National Hockey Festival Returns

Palm Beach County will host one of the largest amateur sporting events in the world for the second consecutive year this month. USA Field Hockey will partner with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission to host the National Hockey Festival at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington over Thanksgiving weekend, from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1.

It is the world’s largest field hockey tournament. Over 260 teams, consisting of more than 4,400 athletes and 8,500 total visitors from the United States, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean will visit. The participating teams will contend for titles in women’s and men’s divisions, including women’s age group (Under 16 and Under 19), boy’s age group (Under 16), and women’s open and mixed (adult). The 2013 National Hockey Festival includes a new division, which features a 7-on-7 format for women (Under 14). The new division makes this year’s festival the largest in its history.

The festival is expected to be the largest amateur sporting event hosted by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission this decade.