Maggot Fest 2024
Maggot Fest will be held the weekend of May 18-19, 2024.
Welcome to Maggotfest 2024
Maggotfest is a world famous rugby tournament hosted by the Missoula All-Maggots Rugby Club, since 1977, in Missoula MT, USA. The emphasis at Maggotfest is on both the competition of the sport and on the social aspects of rugby. Clubs attend from all over the world, US and Canada. Maggotfest regularly features top first and second division clubs looking to test their skills, as well as social sides out for good matches and good times. Teams are encouraged to not only play great rugby, but are HIGHLY encouraged to win the party, wear costumes, play with sportsmanship, and have fun!
Free Beer All Weekend
Free Maggotfest Cup Refills Available at Pitch, Downtown & Party. 21+ ID Required.
Tournament Info & Registration
Fest Overview
46th Annual Maggotfest | May 19-21, 2023
48 Rugby Teams
Including: Mens, Womens, College, & Old Boys.
3 Matches per Team
2 games Saturday. 1 Game Sunday. 30min Halves
Entry fee $600
20 Player Roster – First Paid, First Accepted
Free Beer All Weekend
Free Maggotfest Cup Refills Available at Pitch, Downtown, & Party. 21+ ID Required.
About Maggot Fest
Maggotfest is 15s for all divisions, not 7s.
Maggotfest is a festival-style social rugby tournament, not a bracketed tournament: We try to match teams of similar abilities that would not normally get to play each other (Ex: from opposite ends of the country). If you’re in it to win it, the coveted trophies are Most Honored Side and Best Play on the Pitch (see below for details).
Every side gets two games Saturday, and one Sunday. Each match consists of 30min halves.
48 teams: Men’s, Women’s, College, and Old Boys (35 & over)
There’s plenty of opportunities for additional games, as this is a rugby whore’s paradise or simply a social ruggers dream festival.
Most Honored Side
As always, we look forward to giving away the Most Honored Side Trophy. Over the years we’ve given the award to such great sides – teams that have played well but have also been a pleasure to host. Many teams play hard but forget that rugby is more than game. The sides that stand out may not win every game, but they make everyone smile when they remember Maggotfest. We want to give your team the trophy this year.
Host Side & Touring Clubs
We have games Thursday evening too. The Maggots will play an invited Host side (would you be interested?). The Flies (Maggots over 35), the university men and women each have a Thursday night game. This is followed by a great pig roast and drink up with a beer trailer full of Big Sky Brewing kegs right at the pitch. All free to the host sides. Afterwards downtown to Bodega, our host bar, after dark. It’s a great time!
Previous guest teams have been top clubs from exotic locales such as England, Arizona, New Zealand, Australia, New Jersey, Canada, to name a few. If your club is interested in being the Host Side at a Maggotfest, let us know as soon as possible, since this slot gets filled early.
The Maggots have a tradition of taking the host sides down the Lochsa River on a white water rafting trip on the Friday of Maggotfest with Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures. This is a really awesome wilderness adventure, but it is also big whitewater, and as such has dangers associated with it. This must be taken seriously, and is not for everyone. The cost is ~$60. All that said, we’d love to have anyone that would like to go. There are usually about 5 Maggots that go along. Please contact the whitewater trip ogranizer to learn more.
If you’d like a hand setting up a tour on your way to Fest, let us know. We have lots of connections in Montana, western US, northern Rockies, western Canada, and the Pacific NW.
Team Registration
Registration Details
Cost : $600 / Team
How to Sign-up
The entry fee $600 US. Click Register Now button below to sign up and you will be presented with options to pay online via Squareup, or mail a check to Box 8704, Missoula, MT 59807
Teams will be accepted on a first paid basis.
What’s Included:
- 3 Rugby Matches – 2 Saturday, 1 Sunday.
- Free Beer All Weekend
- Maggotfest Trophy
- Access to the Legendary Saturday Night Party
Downtown Drink Ups
USA Rugby Requirements
Maggot Fest is a USA Rugby sanctioned event and all participating teams need to meet the following requirements. We have to submit the list of teams participating 6 weeks prior to Fest, so please get this done asap (late team adds will be accepted, as long as you meet the following requirements and USA Rugby OKs you). US Teams: It is critical that you convey to the Maggots your exact team name as listed at USA RUGBY ROSTERS. This is the team name we will be submitting to USA Rugby; no abbreviations, slang, etc. Any teams that USA Rugby identifies as not in compliance will be notified and will have to attain compliance or will not be allowed to participate.
For US clubs, other than touring/motley sides: You must be registered at USA RUGBY ROSTERS.
International Clubs, including Canadian clubs, and including international touring/motley sides, must provide a permission to tour letter from your national union to USA Rugby at membership@usa.rugby; permission to tour from a local area union will not suffice. Rugby Canada is very familiar with this process, but slow. Start early, as this process usually takes a long time!
US touring/motley sides: You need to turn in a list of USA Rugby Member players (min of 15 that are registered with USAR, and a Level 1 (formerly Level 200) coach registered with USAR) playing with your team to membership@usa.rugby
General questions, not related to touring sides or tours, can be asked at membership@usa.rugby, or contact the Maggots.
