It is owned by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, the company that owns the Lodge, and handles drayage, furniture and labor at most shows here. Some producers bring their own contractor, so check your kit.
Exhibitor guide · Hershey, PA · Updated
Hershey Lodge & Convention Center Exhibitor Guide
Pennsylvania's associations come here every year: township officials, school business managers, ed-tech buyers and farmers, all in one 665-room resort hotel in Chocolatetown. The resort runs its own decorator, Hershey Expositions, which handles freight out of a Palmyra warehouse at rates far below big-city convention centers. This guide covers the halls and lobbies, where freight goes, who may set up your booth and what drayage costs.
- 3,000+ exhibitors served
- 10,000+ booths built
- 2 days to a design brief
Photo: the Hershey Lodge main lobby. “Main Checkin Lobby Hershey Lodge” by mrkathika, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source
Quick answers
What exhibitors ask about the Hershey Lodge
That is Hershey Expositions' straight-time rate for crated freight, with a 2 cwt minimum. Overtime is $63 per cwt. We plan at about $50 per cwt.
Hershey Expositions takes advance freight at 210 N Franklin St in neighboring Palmyra. Freight sent straight to the Lodge is redirected there and you pay the handling rates.
Pennsylvania has no right-to-work law. The Lodge publishes no union work rules for exhibitors, and the kits we read give exhibitors their own set-up windows. Your show kit has the final word.
Photos: "AACA Hershey 2009" by Hugo-90, CC BY 2.0 Source · "AACA Hershey 2009" by Hugo-90, Thanks for 50,000,000 views, CC BY 2.0 Source · "Hersheypark Ferris Wheel" by Jim, the Photographer, CC BY 2.0 Source
Only at the Hershey Lodge
Hershey Lodge decorator and drayage: how Hershey Expositions works
Most convention centers hand freight to a national general contractor. At the Hershey Lodge the resort's own company usually does it: Hershey Expositions, an entity of the Lodge that runs a warehouse in Palmyra and an on-site service desk. These are the numbers from its 2026 order forms.
- $43per cwt, straight time, for crated or cartoned freight, inbound and outbound together, with a 2 cwt ($86) minimum. Machinery and special handling cost $63 per cwt
- $63per cwt overtime for crated freight. Overtime applies when set-up or dismantle runs before 8 a.m., after 5 p.m. or on a holiday
- PalmyraAll inbound freight goes to 210 N Franklin St, Palmyra, PA 17078, open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Freight shipped straight to the Lodge is sent to the warehouse and billed. Collect shipments are refused
- $1,000Most the resort will pay for lost or damaged freight, under the terms on the form. Insure your exhibit at full replacement value
- 21 daysDeadline for booth power, which you order from the Lodge, not the decorator. Late orders pay a $15 fee
Where to stay & getting there
Hotels near the Hershey Lodge
On site
Hershey Lodge
665 guest rooms and 18 suites above the convention center. Show room blocks sell out early, so book when your kit opens.
0.6 mi
Comfort Inn at the Park
1200 Mae Street, Hummelstown. The closest overflow option for crews.
0.8 mi
Hilton Garden Inn and Holiday Inn Express Hummelstown
550 East Main Street and 610 Walton Avenue, side by side just west of the Lodge.
0.9–1.0 mi
Fairfield Inn & Suites and Tru by Hilton Hershey
651 West Areba Avenue and 204 Hillcrest Road, on the Hershey side.
About 20 min
Harrisburg International Airport (MDT)
In Middletown, the closest commercial airport. The Lodge offers airport transportation for a fee; book through the concierge.
Floor plan & exhibit halls
Hershey Lodge floor plan: Great American Hall, Chocolate Ballroom and lobbies
The convention center is the Lodge's back half. The Great American Hall is the exhibit hall, the Chocolate Ballroom takes general sessions or smaller expos, and many association shows also put tabletop booths in the Great Lobby and Chocolate Lobby. Tap a space for its size and ceiling.
Schematic. Widths are proportional to floor area; this is not an architectural plan. Sizes are from the Hershey Lodge meeting floor plan (hersheymeetings.com); ask the Lodge for the current CAD plan.
Great American Hall
- 32,004 sq ft · 252′ × 127′
- 22 ft ceiling
- 160 10×10 booths · 210 at 8×10
Splits into the Red Room (about 9,400 sq ft), White Room (11,303) and Blue Room (11,303), all 127 ft deep with the same 22 ft ceiling. Theatre seating for 3,500 when it is not an exhibit hall.
