Event pricing depends on the venue, date, day of the week, time, and type of event. We do not rent the gardens from November through March.

Rental Period

  • one hour

Event Guidelines

  • You may request permission to have a small group gather at the Overlook Pavilion.
  • Small groups are defined as having 15 or fewer individuals.
  • You may bring boxed meals.
  • Gatherings must be scheduled by contacting the events manager at arboretumevents@psu.edu.
  • Small-group gatherings are not private, and the public will not be excluded from the Overlook Pavilion during the scheduled time.

Venues and Pricing

Overlook Pavilion

Rental Period: May 16–September 30
Day and Time Fee
Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $75
Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. $75

Rental Period

  • 2 consecutive hours as agreed upon with the Arboretum’s events manager and specified in the rental agreement

Event Guidelines

  • Clients may use the existing garden benches, seat walls, and chairs in the venue(s) they are renting.
  • No tents or additional furniture, decorations, or other paraphernalia are permitted.
  • No refunds for inclement weather
  • No catering services, food, beverages, entertainment (such as DJs, bands, or amplified music such as that used for dancing), or activities such as dancing
  • Acoustic music or low-volume amplification for ceremonial music, such as that associated with small weddings, is permitted.

Venues and Pricing

Rose Garden Bower or Oasis Garden Terrace

  • The maximum capacity for gatherings in the Rose Garden Bower or the Oasis Garden Terrace is approximately 25 each.
Rental Period: May 16–September 30
Day and Time Fee
Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $150
Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. $150
Friday, 3:00–9:00 p.m. $200
Saturday or Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $200
Rental Period: April 1–May 15 and October 1–31
Day and Time Fee
Any day of the week, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $100

Rental Period

  • Six consecutive hours as agreed upon with the Arboretum’s events manager and specified in the rental agreement
  • The 6-hour rental period includes the time spent setting up chairs and other furnishings or equipment to stage the event and the time needed to remove all event-related materials and clean up.
  • Events lasting more than 6 hours must have prior approval from the Arboretum’s events manager and will be charged the Level 3 rental fee.
  • If event-related materials are not removed by 9:00 a.m. on the day following an event, the client will be charged the extended/tented day rate for that venue.
  • If the venue is the Overlook Pavilion, the extended/tented day rate for the Event Lawn (entire) will be charged.
  • Clients who rent the Overlook Pavilion on a Friday evening must remove all event-related materials by 7:00 a.m. the following morning.

Event Guidelines

  • Tents and/or tables, chairs, or other furniture or decorations are permitted with prior authorization by the Arboretum’s events manager.
  • Tents are prohibited in April and October because high winds are common during these periods.
  • No refunds for inclement weather
  • Any furniture brought to the Arboretum must be provided by a professional rental company.
  • If tents will be erected and removed by the rental company before and/or after the day of the event (maximum of three in addition to the day of the event), additional fees apply by venue.
  • In most spaces, maximum tent size is limited by the space available; however, in the Hawthorn Entry and Birch Overlook, we restrict tent sizes to 1600 sq. ft. or less.
  • No catering services, food, beverages, entertainment (such as DJs, bands, or amplified music such as that used for dancing), or activities such as dancing
  • Acoustic music or low-volume amplification for ceremonial music, such as that associated with weddings, is permitted.

Venues and Pricing

Overlook Pavilion

  • The “Ridge and Valley” watershed sculpture, which is adjacent to the Overlook Pavilion’s canopied terrace, is not part of the event rental space.
  • An extended/tented day fee of $350 will be charged for each additional day event materials remain in the venue location.
  • The side curtains at the Overlook Pavilion are not installed until after May 16 and are removed by September 30 because they are not designed to withstand high winds.
Rental Period: May 16–September 30
Day and Time Fee
Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $375
Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. $375
Friday, 3:00–9:00 p.m. $650
Saturday morning only, 7:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. $650
Saturday or Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $1,500
Rental Period: April 1–May 15 and October 1–31
Day and Time Fee
Any day of the week, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $450

Esplanade, North Terrace, Poplar Court, Birch Overlook, Hawthorn Entry, Event Patio, or Pollinator Plaza

  • An extended/tented day fee of $200 will be charged for each additional day a tent remains in the venue location.
Rental Period: May 16–September 30
Day and Time Fee
Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $375
Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. $375
Friday, 3:00–9:00 p.m. $500
Saturday or Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $650
Rental Period: April 1–May 15 and October 1–31
Day and Time Fee
Any day of the week, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $300

Event Lawn (entire)

  • An extended/tented day fee of $350 will be charged for each additional day a tent remains in the Event Lawn when the entire lawn has been rented.
Rental Period: May 16–September 30
Day and Time Fee
Monday–Thursday $1,500
Friday, Saturday, or Sunday $2,000
Rental Period: April 1–May 15 and October 1–31
Day and Time Fee
Any day of the week $850

Rental Period

  • 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. or as agreed upon with the Arboretum’s events manager and specified in the rental agreement
  • The rental period includes time spent setting up tents, chairs, and other furnishings or equipment to stage the event; delivering and serving food and beverages; removing all event-related materials; and cleaning up.

Event Guidelines

  • Tents and/or tables, chairs, or other furniture or decorations are permitted.
  • Tents are prohibited in April and October because high winds are common during these periods.
  • No refunds for inclement weather
  • Any furniture brought to the Arboretum must be provided by a professional rental company.
  • If tents will be erected and removed by the rental company before and/or after the day of the event (maximum of three in addition to the day of the event), additional fees apply by venue.
  • In most spaces, maximum tent size is limited by the space available; however, in the Hawthorn Entry and Birch Overlook, we restrict tent sizes to 1600 sq. ft. or less.
  • Catering services, food, beverages are permitted.
  • Entertainment (such as musicians, bands, or amplified music) is permitted, but must comply with municipal noise ordinances.
  • Prior authorization by the Arboretum is required for all tents, furnishings, decorations, and entertainment acts or activities.
  • The Arboretum does not rent venues for wedding receptions (this policy was established in 2011).

Venues and Pricing

Overlook Pavilion

  • The “Ridge and Valley” watershed sculpture, which is adjacent to the Overlook Pavilion’s canopied terrace, is not part of the event rental space.
  • An extended/tented day fee of $350 will be charged for each additional day event materials remain in the venue location.
  • The side curtains at the Overlook Pavilion are not installed until after May 16 and are removed by September 30 because they are not designed to withstand high winds.
Rental Period: May 16–September 30
Day and Time Fee
Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $500
Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. $500
Friday, 3:00–9:00 p.m. $700
Saturday or Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $1,600
Rental Period: April 1–May 15 and October 1–31
Day and Time Fee
Any day of the week, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $450

Esplanade, North Terrace, Poplar Court, Birch Overlook, Hawthorn Entry, Event Patio, or Pollinator Plaza

  • An extended/tented day fee of $200 will be charged for each additional day a tent remains in the venue location.
Rental Period: May 16–September 30
Day and Time Fee
Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $500
Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. $500
Friday, 3:00–9:00 p.m. $850
Saturday or Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $850
Rental Period: April 1–May 15 and October 1–31
Day and Time Fee
Any day of the week, 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. $300

Event Lawn (entire)

  • An extended/tented day fee of $350 will be charged for each additional day a tent remains in the Event Lawn when the entire lawn has been rented.
Rental Period: May 16–September 30
Day and Time Fee
Monday–Thursday $1,500
Friday, Saturday, or Sunday $2,000
Rental Period: April 1–May 15 and October 1–31
Day and Time Fee
Any day of the week $850