Fort Missoula Regional Park
Fields
Maggotfest games are held at the amazing Fort Missoula Regional Park (see below for directions), with 8 full size high quality pitches. This is one of the premiere sports complexes in the country.
Photos
Check Out photos from Past Maggotfests Here!!
Notice: The City of Missoula Parks and Recreation Department has the final say as to whether the fields at Fort Missoula Regional Park are playable or not. The Parks and Rec policy specifies the criteria for rain delays and cancellations.
Maggotfest Social
Beer Details
Free beer all weekend with a Maggotfest cup at:
- At the tournament Sat/Sun in the Beer Garden
- Friday at Monks
- Saturday Night Party
Players buy one cup, and we fill it all weekend, for free. You must be 21 to drink. ID required.
Friday Downtown
Team sign-ins available downstairs at Monk’s Cave. Drink up at Monks & Bodega
The Party: Block Party, Downtown Missoula
One of the unforgettable events (but then again, many people claim they can’t remember a thing) of Maggotfest is the Saturday night party, which needs to be experienced to be believed. The Saturday night Block Party begins at 7:00 PM on Ryman Street in front of the Maggot sponsor bars, Bodega and Monks.
- Public and ruggers alike, all welcome!
- Free admission.
- A Maggotfest cup gets you free beer 7:00 to midnight at the Block Party; cups can be purchased Friday night at Monks, Saturday at Fort Missoula Regional Park or Saturday night at the Block Party.
- Music provided by Missoula’s hottest rock and funk band Reverend Slanky 8:00-11:00.
- You must be 21 to drink. ID required.
- Have a designated driver, walk or find some other safe way home. DO NOT drink and drive!
- No nudity please!
- The spring air could be on the chilly side, so make sure your lads and lasses dress accordingly.
Other Options to get home safe
- Missoula Green Taxi: 406-728-8294
- Yellow Cab: 406-543-6644
- Montana Uber
Schedule of Events & Lodging
So You’ve Paid Your Money, Booked Your Flights and Prepped your Liver...
Schedule of events
The Fest will open this year with the Famous Friday Night Drink-Up which will start at 8:00 at the at the Monk’s Club (downstairs from the Bodega Bar). We look forward to pouring your club a few beers and getting them into the Fest Spirit! Captains can sign their clubs into the Fest and collect team packets. Your packet will have a schedule for your games on Saturday.
Matches start @ 9:00 AM, Saturday. Each match will have two 30 minutes halves with no injury time. In order to keep on schedule, referees will whistle up the game at the appointed hour, so please have your team ready to play on time. All games are at Fort Missoula Regional Park pitches -3401-3499 South Ave W, Missoula, MT 59804 . Maggotfest Central is at the Bella Vista Pavilion within Fort Missoula Park.
Sunday’s games begin at 10:30 AM. Sunday matches will first be posted on the Schedule Board at Fest Central near the main Bella Vista Pavillion at Fort Missoula on Saturday afternoon near the match pitches. Captains, it is your responsibility to find out what time your match is on Sunday, and have your team ready to play!!! If you will not make your Sunday match, the time to tell us is on Saturday!! If you do not make your Sunday match, your team will not be invited to the MaggotFest the following year!
The Saturday night Block Party begins at 7:00 PM on Ryman Street in front of the Maggot sponsor bars, Bodega and Monks.
If you need anything, feel free to contact this year’s Fest Chair Andy Fundak at (406) 274-2602 or Fest Fixtures Chair: John “Otto” Oetinger at 406-370-7583.
We’ll be at registration Friday night and around the fields all day on Saturday and Sunday. Customer service is our motto, so let us know if we can help you have a great time at the Fest!
Maggotfest Rules & Regulations
Unfortunately, even MaggotFest has rules. Only some are our idea – most are the law! Here they are and please inform your players. Trying to host 1000+ rugby players is big job and we need all the help we can get.
- No glass at the fields
- No smoking at the fields
- Do bring an ID. The Montana drinking age is 21 and we will not serve beer to players without ID’s.
- Do NOT camp on the fields.
- No Nudity at the fields.
- Leave your dogs at home.
- Do NOT Drink and Drive.
Maggot Socials
LIKE & Follow the MAGGOTS on social media for more info!
Maggotfest Pics & Flicks
Hundreds of pictures from fest and Maggot events. Find some familiar faces, who’s names you might not remember
Contacts & Directions
Contact a Maggot Choose based on your call
| Maggotfest Fixtures Chair | johnoetinger@outlook.com |
|---|---|
| Maggotfest Chair | fundakor@gmail.com |
| Club President | owenscully71@yahoo.com |
| Whitewater Trip Organizer | awindels2002@yahoo.com |
Maggot Fest Fixtures Chair
Maggotfest Chair
Club President
Whitewater Trip Organizer
John Oetinger
Andy Fundak
Owen Scully
Aaron Windels
Directions for all things Maggotfest
Maggotfest is Brought to you by
