Hershey’s Chocolate World unveils redecorated ride celebrating America’s 250th

• Katie Knol
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  Katie Knol is WITF's General Assignment Reporter & Host.
  
  She graduated from Penn State University in 2024, earning bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science. She has also worked at WPSU, the News Lab at Penn State, The Daily Collegian and CommRadio.

Fans of the classic Chocolate World ride in Hershey might have noticed the cows dressed up in Americana-themed outfits and singing a new song about that “great American chocolate bar.”

This new look will be available until Labor Day and is meant to celebrate the United States of America’s upcoming 250-year anniversary.

“We really wanted to just lean into the cultural heritage of Hershey’s milk chocolate in the area and the fact that we are, as a brand, woven into the fabric of the country and the nation,” said Laura Renaud, senior marketing manager at The Hershey Company.

This revamp has been in the works since the end of 2025. It’s only the second time the ride, ridden by about 3 million people each year, has been specially decorated since its opening in 1973. The first time was for last year’s winter holiday season.

Renaud said those festivities brought positive customer feedback, so they decided to bring it back with a new theme for the summer.

“There are some new lyrics for the cows in that first theme, which is really fun, especially for our huge superfans of our cows,” she said.

The history of Hershey’s chocolate is similar to the county’s underdog history, Renaud said. Founder Milton Hershey had two previous failed businesses, but began experimenting with milk, sugar and cacao beans to create a more affordable confection.

“What’s really cool about Milton Hershey is his vision from his outset to make quality milk chocolate available to every single American,” Renaud said. “Before Milton Hershey introduced the Hershey’s milk chocolate bar to the market, it was a luxury that was enjoyed by people that were wealthy, and he wanted to bring it to everyday Americans.”

Chocolate World is also displaying a custom Liberty Bell celebrating Dauphin County’s heritage through the end of the year as part of the America250 PA program, and there are new specialty red, white and blue treats throughout the building’s shopping and food stand areas.