Encouraging themed garb
audience participation at the "fighting arena" with throwing Rocks and Roses
coming back from martial defeat as a beast,
themed games to play
earning and spending Coin
themed street food and merchandise to buy with Coin
and the wildly coveted Gladiator Trading Cards
August 2nd, 2025
Gate Opens at 9 am
655 Willowside Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (Summerfield Waldrof School & Farm)
Site Fees: Adults $15 with membership, $25 without membership. Children 17 & younger are free. Must show proof of membership for membership rate.
Event Stewards: Rebecca Redarrow and Stone the Skald. Contact: MrJohnstone15@gmail.com
Click here for more Site Information
Journey to days past where Gladiators performed to the cheers (or jeers) of the populace! Come in your best Roman finest (or whatever you're comfortable in) and help determine the fate of the gladiators.
Gladiators….
We will have Heavy Fighting!
We will have Rapier Fighting!
We will have Archery!
We will have Thrown Weapons!
We will have special currency to spend at the event!
A number of coins will be delivered with paid admission
Additional coins can be purchased by suggested donation from the event “money changer”
What can you do with these Coins?
We will have delicious morsels from the Roman Empire for purchase to round out your own picnic. Visit our Thermopolium to sate your hunger and slake your thirst. We will have a selection of yummy Roman foods and drinks to satisfy any palate. Delight your senses with dishes such as roasted meats, cheese tarts, mushrooms, chicken meatballs and much more. All foods will be gluten free and there will be vegan options on offer.
We will have merch (purchase the favor of your favorite Gladiator and more)!
Purchase additional Roses or "Rocks" to support or demote Gladiators
Of course betting, we can’t forget the betting! Bet on the outcome of your favorite Gladiators
In addition to the main events You can…
Watch a special fighting exhibition!
Bid on a large variety of enticing items in a silent auction (real $$ only).
Additional activities:
Make a spectacular banner (to cheer on your favorite Gladiator, of course)
Earn a coin with an archery game
Earn a coin for demonstrating your skill with a rapier
And more!
655 Willowside Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm)
Take you best route to Hwy 101 North of the Golden Gate Bridge
Take HWY 12 West in Santa Rosa about 1.5 miles to Fulton Rd.
Turn Right (North) and travel about 1.13 miles to Hall Road. Turn Left (West).
Continue on Hall Rd about 2 miles to Willowside road and turn right (north)
Travel about a ¼ of a mile and turn left into the Summerfield Waldorf School
Continue straight to the parking lot
9:00 - Gate opens for the festivities
9:30 - Lists open (Gladiators may sign up for combat)
10:00 - Armor Inspection
10:15 - Lists Close
10:30 - Heavy Gladiators Commence Combat
11:30 - 3:00 - Eat like a Roman! Food stalls open for business. Using Event Coin, purchase delicious finger food from around the Empire. There will be enough for a whole meal!
1:00 - Archery Tournament Commences
2:00 - Gladiators of Steel Commence Combat
3:45 - Court held by our most esteemed Royalty
4:15 - Treasures of the Auction are claimed by their new owners
4:15 - Wind down and clean up of the festivities
Archery Tournament:
Bring your bows and arrows to the coliseum to shoot at lions and gladiators. If you don’t have your own gear you can borrow some, but please consider bringing a donation to help replace lost and broken arrows. You can also try throwing axes or knives.
Win Coin during the day by striking the ingredients for your recipes!
For the Tournament, Archers will be required to kill three lions in order to move onto the head to head competition.
An example of the Ingredients Target
Heavy & Steel Tournaments:
The tournaments are to be fought in Double Elimination, best 2 out of 3.
The defeated opponent of each bout is at the mercy of the spectators! With Event Coin acquired during the day, the audience may trade in for Roses or "Rocks". Amongst jeers or cheers, they shall be tossed into the Arena, determining the fate of the loser. Should the Gladiator earn the love of the crowd, they fight on as they are. However, if they crowd does not approve, they must fight on as a beast. Being a beast is disadvantaged, though not entirely doomed. Costuming will be provided.
This look is Greco-Roman, leaning more towards the easier, looser style of the Greeks. This simple garment is great for all genders and body types, as well as being good for novice sewists. If you have fabric pieces that don't need hemming, it's no-sew if you follow the wrap and belt option.
- Use two large rectangles of lightweight fabric big enough to come to your ankles if you are feminine presenting or to below the knees if masculine. Aim for as wide as your elbows with arms outstretched. This style is very forgiving, so don't worry if you have to fudge it.
- Sew up the sides of the fabric, leaving generous room for arm holes. If you don't want to sew, simply tuck the front of the fabric around your body to the back, then take the back of your fabric and tuck it to the front. (This order of tucking makes it easier to keep track of how much you might be exposing).
- Pin the fabric at your shoulders. You can sew it permanently, use a fibula pin, or use some great buttons. For extra comfort and style around the neckline, pin the front fabric so there is more to drape down. This means the top corners of your fabric won't line up. That's okay, they just hang loose over your arms.
- Wrap some trim around your waist as a belt and tie it. Blouse the fabric up to create some space and also movement.
- Add some strappy sandals and you're done! You have an easy, hot weather garment.
- For extra interest, take a light weight, beautiful piece of fabric and pin the two long corners together over one shoulder. Picture it hanging like a cross body bag.
Get your chitons and sandals ready, we're here for a festive day at the coliseum.
Photo by Nick Night on Unsplash