50 Years of Hershey Characters at Hersheypark (2024)

It’s a sweet year for Hersheypark, as 2024 marks the golden anniversary of Hershey Characters at the largest amusem*nt park in Pennsylvania!

In addition to three parks in one, Hersheypark is the only amusem*nt park in the world focused on fun and chocolate, as evidenced by the life-size, chocolate-inspired characters throughout the Park, rides inspired by iconic Hershey Company brands, incredible chocolate treats and even ride height categories as candy brands.

Over the last 50 years, the Hershey Characters have created core Hersheypark Happy memories for generations of guests. The original group of Hershey Product Characters made their first appearance at Hersheypark in 1974. Now, the five friendly faces visitors often see in Hersheypark and across the destination include Hershey’s Bar, Kiss, Reese, Jolly Rancher and Twizzler. During seasonal events like Hersheypark Halloween and Christmas Candylane, these Hershey Characters even dress in their holiday finest with capes, scarves and other festive attire.

Continue reading to learn more about how the Hershey Characters became a part of the Hersheypark experience with information and select photos from the Hershey Community Archives.

The History of Hershey Product Characters

The story of Hershey Characters began in 1968 with Allie Scollon and her husband, Bill. Together, the Scollons created costumed character and marionette shows for venues across the United States out of their facility in Cleveland, Ohio. In the summer of 1972, The Elizabethtown Chronicle indicated that Hersheypark had created a special theater where the Scollon Marionette Show performed six live shows daily.

Shortly after Scollon was introduced to Hersheypark, the idea of creating product characters was born. Former Assistant General Manager of Hersheypark J. Bruce McKinney noted that management had looked into the entertainment offerings of other theme parks established at the time, which helped in their decision to create characters for Hersheypark.

Scollon Productions hired newspaper editorial artist Ed Fresca to partner in creating costume characters for Hersheypark. According to McKinney, the very first sample was a Reese product character. It was at a Hershey Rotary Club meeting where McKinney had the character greeting members as they were leaving. When the character greeted Robert “Bob” Reese (son of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups founder H.B. Reese), he was “all smiles and ecstatic.”

Along the way, additional characters have been added and retired from the original group of Hershey Product Characters that emerged 50 years ago. Guests might notice that the characters they see now in Hersheypark look quite different from the original set of characters that first appeared in our destination.

Take a look at the evolution of the designs from 1974 until today.

Celebrate with New “My Sweet Life!” Show

For the first time since 2019, a live summer show will return to the air-conditioned Chevrolet Music Box Theatre beginning June 22. Guests can cool off while seeing Hersh and his friends perform on stage in an all-new show, HPTV Presents: My Sweet Life, celebrating the golden anniversary of Hersheypark’s beloved Characters.

This special episode is a musical journey through time, featuring guests’ favorite hits and their favorite friends! With special appearances from Reese, Miss Kiss and Twizz, it’s more than a show; it’s a tribute to the chocolate-coated adventures that have delighted generations.

There are four shows included with a Hersheypark ticket on weekdays from Monday through Friday (no shows on Tuesday) and five shows on Saturday and Sunday, with details listed in the Hersheypark app.

Sweet Greet Experiences

Hersheypark is also the only amusem*nt park in the world where guests can take a selfie with iconic candy brands during meet-and-greets in new locations throughout the Park, as detailed on the Hersheypark app.

• Hershey Bar – Snap a sweet photo with Hersh across from HPGO! During inclement weather, the location may change to in front of Music Box Theatre.
• Miss Kiss – Find Kiss right near the Kisses Korner if you’re looking for some extra sweetness during your next visit!
• Reese – Get your selfie game on with Reese next to the Music Box Theatre!
• JR – Don’t miss your chance to snap a pic with Jolly Rancher! Catch him right next to Fender Bender while you dance to the beat of your favorite songs with the sweet smell of sugary goodness in the air.
• Twizzler – Bend, snap and twist with Twizz, the bold and confident candy queen at Hersheypark! Show off your best moves and find Twizzler hanging out near Fender Bender.

Hersheypark Ticket Info

There are a variety of great ticket offers available on Hersheypark.com. Guests can save 25% on 1-Day Any Day Tickets valid all year, and guests interested in visiting on Monday through Thursday should consider the Midweek Summer Savings Ticket, which offers a 30% discount on Park tickets during the week. For those who prefer thrill-seeking as the sun goes down, visit after 4 p.m. and save big with the Happy Hours Ticket.

Save on Tickets

Share Your Character Memories With Us

We would love to see your Sweet Greets Experiences with our Hershey Characters over the years! Share your photos with our characters on Facebook, X and Instagram to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hershey Characters. Don’t forget to tag us @Hersheypark and use #HersheyparkHappy during your visit!