Starting tonight and extending until next weekend, parts of State College and campus will be closed to host events for the National Governors' Association Annual Meeting and the 34th Annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.

Sections of Allen Street and College Avenue, as well as the HUB-Paul Robeson Cultural Center and some downtown parking areas, will all either be closed or subject to restricted use.

"They (the closings) will be handled in a way that impacts the normal, everyday lives of people as little as possible," said Alan Janesch, spokesman for Penn State's department of public relations.

Allen Street will be closed because it is the site of a celebration for the NGA meeting starting tomorrow night.

Larissa Johnson, Gov. Tom Ridge's coordinator for "An Evening Under the Stars," a night of outdoor entertainment for the governors and the public, said the event will start at 8 p.m. tomorrow and Allen Street merchants will extend regular hours until 10:30 p.m.

The 100 and 200 blocks of South Allen Street will be closed at 5 p.m. today and will remain closed through the end of the Arts Festival next weekend, according to a press release from the State College Police Department.

For the NGA, Allen Street will feature various attractions, including cooking demonstrations, live mannequin modeling, a bug display and beverage and desert stands, Johnson said.

She added that along with Ridge, the governors will be invited to attend the event after their reception with Penn State President Graham Spanier.

"It's a great way to entertain the governors from across the nation," Johnson said. "Allen Street is a great example of what State College is like."

Along with sections of Allen Street, the HUB-Robeson center will have somewhat limited hours during NGA.

The HUB-Robeson center will be open its normal hours until 10 p.m. on Sunday, but will not reopen until 7 a.m. on July 11, said Stan Latta, director of Unions and Student Activities.

During that time, the HUB-Robeson center will host "A Taste of Pennsylvania," a showcase of Pennsylvania art and technology for the governors, their staffs and guests, Latta said.

Along with the other two closings, parking and driving in the downtown area will be limited due to NGA.

Parking will be prohibited on the 200 and 300 blocks of East College Avenue from 5 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sunday, according to the press release.

East College Avenue will also be closed for the Redirection 2000 march from 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday.

The march, organized by student leaders, is intended to draw attention to issues not addressed by the nation's governors, whose annual meeting is closed to the public.

No parking will be allowed in the Fraser Street lot next to the Municipal Building from 5 to 11 p.m. tomorrow. The Fraser Street Garage, which is across the street from the parking lot, will remain open, however, according to the press release.