The 2025 Nike New England Winterfest Volleyball Tournament kicked off in Downtown Hartford this weekend.
The 2025 Nike New England Winterfest Volleyball Tournament kicked off in downtown Hartford Saturday.
"It's a remarkable event. We're going to be here for the next three weekends," said Dave Peixoto, Commissioner of the New England Regional Volleyball Assocation.
Organizers like Peixoto have been hosting this tournament for 15 years and he says this year is his largest one, yet.
More than 700 boys' and girls' teams from all over New England and Canada will come together on the court inside the Connecticut Convention Center over the next three weeks.
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That's thousands of players, their coaches, families, and fans in the Capital City, giving Hartford businesses and restaurants a much needed boost this time of year.
"For the hospitality community, December tends to be slower. Tends to be more the social, less corporate, less sports events so, you know, to have this huge event in January ramps us all up and gets us excited about the new year," said Bob Murdock, President of Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau.
Murdock says his role is to help bring in meetings, events, and trade shows that have an economic impact on the state.
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He says this tournament will bring close to 30,000 people to the Capital City over the next three weeks and generate more than $11 million in the Greater Hartford area.
It's a boon for places like Victus Coffee, which opened on Main Street less than a year ago.
"Our little Hartford community is amazing, but to be able to get more faces, more eyes, and of course people trying our coffee, is just incredible," said Anne Mercer, co-owner of Victus Coffee.
This tournament not only makes a great impact on our state, but organizers say it also makes a positive difference in the lives of young athletes.
"This is where they bond with their teams. They will make lifelong friends here. It's much more than volleyball, you get them on the court, get them away from their phones and assimilating with people and playing on a team structure," said Peixoto.
