The Hershey Story, a museum dedicated to the legacy of chocolatier Milton S. Hershey, is hosting a special 1893 World’s Fair event on June 13 and 14, 2026. “A Sweet Beginning: Milton Hershey at the 1893 World’s Fair” will feature music, performers, period actors, and (of course) sweet treats as they celebrate how the Pennsylvania entrepreneur’s visit to the Columbian Exposition sparked a new business line in chocolates.

In 1893, the World’s Fair in Chicago introduced Americans to innovations that would shape the modern world—among them, chocolate-making technology that would forever change Milton S. Hershey’s future. While attending the fair, Hershey encountered European chocolate machinery that inspired him to shift his focus from caramel to chocolate, setting the foundation for what would become one of America’s most iconic brands.

Visitors can visit “The Hall of Arts and Sciences” to learn more about electricity, inventions, and architecture at the fair through hands-on activities. Listen to a phonograph, assemble your own Ferris wheel, and explore architectural styles and material textures in this area. Be sure to visit the Chocolate Lab to enjoy classic treats both exhibited at the fair and inspired by it such as Palmer House Hotel brownies, caramel popcorn balls dipped in chocolate, and an orange cider drink.

The two-day event, free with Museum Experience admission, runs from 9 am to 5 pm at The Hershey Story (63 West Chocolate Avenue in Hershey, PA). More information at https://hersheystory.org/series/a-sweet-beginning-milton-hershey-at-the-1893-worlds-fair/