He's ba-ack.

After a 10-year hiatus, the jester -- symbol of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts -- has been freed from the confines of a two-dimensional poster to appear in the flesh.

For the past decade, the jester could only be seen on the annual Arts Festival posters or, for some, in treasured but almost archaic memories.

This year, he makes a triumphant return in the form of local 15-year-old entertainment mastermind Steve Moore.

"This is the poster come alive," said Moore, who has been appointed as only the third jester in the 38-year history of Arts Festival.

Since it's been a good 10 years since Arts Festival was graced with a jester's presence, the younger crowd might not remember him.

But Moore, who has been attending Arts Festival since he was a tot, said he has vivid memories of the two young men that drastically influenced his future.

During an Arts Festival stage show, then-jester David Garfield asked a pint-sized Moore to come onstage.

It was then, Moore said, he was bitten by the magic bug.

"They left a lasting impression on me and I was only four or five years old," Moore said of his predecessors, Garfield and subsequent jester Jack Gooch.

At the time, Moore's mother, Jodi, and father, local disc jockey Larry Moore, had no idea their son would hold his first performance by the age of six.

"We really thought it was a phase," Jodi Moore said. "All kids love magic."

But Moore knew what he wanted, and set out to amass the wealth of credentials that eventually landed him the role of his childhood dreams.

"They didn't ask me to be the jester out of the blue," Moore said, referring to Arts Festival executive director Phil Walz and his colleagues. "I was always out performing for friends, for the [State College Area High School] Thespians, for the high school."

With the support of his family and friends, Moore racked up a three-page resume full of awards and accolades, including 2003 Best Newcomer by the Magicians' Alliance of the Eastern States, and an appearance at the 2003 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

Meanwhile, Walz was fielding questions from Arts Festival "old-timers" about when the jester will return.

Walz found himself asking the same question.

"It was a matter of finding the right person," he said. "They have to be comfortable with people, sensitive to folks who are approaching someone dressed in a costume, and they have to have skills in juggling and magic," Walz explained.

The laundry list of characteristics and talents that jesters possess puts them in a category of entertainers all their own.

Ultimately, Walz said, the jester's key characteristic is that he wants to represent not just the festival, but the entire community.

"The neat thing about Steve is that he has all these characteristics, but he is so excited he can hardly stand still," Walz said.

Moore admits to being a little nervous for this gig -- his biggest yet -- but is preparing feverishly to make sure everything goes smoothly.

"I can't tell you how many balloon animals we have around our house," his mother commented.

Moore has also adapted his "regular" performances for his all-ages Arts Festival show.

For example, the 14" machetes he usually juggles will be left at home.

Moore's show will include, however, magic tricks, some banter with the audience, and even a little dancing.

"I expect he'll have a packed house," Walz said. "Very seriously, I think it will be packed."

Though he will go back to the daily grind of magic competitions after the festival hubbub has died down, Moore's future is looking pretty darn good.

Arts Festival jesters are two-for-two in pursuing careers with colossal entertainment companies: Garfield now works for DreamWorks, and Gooch has a job with Disney.

But don't expect Moore to run off to the big time just yet.

"We're interested in Steve doing this for a number of years," Walz said. "He's going to be around a while."