Centre County music venue looks to bring new entertainment option to the area

Last year, Colleen Cassarly said, she was feeling stuck in her corporate, 9-to-5 role in human resources. Tapping into a lifelong passion for music and the entertainment industry, she, along with partner Tyler Wirtz, launched a venue unlike others in Centre County: The Brass Factory.

Because the venue is for all ages and solely dedicated to music, Cassarly said it sets itself apart from others in the area. Most others, she said, are “music with a bar or it’s cover artists.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s not a lot of variety in the area, aside from the [Bryce Jordan Center] or The State Theatre,” she said. “There’s nothing really mid-market, mid-tier, for music.”

Cassarly particularly noted that, as a young professional moving back to the area in 2022, she and her friends found a lack of area entertainment options catering to young adults who are no longer in college, but who aren’t looking for family-focused activities.

Thus, The Brass Factory was born, finding a home within Titan Energy Park. Currently, the venue utilizes two spaces, one for smaller, more intimate events, and another for larger events of up to 900 attendees. The venue soft-launched in August 2024, with an initial show held in partnership with Fez Records, and more recently held a larger scale event in December, a holiday party highlighting regional bands and vendors.

“There’s not really anything like this in the area,” Cassarly emphasized. “You really have to commute to be able to go to shows ... if you live in central Pennsylvania. For this level [of show], you’re looking at probably traveling to Harrisburg, to Philly, to Pittsburgh. For a lot of people, that cost adds up so quickly between gas and a hotel, just to be able to go see your favorite artist or a live music act, where you’re not in a bar environment.”

While The Brass Factory itself is solely a venue, focused on the music, with no food or beverage arm of the endeavor, the business is partnering with local vendors to provide pop-up offerings (Bees Knees Coffee, for example, has appeared at events in the past).

“We’re focused on providing a full experience,” Cassarly said. “We want each show to really lean into that musical experience and we’re open to all genres. In February, we have an electronic dance music artist that’s booked. We also have an Emo Night in February. We’re open to everything. It doesn’t matter the genre or the size. This is what we love and what we’re passionate about, and we want to bring that to others in the area that are looking to experience live music.”

Thinking about the year ahead, Cassarly hopes The Brass Factory can provide a platform for local artists and their original music, while bringing in national touring acts as well. If successful, the Brass Factory team also has its eye on potentially moving into a larger space within Titan Energy Park.

“We’re looking to bring more things to do to the community that isn’t just going out to eat or going to grab a drink, as well as bringing in tourists to the area, too,” Cassarly said. “The initial reaction that we’ve received so far has been very positive. People [are] saying, ‘This is so great. Typically, it’s a trip to be able to go see a show and this is awesome. I would love to be able to, on a Thursday night, if I’m bored, go see some music.’ Just having that as an option is nice for those of us that live in a more rural community like State College.”

Find information about upcoming events at The Brass Factory at www.brassfactorypa.com.