Chocolate Ballroom
- 15,136 sq ft · 176′ × 86′
- 18 ft ceiling
- 100 8×10 booths
Divides into the Aztec, Trinidad and Nigerian rooms (about 4,558 to 5,934 sq ft each). Several association shows put their exhibits in the Aztec room and the lobby outside.
Great Lobby
- 7,092 sq ft · 36′ × 197′
- 12 ft ceiling
- 15 8×10 booths
The prefunction corridor outside the Great American Hall. It takes registration and lobby tabletop exhibits. Plan for the 12 ft ceiling, not the hall's 22 ft.
Chocolate Lobby
- 4,560 sq ft · 120′ × 38′
- 10 ft ceiling
- 10 8×10 booths
Registration and tabletop space outside the Chocolate Ballroom. The 2026 Municipal Leadership Summit used 8 ft × 3 ft tabletop spaces here and in the Aztec room.
100,000sq ft of function space in 35 rooms, the meeting space the 1997–98 expansion doubled
3,500theatre seats in the Great American Hall, the largest room in the building
Cocoa SuitesSmaller rooms of about 680 to 740 sq ft for breakouts, a show office or a sponsor suite
17,000sq ft two-story conference addition planned for summer 2027, according to local news reports. Ask the Lodge how construction affects your dates
Load-in & move-in
Hershey Lodge loading dock and freight
Get directions to Hershey Lodge & Convention Center →
- Unload at the Stack's entranceThe 2026 Municipal Leadership Summit kit tells exhibitors to unload at the entrance closest to Stack's Restaurant, and to call the Lodge for loading dock instructions for oversized loads. The Lodge does not publish dock count or door sizes, so get them before you build crates.
- Crated freight via PalmyraWhen Hershey Expositions is the contractor, advance freight goes to its Palmyra warehouse with a bill of lading showing the weight. It is delivered to your booth at move-in and returned to the warehouse after the show for your carrier.
- Parcels for tabletop showsSome smaller shows take boxes at the Lodge itself. The 2026 Municipal Leadership Summit accepted shipments at 325 University Drive from three days before the show, labeled with the event name. Follow your kit, not a previous show's.
- Short set-up windowsAssociation shows here often give exhibitors only a few hours: 8 to 11 a.m. on opening day for the 2026 PALA conference; Wednesday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. plus Thursday 6 to 8 a.m. for the 2026 Summit.
- Day −60Design approved against the room you are in: 22 ft in the Great American Hall, 18 ft in the Chocolate Ballroom, 10 to 12 ft in the lobbies.
- Day −30Certificate of insurance and an all-risk policy at full replacement value. The decorator's liability is capped at $1,000.
- Day −21Electrical order and payment to the Hershey Lodge. Any outside rigging company files its plan with Encore by now.
- Day −14Purple ships from New York to the Hershey Expositions warehouse in Palmyra, weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a bill of lading.
- Day −1Move-in in the producer's window. Finish before 5 p.m. to avoid the overtime rate.
- CloseLabel crates, hand the bill of lading to the Hershey Expositions service desk and book outbound pickup from Palmyra.
Labor & rules
Hershey Lodge labor rules: what your own crew may do
Pennsylvania is not a right-to-work state. The Lodge publishes no exhibitor work rules or union jurisdictions. What follows comes from 2026 exhibitor kits and Hershey forms for shows held here. We could not confirm a venue-wide rule on who may build a large booth, so check your show kit before you plan a self-build.
✓Your own crew
- Set up and take down a tabletop or inline display during the producer's set-up window. The 2026 kits we read schedule exhibitor set-up hours but list no labor restriction
- Bring your own display and supplies. Neither the show nor Hershey Expositions provides bulbs, screws or other parts you did not order in advance
- Staff the booth throughout show hours. Producers such as PML and RCPA require it
- Use pipe-and-base stands and speaker stands, which Encore does not count as rigging
●Contractors and the venue
- Hershey Expositions is the official contractor for decorating, drayage and labor at many shows. Order labor through it if you need help
- Some producers appoint an outside decorator instead, such as General Exposition Services (Pottstown, PA) at PASBO's 2024 conference
- Booth power comes from the Hershey Lodge: $48 for a basic 10 amp or 1,000 W outlet, 21 days ahead; 208 V service includes an electrician
- Encore is the exclusive rigging provider at Hershey Resorts for anything raised or hung above 6 ft, and it supplies exhibitor AV
!Never allowed
- Hanging or raising truss, signs or lighting above 6 ft with anyone but Encore
- Rigging from the airwall tracks
- Collect shipments to Hershey Expositions
- Flammable materials, or decor that is not flameproofed (PASBO kit)
- Taking down your booth before the show's official close without the producer's permission
Background photo: "Bar Lounge Hershey Lodge" by mrkathika, CC BY-SA 2.0 Source
Free tool
Hershey Lodge drayage cost estimator
The estimate uses a 2026 planning rate of about $50 per hundredweight. Hershey Expositions' 2026 form charges $43 per cwt straight time for crated freight with a 2 cwt minimum, $63 for special handling and $63 for crated freight on overtime. Shows that use an outside decorator set their own tariff, so your kit has the actual rate. See all venues on the drayage rates page.
