Hershey's AHL club put out its slate of promotions for the upcoming 2025-26 year this past Tuesday. When the squad begins what will be its 88th season in the league, it does so at home, welcoming Syracuse's Crunch on a Saturday, October 11, inside the GIANT Center building.
Prior to that first puck drop, fans walking in will each be given a free rally towel as the team puts on a red-carpet opening-night celebration.
That beloved bear-tossing tradition comes around again on the fourth of January in 2026, with Rockford's IceHogs in town. As soon as a Hershey player buries the night's first marker, a flood of plush animals will cascade onto the surface, later to be passed along to charities nearby. The club bettered its previous total last year, hauling in a count of 102,343 toys the moment Mike Sgarbossa got Hershey on the board.
Something new this time around: a quartet of nights honoring two decades of the Hershey-Washington tie, slated for the 16th of November, the 12th of December, the third of January, and the 15th of March, celebrating 20 years of partnership between the NHL and AHL sides. As yet the organization has offered no word on precisely how it will mark the occasion during those dates.
Other items being given away across the year span a bobblehead from Members 1st (December 12, everyone), a fanny pack from Highmark (December 13, opening 5,000), a knit cap via PSECU (January 3, opening 4,000), a cowboy hat from Pepsi (January 10, opening 6,000), a squad photo whose sponsor is David A. Smith (January 11, opening 6,000), a license plate courtesy of Toyota (April 18, opening 6,000), plus a scratch card for fan appreciation (April 19, everyone).
A range of additional themed evenings is also on the docket, including an October 18 "Pink the Rink" date sponsored by Penn State Health, a Reese's-branded Halloween treat event October 25, a November 30 night devoted to fighting cancer, a December 13 nod to the 1990s, an autograph session January 11, a January 23 night themed around being midway toward summer, a February 7 tribute to women across sports, and a racing motif April 18.
Rounding out the calendar are returning favorites: a December 28 evening for kids, salutes to hometown heroes booked for both November 9 and January 25, plus an additional four dates linked to Hersheypark admission.
The whole rundown of events lives over at the club's website.
Below is the club's full announcement, reproduced for reference:
## BEARS ANNOUNCE PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE FOR 2025-26 SEASON ### GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, exciting giveaways, great causes, and more highlight upcoming campaign (Hershey, PA – July 29, 2025) – The Hershey Bears have announced the club's promotional schedule for the 2025-26 season, presented by Penn State Health. The full Hershey Bears promotional schedule is available at HersheyBears.com. All promotional nights are subject to change, and additional promotional nights and giveaways could be added at a later date. Single game tickets to all Hershey Bears games at GIANT Center will go on sale to the public on Thursday, Sept. 11. An exclusive Season Ticket Member presale to purchase tickets to all Hershey Bears home games will start on Tuesday, Sept. 9. Further information will be communicated to Season Ticket Members. Here are some of the promotional schedule highlights that fans should know as they plan to visit GIANT Center this season: ### HOME OPENER RED CARPET EVENT: The Bears will open their 88th season as they hit the ice at home on Saturday, Oct. 11 against the Syracuse Crunch. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as players and coaches will be introduced as they arrive to the arena, and fans will have the opportunity to get autographs and pictures with the team as they walk the red carpet to enter GIANT Center. ### CAPITALS NIGHTS: This season, the Bears are roaring in ALL CAPS all season long as the club celebrates its affiliation with the NHL's Washington Capitals, commemorating the previous 20 seasons that have produced five Calder Cup championships (2006, 2009, 2010, 2023, 2024), one Stanley Cup title (2018), and dozens of NHLers! Join us for Hershey Bears x Washington Capitals 20th Anniversary Nights on Sunday, Nov. 16 vs. Lehigh Valley, Friday, Dec. 12 vs. Providence, Saturday, Jan. 3 vs. Rockford, and Sunday, March 15 vs. Belleville. ### TEDDY BEAR TIME: Be sure to get your tickets early for this one! There's no better promotion in hockey than our annual GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, slated to take place on Sunday, January 4 vs. Rockford at 3 p.m. Experience the "Sweet Cuddly Mayhem" as fans are encouraged to throw teddy bears and stuffed animals onto the ice when the Bears score their first goal of the game. The thousands of stuffed animals are then donated to local charities as part of the club's Hershey Bears Cares program. Hershey holds the Teddy Bear Toss hockey world record, collecting 102,343 stuffed animals for local children last season. ### BEARS FIGHT CANCER: The Bears have announced Penn State Health Pink the Rink Weekend, set for Saturday, Oct. 18 and Sunday, Oct. 19. The Bears and Penn State Health will rally to help fight breast cancer on this special weekend, and all fans will receive a light-up Pink the Rink baton on Saturday, courtesy of Penn State Health. The club will wear special pink jerseys for both nights that will be auctioned off following Sunday's game. The Bears will continue the fight against cancer with the return of Hockey Fights Cancer Night on Sunday, Nov. 30 vs. Laval. All fans will receive a light-up Hockey Fights Cancer bracelet, courtesy of Penn State Health, and the club will wear special jerseys that will be auctioned off post-game. ### GIVEAWAYS FOR ALL AGES: Here are just some of the great giveaways this season with fun for all ages: Members 1st Bobblehead Night (all fans) – Friday, Dec. 12 vs. Providence Highmark Fanny Pack Night (first 5,000 fans in attendance) – Saturday, Dec. 13 vs. Charlotte Belco Kids Earmuffs (first 3,000 children 14-and-under in attendance) – Sunday, Dec. 28 vs. Charlotte PSECU Knit Hat Night (first 4,000 fans in attendance) – Saturday, Jan. 3 vs. Rockford Pepsi Cowboy Hat Night (first 6,000 fans in attendance) – Saturday, Jan. 10 vs. Cleveland David A. Smith Team Photo Night (first 6,000 fans in attendance) – Sunday, Jan. 11 vs. Cleveland Fairview Golf Course Golf Chip Giveaway (first 4,000 fans in attendance) – Tuesday, March 10 vs. Charlotte Penn State Health Drawstring Bag Night (all fans in attendance) – Saturday, March 14 vs. Belleville Toyota License Plate Night (first 6,000 fans in attendance) – Saturday, April 18 vs. Bridgeport Fan Appreciation Night Scratch Card (all fans in attendance) – Sunday, April 19 vs. Rochester