The Southwest
Costumers Guild
is a loose and informal
educational society of persons interested in all
facets of historical, cultural, science fiction,
fantasy, and humor costume and cosplay. Members are
often seen on stage and behind the scenes at Science
Fiction Convention masquerades, historical
reenactment events, street fairs and theatre. SWCG
is central Arizona's chapter of the International Costume
Guild.
Our Website is now hosted by Costume.org!
E-mail us at: southwestcostumers@gmail.com.
Index
Newsletter
Costumers Calendar
SWCG Activities
Hints and other
"How To" Articles
Randwulf's
Smartphone Pouch - Free sewing pattern from
SWCG VP Randall
Join the
Southwest Costumers Guild
Recruiting and PR Materials:
"Renaissance Faire"
Foldover Flyer
(Featuring a practical belt pouch pattern)
Quarter-Page Flyer
Bookmark
SWCG
Bylaws
SWCG members receive our
newsletter, "Cactus Needles" by
e-mail.
A few weeks after its initial publication, we
post Cactus Needles to this website for all to
enjoy.
Current Issue -
October 2025
Back
Issues (All the way back to the
Cactus Needles premiere in 1994)
Cactus Needles is released under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No
Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Please
print the newsletter and give it to your friends,
but print the entire newsletter and don't make any
changes or charge any money. Go to www.creativecommons.org
to view the license. Individual articles and
pictures belong to their authors. If you'd like to
reprint an individual article or picture, please
e-mail southwestcostumers@gmail.com
for appropriate permission.
The
Southwest Costumers Guild usually meets one
Saturday afternoon per month at a members' homes or a
public venue like a restaurant or museum
in the
greater
Here are some upcoming
guild meetings and costume-related public
events. Red Text
and an asterisk* indicate an SWCG
activity. Unless otherwise noted, SWCG Meetings
begin at 1:00 PM.
E-mail the Webmaster
if you know an Arizona costumed event
that should be on the calendar.
PhxArt‘s first major investigation into the formation of our renowned fashion collection. With more than 80 garments and accessories, Greatest Fits (Vol. 1): The Art of Archiving Fashion begins the series by tracing the evolution of the Museum’s collection from its founding in 1966 to the present day.
September
30, 2025 - May 3, 2026 - Ray
Harryhausen Exhibit at
The Mini Time Machine Museum of
Miniatures, 4455 East Camp Lowell
Drive, Tucson. Features a
distinguished selection of
miniature armature models from
Clashs of the Titans, Jason and
The Argonauts and more of Ray
Harryhausen's classic films. https://theminitimemachine.org/
Check out family-friendly Halloween
events on the City of
Phoenix website at https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/parks-news/fall-fun-and-frights---celebrate-the-season-with-family-friendly.html
October
25, 2025, 5-8 PM - Halloween
Comic Fest @ The Library
at Glendale Velma Teague
Library, 7010 N. 58th
Avenue, Glendale, Arizona
(middle of the town square).
Spooktacular
all-ages
Halloween
celebration,
held in
collaboration
with Drawn to
Comics (5801
W. Glendale
Ave.),
downtown
Glendale's
source for
comic books,
gaming and
collectibles.
Come for three
hours or
fifteen
minutes – we
appreciate any
and all
support! Last
year's event
attracted 800
participants!
Attendees will
be able to
choose from an
assortment of
free comics,
meet local
comic book
artists, shop
with cool
vendors, pose
with
cosplayers and
enjoy fun
games and
crafts.
Costumes are
encouraged for
attendees.
Activities
will take
place both
inside the
Velma Teague
Library and at
the Drawn to
Comics store
located across
the street.
Note: Due to
ongoing
construction
at City Hall,
parking near
the library
may be
limited.
November 1, 2025, 12-5 - Renaissance
Market at Jarrod's
Coffee, Tea & Art Gallery, 109
West University Drive, Mesa. It's
that time!!! We have another
Renaissance Market being hosted by
the lovely people at
@jarrodscoffeeteaandgallery
(Instagram) !!
Come join
us in costume and visit booths to
gather all your faire trinkets and
costume needs!. Come one come all
! Drink some coffee and show off
your best Renaissance outfits!
November 2,
2025, 12-2PM - Beneath the
Bustle: The Transformative
Fashions of the
Victorian Period at
Sunnyslope Historical Society, 737
East Hatcher Road, Phoenix,
Arizona. Hosted by Trevon Powell
(SirDressMaker). Have you ever
wondered what’s underneath all of
those Victorian Layers? How did
the Bustle come about? Weren’t
they hot? Well come and get all of
your questioned answered. I have
been asked to speak at The
Sunnyslope Historical Society
Museum and I’d love to walk
through the various fashion trends
of the Victorian Period with you!
The fabrics, the foundational
garments and the influence behind
it all!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beneath-the-bustle-the-transformative-fashions-of-the-victorian-period-tickets-1657779145049?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawM9VnNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEyOUdRZFFYWWNveWtKWDF3AR5RnWa6lht1HaXUdGFptWZwH5ZPXD0ECbH3r2g57FibvmrqamXl36Js7sKF7g_aem_L-ouXpNQiMIA_XRDgIxqVg
November
7-9, 2025 - TusCon
52 at
the DoubleTree
Suites by
Hilton Hotel
Tucson
Airport, 7051
S. Tucson
Boulevard,
Tucson,
Arizona.
Guests of
honor include
Gail Carriger,
Liz Danforth,
Jeff &
Maya Bonhoff,
Linda Addison
and Madame
Askew. https://tusconscificon.com/about-tuscon/
November 15, 2025, 1-2:30 - Friends
of Faire Gathering at
Cuisine & Wine Bistro, 4995
South Alma School Road, Chandler.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1285052256465832/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22calendar_tab_event%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22bookmark_calendar%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D
Good day, and HuzzaH, good gentle
folks! This event is the
traditional and annual get
together so all Friends of Faire
can blow the cobwebs off of our
garb in preparation of the
upcoming Renaissance Festival
Season! If you are new to this
event, garb is highly recommended!
