Girls ages 4 to 9 in the Potomac area can try ice hockey for free on September 13, when the Montgomery Ice Devils host a session at Rockville Ice Arena as part of the DMV Girls Hockey Weekend.

The event, now in its fourth year and rebranded from DMV Girls Try Hockey for Free Day, is a partnership between the Washington Capitals, the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation, the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association and youth hockey organizations at 18 rinks across Maryland and Virginia. The weekend runs Saturday, September 12, through Sunday, September 13. The Rockville session falls on the Sunday.

No experience is required. All equipment is loaned to participants at no cost for a one- to two-hour on-ice session.

Registration is open at capsyouthhockey.leagueapps.com.

The MSE Foundation is backing the 2026 weekend with a $32,991 grant to cover equipment and logistics, according to the Capitals' announcement.

The program has grown fast. When the Capitals launched it in 2023, more than 300 girls tried hockey for the first time and more than 30 percent signed up to keep playing, according to the team. In 2025, more than 630 girls participated across the region, and enrollment in the Future Caps Learn to Play program jumped more than 8 percent in the week following the event, the Capitals said.

Some rinks will host girls' hockey games before or after the free session, and select locations will offer all-girls Future Caps Learn to Play sessions in the weeks following the weekend to help participants stick with the sport.

Registrants should watch for a confirmation email from Rockville Ice Arena with final session details closer to September 13.