5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Feb. 23-25

In preparation for St. Patrick’s Day, luck has come a little early with all of these unique events happening this weekend in Westmoreland County:

Celebrating a lifelong helper

As a part of the Fred Rogers Scholars Program, Saint Vincent College students have partnered with Latrobe Art Center, 819 Ligonier St., to create an exhibit that they will be unveiling on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The exhibit highlights Fred Rogers, his good deeds and the awards that he earned throughout his lifetime. The exhibit will also include student-selected artifacts from the Fred Rogers Archive which consists of over 22,000 items from Rogers’ personal and professional life.

Opening night will be celebrated at the center with light hors d’oeuvres and a children’s activity hosted by students in the Fred Rogers Scholars Program.

This exhibit will be open from Feb. 24 through March 23 at Latrobe Art Center. For more, call 724-537-7011.

Artist tour and happy hour

Pittsburgh artist Tina Williams Brewer will lead a tour of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art’s 65 Artists, 65 Years exhibition and permanent collection at the museum, 221 N Main St., Greensburg. Williams Brewer will provide a unique perspective to group discussions as a professional artist.

The tour starts at 3 p.m. on Saturday followed by a small gathering including a cash bar and “light bites” reception.

Admission is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. To register, call 888-718-4253.

Croatian tambura concert

Pittsburgh-based Croatian tambura instrument band Ponoć (Midnight) will be making an appearance at the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center, 951 Old Salem Road Greensburg, on Saturday at 2 p.m. They will be presented by the Westmoreland Symphony in one of a series of chamber music concerts.

Croatian tambura is a family of string instruments, played with a pick, that was created in Croatia in the mid-19th century in imitation of the violin family, based on folk instruments that trace their origin to ancient Persia.

Ponoć is a band of six Croatian men from Pittsburgh and Detroit who play instruments and sing. They play traditional and contemporary songs plus dance music, from Croatia and nearby nations. For more, visit westmorelandsymphony.org.

Ligonier wet sale

From Feb. 22 to 24, over a dozen artists will visit the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art: Ligonier, 1 Boucher Lane, to paint a variety of winter scenes from local state forests, overlooks and attractions. After three days of painting, the museum will hold an exhibition Wet Sale — of the freshly painted items — on Sunday starting at 1 p.m.

Open to the public, the sale presents an opportunity for locals to shop for unique art pieces and interact directly with the artists. The sale will include light refreshments for guests and will continue after the opening day until Thursday.

Artists interested in participating should contact ligonier@sama-art.org or call 724-238-6015. A $35 registration fee is required.

Party at the Palace

During one of its biggest events of the year, the Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St. in Greensburg will present live music, entertainment, decorations and culinary bites from local restaurants at the Party at the Palace on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The event will include cocktails provided by local distilleries, with proceeds supporting Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s development initiatives.

Guests will be free to move about the theater. The Casino Royale Lounge will feature gaming tables and a putting green provided by Live Casino and Greensburg Country Club. S&T Bank will provide a courtyard that will double as a whiskey and cigar bar.

Live music will be presented by the Fabulous Gemtones, EBT Jazz and Kyle Greene.

Admission for the main event is $75 for members and $100 for non-members. This year, students and young adults are able to attend at a reduced price of $50. Students will be required to show a valid student ID or an ID with birthdate proving age of 26 or below.

For more, visit thepalacetheatre.org.