Drew McDonald, 27, who was born and raised in Conway N.H., said the Mud Bowl has been a staple in his life. His father and uncles played, and then his brother brought him onto a team when he was 19. Now, McDonald is one of the captains of the Mud Hogs and plays every year.
This past weekend, North Conway hosted the 51st Mud Bowl in the Hog Coliseum as teams, knee-deep in the muck, compete in a touch football tournament to raise money for local organizations. The event started as an attempt to help businesses after Labor Day weekend by extending summer festivities into September, and it has snowballed into a cherished local event.
Cheerleaders for the Muddas Football Club rinsed off after their halftime performance during the 2025 Mud Bowl at Hog Coliseum in North Conway,.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Members of the North Conway Hogs perform a Miller Lite–themed dance for judges during the Tournament of Mud Parade at the 51st annual Mud Bowl in North Conway. The parade is a staple of the weekend, featuring costumes, floats and performances by the mud football teams.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
”You see 12 teams there and you might be battling in the mud during the game, little stuff might happen, getting a little chippy,“ McDonald said. ”But after the game, everyone’s family.”
He was able to play alongside his dad and brother a few years ago, which is one of his favorite memories from any Mud Bowl, he said.
Richard DeAngelis, 85, played in the first Mud Bowl and is one of the founding members. He returns every year as one of the grand marshals and put on a skit to raise money for the North Conway Community Center, Vaughan Learning Center, and Carroll County Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and other charities in the White Mountains region.
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“The first time we collected [money] it was like $35. I was almost embarrassed to bringing it over to the youth center,” DeAngelis said. “And to think as of last year, [in] 50 years we raised over $1 million. Its pretty heartwarming.”
This year, the Mud Crocs won the championship after three days of battling other teams in the deep mud. For Chris Olds, captain of the team, what makes the Mud Bowl special is its longevity.
“All these things have come and gone and yet Mud Bowl is the one, in my personal opinion, because of that tie to giving back to the community that has always stayed there and is still present,” Olds said.
Members of the original Mount Washington Valley Hogs and Hoggettes, wearing masks and parade sashes, parade on Main Street during the Tournament of Mud Parade in North Conway. The 42nd annual parade, part of Mud Bowl weekend, honored the legendary team that helped launch the event in the 1970s.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Players from the North Shore Mud Sharks, in yellow, take on the Carrabassett Valley Rats during a Saturday matchup at the 2025 Mud Bowl in North Conway, N.H.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Justin Kwedor, of the North Country Mud Crocs, (left), Haendley Lamour of the Carrabassett Valley Rats and Bobby Graustein of the Mud Things.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Ashley Gordon, left, and Brooke Kujawski, members of the Hogettes cheer squad, cool off in a tub during the 2025 Mud Bowl at Hog Coliseum in North Conway.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
A New Hampshire Mudcats defender, left, closes in on a Jim Wilson of the Mud Heroes during the 51st annual Mud Bowl.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Jack Mueller of the North Conway Hogs rests in the mud after a play during the 51st annual Mud Bowl. The hometown team is a perennial crowd favorite at the charity football tournament.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Mud Heroes player Ben Matthews, right, embraces an opponent after a game during the 51st annual Mud Bowl in North Conway. Matthews was inducted into the Mud Bowl Hall of Fame this year.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Craig Adam of the New Hampshire Mudcats rinses off in a water tub after a game at the 2025 Mud Bowl.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
The North Country Mud Crocs celebrate with their trophy after winning the 2025 Mud Bowl championship in North Conway.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
New Hampshire Mudcats teammates, from left, Craig Adam, Mike Kamysz and Shane Boss rinse off after a game at the 2025 Mud Bowl.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Katarina Schmeiszer can be reached at katarina.schmeiszer@globe.com. Follow her on X at @katschmeiszer.
