State College showed its pride Saturday afternoon with a parade through downtown, followed by a festival in Sidney Friedman Park.

State College Pride was hosted by Centre LGBT+, a local LGBTQ+ nonprofit that aims to bring the Centre County region together through events, education and advocacy.

Sabrina Chapman and Marilyn Eastridge are members of Centre LGBT+. They’ve been together for 45 years and married for 12.

Chapman said that Centre LGBT+ put on this event because it’s a time to celebrate.

“(We want) to make clear to everyone that the work is not yet done, that we need to continue the struggle for our equality in these troubled times,” Chapman said.

More than 50 organizations participated in the parade, including local businesses, community groups and various Penn State departments.

Centre LGBT+ board member Michel Lee Garrett said Saturday’s event is an example of solidarity and strength.

“To see thousands of people come out and come together, and speak in a unified voice (saying) that queer and trans people belong, that we are not going anywhere, that we are strong and proud and beautiful, really lifts my spirits,” Lee Garrett said.  

The festival featured guest speakers — including politicians and community advocates — as well as live performances like drag shows, poetry and Powwow.

Lee Garrett said she especially loved seeing how attendees expressed themselves through their outfits at the event.

“I love seeing what a truly inclusive, non-judgmental space looks like, where we can be as colorful or as silly as we want, and just embrace the joy of it without fear of judgment,” Lee Garrett said. “ (It) always, always brings a smile to my face.”

There were also several counter-protesters at the festival, who were blocked from view by attendees and organizers.

April Hannon, a member of the consistory for the Faith United Church of Christ on East College Ave and was one of the many people blocking the counter-protesters.

“We are committed to the fact that Jesus loves everyone,” Hannon said. “So, that’s why I’m here, and (why) my husband and I are both part of this ‘love wall.’”

According to Hannon, “God is love, God is not hate,” and what the counter-protesters were doing was “preaching hate.”

State College Mayor Ezra Nanes acknowledged the presence of the counter-protestors, but emphasized the importance of the festival.

“It’s not pleasant to hear some of the things they’re saying,” Names said. “They have a right to say it, but I wish they wouldn’t say it during Pride…but, you know, the festival is far bigger and more important than that, so we’re not letting it bring us down.”

State Representative Paul Takac said he’s almost thankful that the counter-protesters were at the event.

“You almost couldn’t ask for a better illustration of what we’re up against,” Takac said. “Frankly, what they’re peddling in terms of hate and division is contrasted with love and inclusion.”

Pride celebrations began in the United States with the Stonewall riots in June 1969. Since then, it’s evolved into an annual celebration of LGBTQ+ joy and a protest for LGBTQ+ liberation.

Lee Garrett said pride is “the force that has propelled the queer community through all of the darkness.”

“In a world that tells queer people that they are aberrations, that they are disgusting, that they should not exist,” Lee Garrett said. “To stand up and say ‘no, I am proud of who I am. I am proud of this community,’ is a radical act.”

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As the Stanley Cup Finals captivate fans worldwide, it’s the perfect opportunity to dive into the world of hockey through cinema.

Hockey movies give audiences more than just on-ice action; they deliver stories of celebration, camaraderie, resilience and the spirit of the game.

Whether you’re in the mood for a little drama, humor or inspiration, this family-friendly movie list has something for everyone.

Grab some popcorn and check out these movies for your next family movie night.

‘Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story’ (2013)

Rated: PG

Streaming: Hallmark+

Based on a true story, the film follows hockey legend Gordie Howe (Michael Shanks). After retiring from the Detroit Red Wings, Gordie soon learns that retirement is not for him.

When his sons are drafted to play at the Houston Aeros, Gordie comes out of retirement to join them, returning to the ice at 44 years old.

‘The Mighty Ducks’ (1992)

Rated: PG

Streaming: Disney+

Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez), a self-centered Minnesota lawyer, is charged with drunk driving. Instead of typical proceedings, the court orders him to coach a struggling peewee hockey team.

As Gordon works to earn the respect of the kids and teaching them valuable life and hockey skills, he confronts his past when his new team faces off against his old coach and team.

‘D2: The Mighty Ducks’ (1994)

Rated: PG

Streaming: Disney+

Gordon Bombay is back in “D2: The Mighty Ducks,” and this time he has moved up from the little leagues.

Gordon is now coaching Team USA Hockey at the Junior Goodwill Games. With many former Ducks and a few new faces, they must overcome setbacks to beat the favored Iceland team.

