Tournament of the Copper Rose Medieval Renaissance event at Thatcher Park on Saturday, May 10

Staff Reports

THATCHER – Huzzah! While the annual Arizona Renaissance Festival has come and gone, that doesn’t mean the medieval fervor has left with it. Come one, come all to the Tournament of the Copper Rose at Thatcher Park at U.S. Highway 70 and Reay Lane on Saturday, May 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a day of frivolity. 

The Society for Creative Anachronism, the international medieval living history group’s local chapter, Vallis Aeris, hosts the free event. 

Who is Vallis Aeris? Members are devoted to researching and recreating pre-17th-century skills, arts, combat, and culture. They employ a knowledge of history to enrich the lives of participants through events, demonstrations, and other activities. 

The event will include throne sitting, wool knitting, banner flying, cloth dyeing, honor earning, medieval learning, sword fighting, horse riding, tunic wearing, crown bearing, candle dipping, shield gripping, song singing, bow stringing, rapier dueling, leather tooling, feast cooking, and chess rooking.

Lords and Ladies will be dressed in their finest pre-1600s clothing, sword fighting will take place, stick horse-style camel jousting will be performed, and a Medieval Arts and Sciences display will be on display. This will be a day of fun and frivolity.

So dress up in your best Medieval attire and head to Thatcher Park on Saturday, May 10, to participate or just watch the fun.