The kind Buschtetz family of
Cuisine and Wine Bistro have
graciously allowed us to host the
event in their establishment. As
well, the wonderful troupe,
Ghazaal Beledi has offered to
provide music and dance!
The Place: Cuisine and Wine
Bistro, 4991 S Alma School,
Chandler, 85248
The Date: November 15, 2025.
Hopefully we are provided with
nice, cool garb weather by then!
The Time: We have from 10AM to
2:30PM. Their normal operations
open at 4PM so we absolutely have
to be out by 3PM so allow the
hosts to rearrange for their
normal operations.
The Food: Generally, Master Chef
Fabrice puts a special menu
together for this event. You can
check their menu out online, but
generally, this is not all
available for the event. Prices
are generally $$ to $$$.
The Entertainment: Ghazaal Beledi
does this to break in their new
dances before the season. But they
do this for tips. Please help out
so that they might continue to
entertain us. There is great music
and dance throughout the day,
followed by a singing of A Health
to the Company at the end of the
event (2:30).
Just like the festival, get garbed
up, bring your mugs, and bring
cash & credit 🙂 I'm hoping to
get a much larger turnout this
year and need a good count, so
please RSVP so that we may
continue this 15 year tradition!
!!!Huzzah!!!
December
2025 - Holiday
Potluck* at
Paula's place in Tempe. Exact date
and details coming later.
December 6, 2025 - LibCon
West at the Foothills
branch of Glendale Public Library,
19055 North 57th Avenue, Glendale.
Annual free gathering of SF and
Fantasy fans moves to the
Foothills Branch, near 59th Avenue
and Union Hills Drive this year.
Look for a Southwest Costumers
Guild Meet & Greet booth.
https://www.glendaleazlibrary.com/
December 6, 2025, 11-4 - Faire
@ The Square at Rosson
House, 113 North 6th Street,
Phoenix.
Join us on Saturday, December 6th
for the 2nd annual Faire @ the
Square! This free, family-friendly
festival will be an exciting day
filled with:
- Local vendors, including local
artists and nonprofit
organizations
- Interactive family activities,
crafts, and lawn games
- Delicious food trucks
- Live demonstrations
- Tours of Rosson House Museum
....all with a medieval twist!
Mark your calendars for this fun,
free day in Downtown Phoenix!
January 17, 2026, 10-4:30 - Superhero
Saturday at 9610 North
Metro Parkway West, Phoenix AZ .
Superhero Saturday is the
signature charitable event for the
Phoenix Police Sergeants and
Lieutenants Association (PPSLA) to
benefit Childhelp and PPSLA
Charities sponsored by our friends
at QuikTrip! Superhero Saturday is
a Comic, Cosplay, and Car Show
Festival that is free to attend
and open to the public. https://www.superherosaturday.org/
January 23-25, 2026 - Taiyou Con anime convention at Mesa Convention Center. https://taiyoucon.com/
January 31, 2026, 10-3 - Tempe
FanCon at Tempe Public
Library, Rural Road & Southern
Avenue. Comic and cosplay fans
grab your capes and superpowers
and come to the Tempe Public
Library for a celebration of
comics and pop culture. Join us
for free family fun including
costume contests, authors and
artists, entertainment, activities
for the kids, photo ops with
characters, fandom related items
for sale, and food trucks. There
is no table fee for exhibitors and
the event is free and open to the
public. The event will be held
outdoors in the Library Plaza. Look for a
Southwest Costumers Guild meet
and greet booth among the
exhibitors.
January 31 - March 29, 2026
(weekends plus Presidents' Day) -
Arizona Renaissance Festival
in Gold Canyon, Arizona. https://arizona.renfestinfo.com/
February 21 & 22, 2026 -
Arizona Matsuri
Festival of Japan at Steel Indian
School Park, 301 East Indian
School Road, Phoenix. https://azmatsuri.org/
March 19-22, 2026 - Wild
Wild West Steampunk Convention
at Westward Look Wyndham Grand
Resort and Spa, Tucson. https://www.wildwestcon.com/
Here is the book list for the second half of
2025:
November 18, 2025 - Sir Apropos of Nothing by Peter David
December 16, 2025 – The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Guild Activities
SWCG hosted Costume-Con
30 on May 11-14, 2012 at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel.
Click the link to see some pictures from the "Sick Pups"
archive.
Meet & Greet table at LibCon West in December 2024.
Our first get-together since the pandemic - a simple diner luncheon.
Randall, Tasha and Paula at Tempe Library ComiCon in 2018
At Steampunk: An Exquisite Adventure in November, 2013.
Randall & Jean at Steampunk Street II in downtown Mesa, April, 2011.
We had a fine turnout for our Barbecue Mixer in April, 2009, with folks from SWCG, Sunacosu,
CASFS, Arizona Ghostbusters and The Rebel Legion. Photo by Mike Contos.
At the Arizona Renaissance Festival, February 2008.
Walking about the Glendale Glitters street fair in December, 2007.
A Duct Tape Mannequin is a
useful tool for patterning custom-fitted garments.
Mucking about in Victorian attire at CopperCon 25. A little image magic by Mike Cassidy shifts us to a more appropriate setting - a table setting.
Updated October 19, 2025 by Randall Whitlock.
Direct correspondence to:
Randall Whitlock, Webmaster
Southwest Costumers Guild
2320 West Seldon Lane
Phoenix AZ 85021