Estimated drayage
$750
Cut this with a lighter booth
Intermission at the Giant Center
Photo: "Giant Center, Hershey PA Intermission" by arianravan, CC BY 2.0 Source
The calendar
Hershey Lodge trade shows 2026–2027
Hershey's calendar is mostly Pennsylvania association conferences with exhibit halls attached: municipal government, schools, agriculture, education technology. Buyers are public-sector and member decision-makers from across the state. Confirm each event with its organizer before you book.
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
Agriculture · PFB's 76th annual meeting · 2026
Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention
Growers and farm suppliers · 160+ exhibitors in the Great American Hall · 2027
PELRAS Annual Conference
Public-sector labor relations · PA Municipal League · 2027
PASBO Annual Conference & Exhibits
School business officials · PASBO's 72nd annual conference · 2027
PSATS Annual Educational Conference & Exhibit Show
Township officials · close to 4,000 attendees · 2027
In 2026 the Lodge also hosted PETE&C, the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo & Conference (February 1–4), the PDE conference exhibit hall (February), the PALA conference (April 30–May 1), the RCPA conference (September 30–October 1) and the PA Municipal League's Municipal Leadership Summit (October 7–10), which had not posted 2027 dates when we checked. PETE&C moves to the Kalahari in the Poconos for February 7–10, 2027. Check each organizer's site for 2027 dates.
The building
From the Hershey Motor Lodge to Pennsylvania's largest convention resort
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts opened a 200-room motor lodge in 1967 for Hersheypark visitors. Seven years later it added a convention center. It has been building more meeting space ever since.
- 1967The Hershey Motor Lodge opens on May 1 with 200 rooms, meeting rooms and a pool.
- 1974An $8 million convention center opens on March 25, at the time the largest meeting space between Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
- 1981Nine small meeting rooms, the Cocoa Suites, are added, and the property becomes the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center.
- 1995Governor Tom Ridge's inaugural ball is held here. Later governors, including Tom Wolf, also celebrate their inaugurations at the Lodge.
- 1997The board approves a $33 million expansion, the company's largest capital investment to date, to double meeting space to 100,000 sq ft and add 231 rooms.
- 1998The new exhibit hall opens in September. Hershey bills the Lodge as Pennsylvania's largest convention resort.
- 2002A $5 million renovation updates all 665 guest rooms.
- 2027A 17,000 sq ft two-story conference addition and a standalone MeltSpa are due in the summer, according to local news reports.
Insider tips
Hershey Lodge exhibitor tips: what experienced teams do
Ship to Palmyra, not University Drive
When Hershey Expositions is the contractor, freight sent to the Lodge is redirected to its Palmyra warehouse and you are billed for handling. Address it there yourself, and remember the warehouse receives only on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Finish before 5 p.m.
Crated freight costs $43 per cwt on straight time and $63 on overtime, which starts before 8 a.m., after 5 p.m. and on holidays. Early-morning set-up windows, such as the Summit's 6 a.m. slot, can trigger overtime.
Order power from the Lodge
Booth electricity comes from the Hershey Lodge, not the decorator: 21 days ahead, prepaid, with a $15 late fee. A basic 10 amp outlet is $48, and plugs that fit your equipment are not supplied.
Check which room you are in
The Great American Hall has a 22 ft ceiling, but many association shows put exhibitors in the Great Lobby (12 ft) or Chocolate Lobby (10 ft) at 8 × 3 ft tabletops. Bring a tabletop display or a short backwall, not a tower.
Keep hanging signs with Encore
Encore has exclusive rights to anything raised or suspended above 6 ft at Hershey Resorts. An outside AV or rigging company must file a detailed plan with Encore 21 days before load-in.
