The Hershey Bears announced their promotional schedule for the 2026-27 season.
The biggest date on the calendar is Hershey’s world-famous Teddy Bear Toss Game, which will be held on Sunday, January 10 at 3 pm. The Bears will face off against their I-81 rival, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, that day. The Bears will look to improve upon their hockey world record of 102,343 stuffies first set in 2025.
The team collected 81,796 stuffed animals at the 2026 edition of the event after defenseman Louie Belpedio scored 2:55 into the game.
“It was unreal,” Ilya Protas said of swimming in stuffed animals. “I was thinking about the game since the start of the year, you know? And obviously, I knew it’s huge here. Every year, it’s broken records, so I was so excited for it.
“I was feeling like I’m a 10-years-old child,” he continued. “I had so much fun.”
The event, where fans heave stuffed animals onto the ice after the team’s first goal, is a memorable experience that (at least in my opinion) everyone should experience at least once.
This season, the Bears are bringing back popular promotions like Magnet Schedule Night, Bobblehead Night, Hersheypark Pass Nights, and Autograph Night. Hershey is also introducing all-new B-E-A-R-Sapalooza music nights, Wizards & Wands Night, and Back to B’ars Night.
The Back to B’ars promotion will see the organization their original identity from 90 years ago on Sunday, February 28 against the Springfield Thunderbirds. All fans will take home a Hershey B’ars-themed, old-school bobblehead.
The Bears will also be introducing its first Pennsyltucky Night on Sunday, October 11, and Racing Night will return on Saturday, February 27. The Turkey Shoot Night will take place at during the club’s annual Thanksgiving Eve game on Wednesday, November 25, where all fans have a chance to head to the ice following the game for a chance to win a frozen turkey for the holidays. The Holiday Ham Shoot is slated for Saturday, December 19. There will also be Dollar Dog Nights on Wednesday, November 11 and Wednesday, February 3, and a Taco Tuesday special on January 12.
The full promotional calendar, as of now, is below.
Bears promotional calendar
Please note, per the team, that all promotional nights are subject to change, and additional nights and giveaways could be added at a later date.
October 2026
- Oct. 3 vs. Charlotte – Magnet Schedule Night, Opening Night
- Oct. 4 vs. Charlotte – Bears Brunch, Dark Nights Takeover
- Oct. 10 vs. Texas – B-E-A-R-Sapalooza Country Night, Straw Cowboy Hat Giveaway
- Oct. 11 vs. Texas – Pennsyltucky Night
- Oct. 17 vs. Providence – Pink the Rink Night, Gel Phone Light Cover Giveaway
- Oct. 18 vs. Providence – Trick-or-Treat Night, Bears Brunch
- Oct. 24 vs. Belleville – Hersheypark Christmas Candylane Pass Giveaway
November 2026
- Nov. 1 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – Hockey Fights Cancer, Jersey Rally Towel Giveaway
- Nov. 11 vs. Hamilton – Dollar Dog Night, Hometown Heroes Night
- Nov. 15 vs. Charlotte – Kids Night, Knit Hat Giveaway, Mascot Mania, Bears Brunch
- Nov. 20 vs. Rochester – B-E-A-R-Sapalooza Rock ‘N’ Roll Night, Hersheypark Pass Night
- Nov. 25 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – Turkey Shoot Night
December 2026
- December 5 vs. Lehigh Valley – Hall of Fame Night, Hall of Fame Postcard Giveaway
- December 13 vs. Charlotte – Wizards & Wands Night
- December 19 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Chocolatetown, Holiday Ham Shoot
January 2027
- Jan. 3 vs. Cleveland – First Responders Night, Bears Brunch
- Jan. 10 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – Teddy Bear Toss, Bears Brunch
- Jan. 12 vs. Lehigh Valley – Taco Tuesday
- Jan. 15 vs. Lehigh Valley – B-E-A-R-Sapalooza Trop Rock Night, Halfway to Summer
- Jan. 16 vs. Toronto – College Night, Pom-Pom Giveaway
February 2027
- Feb. 3 vs. Lehigh Valley – Dollar Dog Night
- Feb. 12 vs. Hartford – B-E-A-R-Sapalooza 90s Night, Hersheypark Pass Night
- Feb. 13 vs. Hartford – Autograph Night, Team Photo Giveaway
- Feb. 24 vs. Syracuse – PA Lottery Night
- Feb. 27 vs. Springfield – Racing Night, Fan Flag Giveaway
- Feb. 28 vs. Springfield – Back to B’ars Night, Retro B’ars Bobblehead Giveaway, Bears Brunch
March 2027
- Mar. 14 vs. Laval – Drawstring Bag Night
- Mar. 24 vs. Utica – Hersheypark Night, Hersheypark Pass Night
April 2027
- April 7 vs. Lehigh Valley – Golf Night, Golf Chip Giveaway
- April 10 vs. Lehigh Valley – Fan Appreciation Night, Player Awards Night, Jersey Off Our Backs Night
The Bears are also opening an Opening Night ticket special through July 31 where tickets for the Saturday, October 3 game are just $14. The Bears host the Charlotte Checkers to open the season at 6 pm that night.