‘D3: The Mighty Ducks’ (1996)

Rated: PG

Streaming: Disney+

The third and final installment of the 1990’s “The Mighty Ducks” franchise, the Ducks earn scholarships to a high ranking prep school, Eden Hall Academy.

Follow the new freshmen as they fight to earn a spot on the team against the snooty varsity players.

‘Tooth Fairy’ (2010)

Rated: PG

Streaming: Disney+

Derek Thompson (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), a minor league hockey player, is known as the “Tooth Fairy” for his aggressive play style that often leaves opponents with a toothless smile.

After discouraging a young player on the team, Derek must serve as a real tooth fairy, complete with a tutu and wings, to rediscover his own dreams.

‘Miracle’ (2004)

Rated: PG

Streaming: Disney+

No hockey movie list is complete without “Miracle.”

Based on the inspiring true story of the 1980 Team USA Olympic squad, the film captures a team’s journey that united a nation during the Cold War.

Coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) takes a young group of college hockey players to face the legendary Soviet Union at the Olympic Games.

Do you believe in miracles? You should.

A federal judge signed off on arguably the biggest change in the history of college sports on Friday, clearing the way for schools to begin paying their athletes millions of dollars as soon as next month as the multibillion-dollar industry shreds the last vestiges of the amateur model that defined it for more than a century.

Nearly five years after Arizona State swimmer Grant House sued the NCAA and its five biggest conferences to lift restrictions on revenue sharing, U.S. Judge Claudia Wilken approved the final proposal that had been hung up on roster limits, just one of many changes ahead amid concerns that thousands of walk-on athletes will lose their chance to play college sports.

The sweeping terms of the so-called House settlement include approval for each school to share up to $20.5 million with athletes over the next year and $2.7 billion that will be paid over the next decade to thousands of former players who were barred from that revenue for years.

The agreement brings a seismic shift to hundreds of schools that were forced to reckon with the reality that their players are the ones producing the billions in TV and other revenue, mostly through football and basketball, that keep this machine humming.

The scope of the changes — some have already begun — is difficult to overstate. The professionalization of college athletics will be seen in the high-stakes and expensive recruitment of stars on their way to the NFL and NBA, and they will be felt by athletes whose schools have decided to pare their programs. The agreement will resonate in nearly every one of the NCAA’s 1,100 member schools boasting nearly 500,000 athletes.

The road to a settlement

Wilken’s ruling comes 11 years after she dealt the first significant blow to the NCAA ideal of amateurism when she ruled in favor of former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon and others who were seeking a way to earn money from the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) — a term that is now as common in college sports as “March Madness” or “Roll Tide.” It was just four years ago that the NCAA cleared the way for NIL money to start flowing, but the changes coming are even bigger.

Wilken granted preliminary approval to the settlement last October. That sent colleges scurrying to determine not only how they were going to afford the payments, but how to regulate an industry that also allows players to cut deals with third parties so long as they are deemed compliant by a newly formed enforcement group that will be run by auditors at Deloitte.

The agreement takes a big chunk of oversight away from the NCAA and puts it in the hands of the four biggest conferences. The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC hold most of the power and decision-making heft, especially when it comes to the College Football Playoff, which is the most significant financial driver in the industry and is not under the NCAA umbrella like the March Madness tournaments are.

Winners and losers

The list of winners and losers is long and, in some cases, hard to tease out.

A rough guide of winners would include football and basketball stars at the biggest schools, which will devote much of their bankroll to signing and retaining them. For instance, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood’s NIL deal is reportedly worth between $10.5 million and $12 million.

Losers will be the walk-ons and partial scholarship athletes whose spots are gone. One of the adjustments made at Wilken’s behest was to give those athletes a chance to return to the schools that cut them in anticipation of the deal going through.

Also in limbo are Olympic sports many of those athletes play and that serve as the main pipeline for a U.S. team that has won the most medals at every Olympics since the downfall of the Soviet Union.

All this is a price worth paying, according to the attorneys who crafted the settlement and argue they delivered exactly what they were asked for: an attempt to put more money in the pockets of the players whose sweat and toil keep people watching from the start of football season through March Madness and the College World Series in June.

What the settlement does not solve is the threat of further litigation.

Though this deal brings some uniformity to the rules, states still have separate laws regarding how NIL can be doled out, which could lead to legal challenges. NCAA President Charlie Baker has been consistent in pushing for federal legislation that would put college sports under one rulebook and, if he has his way, provide some form of antitrust protection to prevent the new model from being disrupted again.