Approximately 1,500 female hockey players from the U.S. and Canada will visit Connecticut this weekend for a youth tournament that bills itself as the largest in the country.
The Connecticut Polar Bears, an all-girls hockey program, will host the 29th Annual Holiday Tournament at rinks in Cromwell, Northford, Watertown and Shelton.
Organizers said the players will be staying at more than 20 area hotels during what is typically a slow period in the lodging industry.
The tournament will feature more than 90 teams with players ages 8 to 19.
Michael Van Parys, president of the Connecticut Sports & Convention Bureau — which helps organize the event — said in a statement that more than 2,500 rooms have been booked.
