A landmark bar will celebrate its 75th year in State College nightlife at its anniversary celebration Sunday.

The All-American Rathskeller, 108 S. Pugh St., will open its doors at 4 p.m. Sunday to host its own birthday party.

Duke Gastiger, who has owned the bar since he bought it with a friend in 1985, said he has had one other big anniversary celebration at the bar.

"We had a big bash for the 60th anniversary, but I thought I would wait until the 75th anniversary because it's something special," Gastiger said.

Gastiger plans on bringing back a Rathskeller tradition -- serving cases of Rolling Rock pony bottles -- which began in 1972, but ended when that brewing company was sold in 2006.

"We don't even sell [Rolling Rock ponies] anymore, we're just bringing them back for that day for a lot of the alumni," Gastiger said.

Three bands that have been part of the Rathskeller scene since Gastiger bought the bar will also perform Sunday.

The Screaming Ducks will go on at 7 p.m., Velveeta will go on at 9 p.m. and headlining at 11 p.m. will be Mr. Hand.

The Screaming Ducks and Velveeta played a lot in the '80s and '90s, and Mr. Hand is a newer local band that now plays regularly on Saturdays, Gastiger said.

Brad Fisher, bassist for Mr. Hand, has enjoyed playing at the Rathskeller since the band picked up Saturday gigs a little more than two years ago.

"It's been awesome playing [at the Rathskeller]," Fisher said.

He added the band does not have anything specific planned for the anniversary, but it does plan to go with the flow of the crowd.

"It's definitely going to be a different vibe because it's the 75th anniversary," he said.

Penn State students also enjoy going to the time-honored bar.

"I went there after I turned 21 this year, and had a good time," Kyle Burns (junior-finance) said.

Other students are surprised at how long the bar has been in business.

"I've been there a few times, and I didn't know it had been in business for so long," Jim Mulholland (senior-telecommunications) said.

Gastiger said he hopes he will be able to celebrate the 100th anniversary, but that it has been a fun journey to the 75th.

"There have been years of joy, years of sadness, lots of fun, lots of angst," Gastiger said. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."