Four-time Olympic gold medalist Hayley Wickenheiser brings event to Las Vegas
VEGAS (June 2, 2025) – The Vegas Golden Knights announced today, June 2, the organization will welcome and play host to WickFest 2026 at City National Arena, America First Center, and Hylo Park Arena.
Founded in 2010 by four-time Olympic gold medalist and Hockey Hall of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser, WickFest was created to bring girls of all ages and skill levels together through hockey, while fostering personal growth, confidence, and lifelong connections. To date, WickFest has engaged and impacted more than 30,000 girls, women, and event participants.
Now in its 16th year, WickFest is one of the largest and most respected girls’ hockey festivals globally, drawing thousands of young athletes annually for a multi-day experience that combines competition, development, and empowerment. In partnership with the NHL and NHLPA, the Golden Knights will provide even more girls with the chance to compete and grow their hockey skills.
“When WickFest was founded, the vision was to create a space where girls could discover and fulfill their potential through hockey,” said Wickenheiser. “Sixteen years later, seeing the enormous impact we’ve had fills me with incredible pride. Bringing WickFest to Las Vegas and partnering with the Golden Knights represents an exciting new chapter for us. I believe the passionate, growing hockey community and incredible facilities will make WickFest 2026 truly unforgettable.”
Set for February 5-8, 2026, Las Vegas will become the first WickFest hosted in the United States. At this four-day event, participants are guaranteed to play four games between City National Arena, America First Center, and Hylo Park Arena. The Golden Knights and WickFest expect 50 teams with approximately 750 female participants from the age brackets of 10u, 12u, 14u, and 16u at both Tiers 1 and 2. Organizations interested in having their teams participate in WickFest can register **here**.
“We are honored and excited that Hayley and her team have chosen Las Vegas as the first U.S. hosts of WickFest,” said Golden Knights President and CEO Kerry Bubolz. “We’ve seen the great impact that opportunities like this make on the growth of girls in hockey, and we look forward to providing first-class venues for the participants and their families in February 2026.”
WickFest is an example of the many ways the Golden Knights have promoted female participation in hockey, which has increased by 600% in Nevada since the team joined the NHL, according to USA Hockey.
ABOUT THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
The Vegas Golden Knights are a National Hockey League franchise owned and operated by Black Knight Sports and Entertainment LLC. Established by Owner and Chairman Bill Foley and his family, the Golden Knights were the most successful expansion franchise in North American professional sports history in 2017-18 and won the Stanley Cup in 2022-23. For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights visit vegasgoldenknights.com and follow the team on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
