Downtown patrons got a new feel for window shopping this week with the first-ever Window Shop Hop.

Fifty local artists filled the windows of downtown retailers with their work for the exhibition. The Window Shop Hop was created by Natalia Pilato and Our Local Renaissance to help bring together cultural differences and to establish a stronger sense of community in town.

The program theme, "Celebrating Community, Honoring Earth," will conclude tomorrow with the Central Parklet Community Festival from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Festival will feature poetry, acoustic music, bands and a performance by the State College Friend's School Children's Peace Choir.

The grand unveiling of the "T-Henge," a movable unit consisting of T-shaped flat frames that will create a town square where patrons can visit and enjoy free tea, will take place at the festival.

Pilato, who wants to make the program an annual event, was inspired to create the program as a way to localize the resources of State College and bring together the students, residents and businesses. "I come from a family of artists and am familiar with many of the local artists. I just made some phone calls and went into classrooms and asked the integrative arts students to help," she said. "I just feel that environmentally, this project goes into the realm of things."

Travis Peterson, co-organizer of the Window Shop Hop, collaborated with Pilato to address the State College Borough Council last November to present the idea of the weeklong event and festival.

Peterson said he thought the idea would work and fit well in State College after moving back to the area from Portand, Ore., where a similar program takes place. Peterson said he did not want to copy the program, but use it as a model to apply to the region.

"I grew up here and came back and noticed an incredible explosion of rapid development," Peterson said. "This is a grass roots campaign to empower citizens to take back ownership of their community."

Peterson said the program has been a collaborative process from many, including volunteers. He said the plan was to use public spaces to display the art and let the community take part, free of charge. "There is a community failure in growing urban areas," he said. "We want to promote and sustain local culture right in our neighborhood."

Teresa Sparacino, director of the Downtown State College Improvement District, said the office helped provide program pamphlets with artists' information for the downtown retailers. "We think it's a great thing, and that's why we got behind it," Sparacino said. "Everything was tastefully done and really pulled in businesses."

Both Peterson and Pilato said that the program would not have been a success if it were not for the local businesses being so cooperative and willing to get involved.

Elaine Meder, co-owner of Webster's Bookstore Café, 128 S. Allen St., gave the organization and Pilato extra storage space to use while putting the program together. Meder said she has received tremendous feedback about her store's window and others, and said the display of artwork helps to give public space a new meaning.

"This is a great networking opportunity; a lot of people are walking around and taking in all of the great artwork," Meder said. "These are places I walk by every day and to see the art is so eye-catching, and it shows that downtown is not just about shopping but about living here too."

Gary Filkins, owner of 2000 degrees, 202 W. College Ave., said he has received nothing but positive feedback from his customers and even students on their way to class. "I know that its hard for local artists to get their work in galleries, and this is also a great opportunity to expose it to the public."