and to keep a constant flow of music. This year Movin’ On happened the same day as the Blue and White Game, so many Penn State students and alumni were in attendance. An obstacle course, bungee run, inflatable bull and more were available.
Movin’ On Becomes Its Own Organization
The organizers of Movin On’ decided to make their own organization in 2010. The festival moved from HUB Lawn to the IM Fields and joined with two other end of the year music festivals to make a much larger music festival.
Movin’ On has evolved a lot throughout the years to get to what it is today, but one thing has stayed the same since 1975. Movin’ On has brought a day of fun and music to Penn State students as they celebrate their move onto the next year of their lives.