The Jaffa Shrine Center is a 3,200-seat multipurpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...

located in downtown

Altoona, Pennsylvania Altoona ( ) is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 43,963 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Altoona Metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan area, w ...

. The current Shrine Center, headquarters to the Jaffa

Shriners Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic body, Masonic society. Founded in 1872 in New York City, it is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and has over ...

, was built in 1930, opening on September 25 of that year. It was the largest

convention center A convention center (American and British English spelling differences, American English; or conference centre in British English) is a large building that is designed to hold a Convention (meeting), convention, where individuals and groups ...

in Blair County until the Blair County Convention Center was built. The Shrine Center building is a bilevel building measuring by . Inside, the Shrine Center auditorium, located on the main level, can be used for

boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...

wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

concerts A concert, often known informally as a gig or show, is a live performance of music in front of an audience. The performance may be carried by a single musician, in which case it is sometimes called a recital, or by a musical ensemble such as an ...

, banquets, the

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...

, conventions, such as Sci-Fi Valley Con, and other events. It seats up to 4,000 for concerts, boxing and wrestling. The auditorium features an -by- permanent stage and four offstage dressing and locker rooms. A mezzanine leads into the auditorium and features restrooms, checkrooms and two permanent concession stands, among other facilities. There are two lounges, located on either side of the auditorium. The 22nd Street Lounge measures and can hold up to 100, and the 23rd Street Lounge, which measures , holds to 70. At ground level is a

banquet A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes inc ...

room, which also hosts meetings and trade shows. It also features a state-of-the-art kitchen. A smaller meeting room (the Arabian Room) is also located at ground level.

External links

* {{coord, 40.50697, -78.40975, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-PA, display=title Indoor arenas in Pennsylvania Convention centers in Pennsylvania Sports venues in Pennsylvania Buildings and structures in Altoona, Pennsylvania Altoona, Pennsylvania 1930 establishments in Pennsylvania Shriners