Insure past the $1,000 cap
The resort limits its liability for lost or damaged freight to $1,000 and takes no responsibility for uncrated material. Crate the booth and carry all-risk cover at full replacement value.
FAQ
Hershey Lodge FAQ for exhibitors
How big is the Hershey Lodge convention center?
The Hershey Lodge has 100,000 sq ft of function space in 35 rooms. The largest space is the Great American Hall, 32,004 sq ft (252 × 127 ft) with a 22 ft ceiling and room for 160 10×10 booths. The Chocolate Ballroom is 15,136 sq ft with an 18 ft ceiling.
Who is the decorator at the Hershey Lodge?
At most shows it is Hershey Expositions, an entity of the Lodge owned by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. It handles drayage, furniture, carpet and labor. Some producers appoint an outside decorator, such as General Exposition Services at PASBO's 2024 conference, so check your show kit.
How much is drayage at the Hershey Lodge?
Hershey Expositions' 2026 form charges $43 per cwt straight time for crated or cartoned freight (2 cwt minimum, $86), $63 per cwt for machinery or special handling, and $63 or $93 per cwt on overtime. Overtime applies before 8 a.m., after 5 p.m. and on holidays. We plan at about $50 per cwt.
Where do I ship exhibit materials for the Hershey Lodge?
For shows using Hershey Expositions, ship to Hershey Expositions, 210 Franklin St, Palmyra, PA 17078, weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a bill of lading. Freight sent directly to the Lodge is redirected there and billed. Some tabletop shows accept parcels at the Lodge a few days early, so follow your kit.
Is the Hershey Lodge union?
Pennsylvania is not a right-to-work state, but the Lodge publishes no union jurisdictions for exhibitors. The 2026 kits we read give exhibitors their own set-up windows and offer Hershey Expositions labor if you want help. We could not confirm rules for larger custom booths, so check your show kit.
Where is the loading dock at the Hershey Lodge?
The 2026 Municipal Leadership Summit kit tells exhibitors to unload at the entrance closest to Stack's Restaurant and to call the Lodge for loading dock instructions for oversized loads. The Lodge does not publish dock counts or door sizes.
How do I order electricity at the Hershey Lodge?
Order and prepay on the Hershey Lodge electrical form at least 21 days before set-up. A basic 10 amp or 1,000 W outlet is $48, and 20 amp service is $110. 208 V service includes an electrician. Late orders pay $15 extra.
Can I hang a sign at the Hershey Lodge?
Only through Encore, the exclusive rigging provider at Hershey Resorts. Anything raised, hung or supported above 6 ft is Encore's work, and airwall tracks are not used for rigging. Ask your producer first whether hanging signs are allowed at all.
What is the ceiling height in the Great American Hall?
22 ft across the hall and its Red, White and Blue sections. The Chocolate Ballroom is 18 ft, the Great Lobby 12 ft and the Chocolate Lobby 10 ft.
Which airport is closest to the Hershey Lodge?
Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) in Middletown, about 20 minutes away. The Lodge offers airport transportation for a fee.
Exhibiting in Hershey?
Tell us your association and your room.
Send the show name, your booth number and whether you are in the Great American Hall or out in the lobbies. Purple ships and installs from New York and coordinates freight with Hershey Expositions in Palmyra. Within two business days you get a design sized to your ceiling, a drayage estimate at the 2026 Hershey rates and a set-up plan that finishes before 5 p.m.
Background photo: "IMG_7646" by benfff85, CC BY 2.0 Source
Compare venues
Hershey Lodge & Convention Center vs other trade-show halls within a day's drive of New York
How the Hershey Lodge & Convention Center stacks up against other trade-show halls within a day's drive of New York. Drayage figures are Purple planning rates, not published tariffs.
