The Hershey Bears' “Teddy Bear Toss Night” hockey event created an unforgettable scene, transforming the ice rink into a sea of teddy bears for charity—a charming gesture shared with all.
On 4 Jan 2026 GMT+7, amid an electrifying atmosphere, the Hershey Bears defeated the Rockford IceHogs 5-2 in front of over ten thousand fans. Defenseman Louie Belpedio scored the first goal just 2:55 into the first period, signaling fans to begin tossing teddy bears onto the ice. Nearly 82,000 bears will be sorted and distributed to 60 local organizations, including schools, hospitals, and food banks, through the Hershey Bears Cares program.
Fans know in advance which game is the "Teddy Bear Toss Night." Everyone brings new teddy bears to the arena and eagerly awaits the moment.
The rule is that no one may throw teddy bears until the home team scores the first goal. Everyone watches intently, and once the home team scores, fans simultaneously throw all their bears onto the ice, turning it completely white with teddy bears.
The game pauses temporarily as players from both teams and arena staff help collect the bears into giant bags, sometimes taking over 30 minutes. All the bears are then cleaned, sorted, and promptly delivered to children in hospitals and charitable foundations.
In addition to the teddy bears, The GIANT Company donated $100,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network during the event. Since this tradition began in 2001, the Bears have collected nearly 650,000 teddy bears to bring smiles to children across Pennsylvania, USA.