Plaster Rock, New Brunswick has become known as the pond hockey capital of the world. Each February, hundreds of people from around the globe flock to the tiny village to take part in the tournament.

Now, another New Brunswick community is hoping to duplicate that success with the game of washer toss.

It’s a simple game. All you need are a couple of boxes, some plastic pipe secured in the middle, a handful of metal washers and you are good to go.

“This game is everybody's game,” says washer toss enthusiast Julie Easley. “It doesn't matter what age, what ability you have. I personally can attest to that, I'm not really that great, but it's a fun game no matter what. It's just a perfect backyard event."

Darren O’Donnell has been tossing washers for about eight years. For the past three, he’s been laying the groundwork for the first world washer toss championship which will take place in August along the Nashwaak River, just outside Fredericton. 

As many as 256 teams could take part in the event.

“We've done trials, timing how long the games take, we're going to be adopting a three-washer game, thrown consecutively, point scores,” says O’Donnell.

The popularity of the game of washer toss has grown over the last five years. Interest in the first world washer toss championship has also taken off.

While the field will be loaded with Maritimers, organizers are also seeing interest from afar.

“Due to our popularity, some of the guys down in the States who play this game are going to hear about us and we certainly are going to offer them free entry into our tournament, if they're winning their tournaments down there," says O’Donnell.

Local washer toss enthusiasts are anticipating a very competitive tournament.

"The people that I watched last weekend play, it was rare that they missed, they were unbelievably good at it,” says Caroline Brennan. “So, yeah, it's going to be a really competitive tournament."

Organizers are still working on the first world washer toss championship, but they are already saying next year’s event will be bigger and better.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell