It's looking like a big tourist weekend in Hershey ahead, with several events drawing diverse crowds to our small community.
The 10th Annual Quilt Odyssey begins its run today at the Hershey Lodge & Convention Center. This isn't your grandmother's craft show: it's a sophisticated show of fabric art, and draws thousands of enthusiasts. Quilt Odyssey runs July 30 through August 2.
Tomorrow, Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd hold court at Hersheypark Stadium for, oh, about 30,000 fans. As with any concerts in the Hershey summer concert series, discounted tickets to Hersheypark are part of the deal:
summer public operating season (May-September).
The North American Final of the Hershey's Track & Field Games takes place this weekend as well. Athletes and their families begin arriving today, and many will spend tomorrow touring Hershey attractions. The games themselves take place at the Milton Hershey School's Henry Hershey Field.
Last, but not least, the Hershey Public Library's 2009 Books Sale begins on August 1. This may seem like a blip on the crowd radar, but the event brings plenty of traffic to the library's Cocoa Avenue neighborhood. With 60,000 items on sale at bargain prices, it's worth checking out!
Now, for a few words on how all these events affect your Hershey plans.
If you want to dine at any Hershey-area restaurant that takes reservations, make them now. If you want to grab a quick lunch at Houlihan's, be there before 11:30 a.m. or expect a long wait for a table. If you were thinking of popping over to Chocolate World to buy a few bags of the new Meltaway Kisses, try Target instead. The Outlets at Hershey have great school shopping sales...but I'd recommend waiting until Monday or Tuesday to take advantage of those sales. If your route to work involves any Hershey thoroughfares, allow extra time this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
And plan for things to be back to normal around Hershey...by September!
