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Theatre & Live Shows · Hershey, PA
Hershey Theatre, at 15 E Caracas Avenue in downtown Hershey, PA, is a historic 1933 performing-arts venue hosting touring Broadway shows, concerts, comedy, and dance — plus behind-the-scenes Spotlight Tours on select dates. With free parking right across the street and a compact downtown setting, it's an easy evening-out anchor for a Hershey trip.
Our take If you're building a Hershey itinerary, treat the theatre as your evening anchor — daytime at the big attractions, dinner downtown, then a show, with free parking right across Caracas Avenue. Just check the schedule first; the lineup rotates and recent seasons have included renovation work.
Some venues are worth the trip for the building alone, and Hershey Theatre is one of them. It opened in September 1933, designed by architect C. Emlen Urban for Milton S. Hershey during the Depression, and it shows in the details — a lobby modeled on St. Mark's in Venice, a star-lit ceiling, and roughly 1,900 seats under one roof. When we send out-of-town guests here, we tell them to show up a few minutes early just to take the room in before the lights go down.
Programming runs the full range of a touring-house calendar: Broadway musicals, intimate concerts, stand-up comedy, classical and dance attractions, and family shows. Because the lineup rotates constantly and the venue has cycled through renovation work in recent seasons, the schedule is the one thing we always tell people to check directly — pull up the official site, see what's on the night you're in town, and confirm current show times and pricing there rather than relying on any single listing.
For us, the practical appeal is how easy it is to fold into a Hershey visit. It sits in walkable downtown Hershey, parking is free and directly across the street, and a show pairs naturally with dinner nearby and a daytime stop at one of the big attractions. If you'd rather see the place by daylight, the behind-the-scenes Spotlight Tour is a genuinely good 90-ish-minute look at the history and the backstage machinery — a nice rainy-day option that doesn't depend on a show being on the calendar.
The core of the calendar: touring Broadway musicals, concerts, stand-up comedy, and classical and dance attractions in a roughly 1,900-seat historic house. Lineups and prices change by show — confirm current dates and pricing on the official site.
See what's playing →A guided walking tour (about 90 minutes) of the historic 1933 building — history, architecture, and backstage areas — offered on select dates and departing from the main entrance. Tickets are limited and typically non-refundable; some areas aren't wheelchair-accessible.
Check tour dates →Hours, show times, and tour dates vary by event and season — always confirm current hours and pricing on the official Hershey Theatre site before you go.
Hershey Theatre is in Hershey, PA. The map shows both pins — Hershey Theatre and our shop in Grantville — so you can see exactly where it sits relative to us.
It's a touring performing-arts house, so the calendar mixes Broadway musical tours, concerts, stand-up comedy, classical music, and dance — plus family and community shows. The lineup changes constantly, so check the official site for what's playing the night you'll be in town and confirm current show times and ticket prices there.
There's a large lot directly across the street from the Caracas Avenue entrance, and per the theatre it's free to park. If that lot fills, there's additional free parking about a block down Caracas Avenue. For a busy show, give yourself a little buffer so you're not circling at curtain time.
The theatre says doors open roughly 60 minutes before showtime and recommends arriving at least 45 minutes early. We'd lean toward the early end on a sold-out night — it gives you time to park, get through the bag check, find your seats, and take in the lobby and auditorium before the show starts.
Yes — expect a clear-bag policy and a security check at the door, with small clutches and medical or parenting bags allowed within posted size limits. Travel light, have items open and ready for inspection, and check the current policy on the official site before you head over so nothing slows you down at the entrance.
On select dates the theatre runs behind-the-scenes Spotlight Tours — roughly a 90-minute walking tour covering the history, architecture, and backstage areas, departing from the main entrance. Dates and times are limited and tickets are typically non-refundable, so book ahead on the official site. Note that, given the historic building, some areas aren't wheelchair-accessible.
With around 1,900 seats letting out at once, the lot across the street can bunch up for a few minutes after curtain. If you're trying to beat the rush, an aisle or rear-orchestra seat helps, and parking in the overflow lot a block down can be an easier exit. Otherwise, give it a few minutes and the crowd clears out on its own.
A show pairs well with the rest of a Hershey trip — here's how we'd round out the day, plus a heads-up if your car acts up while you're in town.
An easy downtown daytime stop before an evening show.
A Hershey spot for dinner or a drink near the theatre.
If your car won't cooperate on a trip, here's how we can help.
Verified via: Hershey Theatre — official site · Hershey Theatre — Visitor FAQs (parking, bags, doors) · Hershey Theatre — Behind-the-Scenes (Spotlight) Tours · Hershey Theatre — Wikipedia (history, capacity, architecture)
Hershey Theatre is an independent local venue we're featuring in our guide — we're not affiliated. Details are from the place and public sources and were accurate at the time of writing; please confirm current hours before visiting.