| Venue | Type | Largest space | Ceiling | Labor | Drayage (plan) | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hershey Lodge & Convention CenterThis guide | Resort ballrooms | 32,004 sq ft Great American Hall | 22 ft (Great American Hall) | In-house decorator · check kit | ≈ $50/cwt | MDT · ~20 min |
| Atlantic Union Bank Convention CenterRaleigh | Convention center | 146,843 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–C | 47 ft listed max | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $110/cwt | RDU · 18 min drive |
| Baird CenterMilwaukee | Convention center | 300,275 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–E | 30 ft | Right-to-work · in-house utilities | ≈ $115/cwt | MKE · 8 mi |
| Bayfront Convention CenterErie | Convention center | 28,800 sq ft Great Hall · 160 booths | 23 ft (Great Hall) | No venue union rule · check kit | ≈ $50/cwt | ERI · about 6.5 mi |
| Birmingham-Jefferson Convention ComplexBirmingham | Convention center | 92,234 sq ft East Halls 1–3 · 473 booths | 30 ft East · 25 ft 10 in North · 20 ft South | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | BHM · 4.5 mi |
| Charleston Area Convention CenterNorth Charleston | Convention center | 76,960 sq ft, Halls A–C | 30 ft to beams | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | CHS · 2 mi |
| DeVos PlaceGrand Rapids | Convention center | 162,000 sq ft column-free hall, A–C | 37–72 ft (hall) · 28 ft (ballroom) | Self-unload · IATSE 26 stagehands | ≈ $125/cwt | GRR · 13 mi |
| Eastern States ExpositionWest Springfield | Fairgrounds | 129,400 sq ft Mallary Complex · 123,000 sq ft BLC | — | Check show kit | ≈ $125/cwt | BDL · about 25–40 min |
| Greater Richmond Convention CenterRichmond | Convention center | 178,159 sq ft · Exhibit Hall A–D | 35 ft | Right-to-work · non-union | ≈ $110/cwt | RIC · ~15 min |
| Greenville Convention CenterGreenville | Convention center | 125,000 sq ft Hall 1 (280,000 total) | 10–22 ft Hall 1 · 19–22 ft Hall 2 | Right-to-work | ≈ $105/cwt | GSP · 12 mi |
| Joseph S. Koury Convention CenterGreensboro | Hotel ballrooms | 40,000 sq ft Guilford Ballroom | 32 ft Guilford · 18 ft Imperial | Right-to-work | ≈ $95/cwt | GSO · ~12 mi |
| Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Pocono MountainsPocono Manor | Resort ballrooms | 38,000 sq ft Kilimanjaro Ballroom | 16–25 ft | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $120/cwt | AVP · ≈40 mi |
| New York State Fairgrounds Exposition CenterSyracuse | Fairgrounds | 110,000 sq ft clear span, Exposition Center | 60 ft truss height | Show contractor · check kit | ≈ $95/cwt | SYR · about 10 mi |
| Philadelphia Marriott DowntownPhiladelphia | Hotel ballrooms | 34,300 sq ft Grand Ballroom · 31,962 sq ft Franklin Hall | 10.5 ft Franklin Hall · 22 ft ballroom | Union · check kit | ≈ $170/cwt | PHL · SEPTA to Jefferson Station |
| Vandalia Health CenterCharleston | Convention center | 50,086 sq ft Grand Hall · up to 256 booths | — | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | CRW · about 5 min |
| Vibe Credit Union ShowplaceNovi | Expo center | 305,000± sq ft, Halls A–C + Event Center | 24 ft clear (A–C) · 40+ ft (Event Center) | No venue union rule · check kit | ≈ $95/cwt | DTW · about 20 min |
| Virginia Beach Convention CenterVirginia Beach | Convention center | 150,012 sq ft · Halls A–D | 40 ft | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | ORF · 20 min |
| York Expo CenterYork | Fairgrounds | 114,000 sq ft UPMC Arena (74,000 clear span) | 24–30 ft arena · 12–22 ft other halls | Show contractor · check kit | ≈ $90/cwt | MDT · roughly 30 mi |
Within a day's drive of New York
Other venues near the Hershey Lodge
Pennsylvania Farm Show ComplexHarrisburg, PA
Lancaster County Convention CenterLancaster, PA
Greater Philadelphia Expo CenterOaks, PA
Pennsylvania Convention CenterPhiladelphia, PA
Baltimore Convention CenterBaltimore, MD
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions PoconosPocono Manor, PA
Written by the Purple Exhibits team. Reviewed for the 2026–2027 season. Figures marked for verification are being confirmed with the venue. Sources: Hershey Meetings (hersheymeetings.com: Hershey Lodge overview, Great American Hall floor plan, downloads, Encore rigging FAQ, electrical order form), the Hershey Lodge meeting floor plan, Hershey Expositions drayage and booth-supply forms, Hershey history (hersheypa.com) and Hershey Community Archives, Wikipedia (Hershey Lodge), abc27, 2026 exhibitor kits from the PA Municipal League, PALA and RCPA, PASBO exhibitor FAQs, PSATS, PFB, hotelguides.com.