NORTH CONWAY, N.H. — Always held the three-day weekend after Labor Day, excitement is building for this year’s Mud Bowl mud football championships, which will celebrate a theme of “50 Years, The Best of Five Decades” at North Conway’s Steve Eastman Memorial Field at Hog Coliseum located behind the North Conway Community Center, Friday through Sunday, Sept. 6-8.
Sponsored by Amoskeag Beverages/Miller Lite, the 12-team touch football tournament played in mud benefits the North Conway Community Center, Vaughan Learning Center and Carroll County Retired Senior Volunteer Program, as well as other non-profits in the Mt Washington Valley. More than $1 million has been donated over the years.
The three-day $25 ticket ensures entrance into the games for all three days and doubles as a raffle ticket for a $500 prize on Saturday, Sept. 7, and Sunday, Sept. 8. Day tickets for adults are $10 and $5 for children ages 6-13.
The 41st annual Tournament of Mud Parade is set for Saturday, Sept. 7, on Main Street in North Conway, starting from Pine Street at 9 a.m. and ending at the reviewing stand in front of the Conway Scenic Railroad’s station on Norcross Circle.
Parade prizes are offered for first ($250), second ($150) and runner-up ($100) in both the team and open class, with teams donating their winnings to the charity of their choice. Local open class participants may register by Sept. 1 by emailing chair Molly Mullins Greenwood at mollymullinsgreenwood@gmail.com.
The parade is sponsored by Amoskeag Beverages LLC. Parade grand marshals will be the Sherman Farm family of East Conway for their longtime support of Mud Bowl.
Veteran teams include the North Conway Hawgs, the four-time, defending champion North Country Mud Crocs; the 22-time champion Muddas Football Club of Amherst; the founders of the sport of mud football - the Carrabassett Valley Rats; the eight-time champion Nashua Mud Gumbys, the 2005 champion North Shore Mud Sharks, the 2001 champion New Hampshire Mudcats, Jack’s Predators, the Rhode Island Muckaneers, the Rowley Mud Ducks, the North Conway Mud Things and the Mud Heroes.
Additional fun includes performances by Cheer Teams, a football toss with a $50 priz, and a ladies’ pickup game. The Vaughan Learning Center will offer face art. The Mudbassadors will offer children’s games Saturday afternoon.
A 50th Celebration featuring food trucks, the beer garden, and live music from Rek’lis will be held from 6-10 p.m. outside Saturday evening at the NCCC. For more information call (603) 356-2096 or find them on Facebook (Mud Bowl NCCC).