What is Happy Valley’s ‘Tourist Attraction of the Year’? Hospitality awards announced
It’s been considered a tourist attraction for nearly a century but, after new ownership took over and made various facility improvements, it was officially named Happy Valley’s “Tourist Attraction of the Year” on Wednesday night.
Woodward Cave, which will celebrate its 100th year of operation next year, was the big winner during the Fourth Annual Happy Valley Hospitality Awards & Gala hosted by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau at Bellefonte’s Brass 16823. But it was far from the only business or individual to be recognized Wednesday.
Among the awards:
- Tourist Attraction of the Year: Woodward Cave
- Festival/Event of the Year: Central PA Festival of the Arts
- Volunteer of the Year: John Wainwright, Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum
- Rising Star: Dave Wigfield, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Woodward Cave
- Excellence in Tourism/Hospitality Teamwork: The Hublersburg Inn Front of House team
- Excellence in Tourism/Hospitality Service: Jeannie Ishler, Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center
- Excellence in Tourism/Hospitality Leadership: Phil and Kathy Breidenbaugh, Bellefonte Bed & Breakfast
- Peter J. Walker Spirit of Hospitality Award (HVAB-selected): Celesta Powell, marketing manager for the Central PA Tasting Trail and owner of Powell’s Presence.
Penns Valley’s Woodward Cave (147 Woodward Cave Drive) was acquired by new ownership last year with the goal of coming in and “injecting a lot of energy and attention and enthusiasm,” said Dave Wigfield, Woodward’s director of marketing and business development. That came in the form of a new gift shop, a formal commitment to preserve the cave for bats, plans to renovate the large dance hall and a desire to make the property a place people can return every week over the summer for live music and/or new activities.
“Something that we stress frequently at the end of a lot of tours is we are trying to reintroduce Woodward Cave as a local destination spot where people can come and just hang out,” Wigfield told the CDT on Thursday. “Obviously, we want you to enjoy the cave tours or the camping or the event rentals. But, if not, it’s a great place to picnic.
“We have live events scheduled pretty much weekly next summer so, if the local community is looking for a place to come out and listen to live music, we want to put Woodward Cave front and center as an option.”
Although the property is open year-round, the cave itself is open for just four months out of the year, between Memorial Day and Labor Day — but for good reason. According to Wigfield, Woodward Cave is home to one of the largest — and, by some measures, the largest — bat hibernation dens in the state. Past ownership also informally closed the cave for eight months of the year to better protect the bats, and new owner Chris Sanders formally agreed to preserve the space. (Wigfield also lauded general manager Meg Hummel for her overall contributions to making the cave a success.)
The cave remains unique. It offers Pennsylvania’s largest stalagmite at 14 feet, and visitors are often surprised by the spacious sights. Some parts of the cave are even reminiscent of 50-foot Cathedral ceilings, for example.
More information on the cave can be found at WoodwardCave.com.
How the winners were determined
Some 58 nominations were received for the seven primary awards categories, and an independent selection committee comprising local leaders and peers in the tourism/hospitality industry then set about at determining the winners.
The exception was the Peter J. Walker Spirit of Hospitality Award. Although that award was announced at the gala, it’s hand-picked every year by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau — not the committee — and is named after the longtime manager of Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park who passed away in 2022.
This year’s committee included Todd Erdley, Regional Director, Ben Franklin Technology Partners; Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director, Private Industry Council of Centre County; and Lisa Rager, Executive Director of Visit Johnstown.
“Being a judge for the HVAB Gala was an amazing reminder of the passion, quality, and dedication shown by literally everyone in the hospitality industry,” Erdley said in a news release. “Everyone in Centre County would have been proud to read about the selfless works, skilled dedication, and overwhelming desire to provide incredible experiences to all visitors that come to Centre County.”
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 2:30 PM.
