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Thunderbird Atlatl will be in Vermont! Annual Chimney Point Atlatl Workshop & Contests!

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Thunderbird Atlatl is going to be at the Chimney Point Historic Site in West Addison, Vermont Friday, Sept. 19 and Saturday, Sept. 20 for the 31st Annual Northeastern Open Atlatl Championship.

There is a workshop Friday, from noon on, at the museum. Make your own atlatl and three darts! Cost $70 per participant. Contact the museum at (802) 759-2412 to register or email Elsa.Gilbertson@vermont.gov

Compete the next day at the 31st Annual Atlatl Championship.
Participate in or watch this annual atlatl championship testing skills in accuracy and distance at Chimney Point State Historic Site. The sport of using the atlatl to throw darts is based on the ancient hunting technique. Newcomers to experts welcome. Flint-knapping demonstrations and lessons, and traditional to contemporary basket making, throughout the day. Pre-registration for competitors required. Call (802) 759-2412 to register or email: Elsa.Gilbertson@vermont.gov Competitors $12 or Visitors $6 Vermont Archaeology Month event. Day 1 runs from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Day 2 events start at 10:00 AM and go until the tournament ends

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Visit the Coshocton Flint Festival and Knapin Labor Day Weekend Coshocton, Ohio Fairgrounds

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Ohio Atlatlists will be demonstrating how to use the atlatl at this year’s Coshocton Flint Festival and Knapin Labor Day Weekend at the Coshocton, Ohio Fairgrounds.

Stop by and visit this knapin . A wide variety of flintknappers, atlatlists and other vendors will be at this popular event. The event is the former Flint Ridge Knapin. It is now in its fourth year at the Coshocton Fairgrounds. The Ohio knapin is over 35 years old. It started at Mason’s Campground, moved to the Flint Ridge Museum area in 1996 and four years ago moved to Coshocton. Atlatls have been at the event for over 30 years thanks to the efforts of the Ohio Atlatl Association.

Thunderbird Atlatl will not be at the event this year but know the Ohio Atlatl Association is well represented and members will share their love of the atlatl. In order to help spread atlatl interest, we are offering a coupon through Labor Day for any atlatl or dart purchase. Use coupon code IBS800C7PZT6 on any domestic order through midnight Labor Day and receive Free Shipping on your order.

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36th Annual Stone Tool & Artisan Show August 28 to August 30

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The 36th annual gathering of the annual Stone Tool & Artisan Show is just over a month away!

The event takes place at Letchworh State Park on the Mt. Morris side of the park. (Highbanks Recreation Area) from Friday, August 28 to Sunday, August 30. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Thunderbird Atlatl will be there along with many amazing vendors and crafts people. Camping is $20 for the weekend. Atlatl contests all weekend. https://gvfka.com/…/Stone-Tool-Craftsman-and-Artisan…”>Genesee Valley Flintknappers is just over a month away! The event takes place at Letchworh State Park on the Mt. Morris side of the park. (Highbanks Recreation Area) from Friday, August 28 to Sunday, August 30. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
Stone-Tool-Craftsman-and-Artisan-Show-Flyer-2026

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Try the atlatl and visit the annual Candor Daffodil Festival!

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Come out and try the atlatl this weekend at our shop at 90 Main Street in Candor! Also vist the annual Candor Daffodil Festival while you are in town. Local atlatl contests and ISACs will be held at the Thunderbird Atlatl shop in Candor, NY during Candor’s annual Daffodil Festival. Contests will take place on the Thunderbird Atlatl grounds on Saturday, April 25, from noon to 5 p.m. On Sunday, April 26, there will be local contests and ISACs from 11 a.m to 1 p.m.

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Visit Thunderbird Atlatl at the Silver River Knapin February 21

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Thunderbird Atlatl is in Florida for the Silver River Knapin. Bob Berg will be presenting a workshop on cane darts on Saturday. We are only able to be there for Saturday but the event goes on the entire weekend. Stop by either day and see a variety of amazing vendors and demonstrations! Bob Berg will be presenting a workshop on cane darts on Saturday. We are only able to be there for Saturday but the event goes on the entire weekend. Stop by either day and see a variety of amazing vendors and demonstrations!

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Join Thunderbird Atlatl at the SVE Sportsman Show Saturday, February 7

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Thunderbird Atlatl will be at the Spencer Van Etten School District’s annual sportsman’s show Saturday, February 7, in Spencer, NY.
Stop by and see us on Saturday. We look forward to seeing you.

Visit Thunderbird Atlatl at the annual Sportsman Show in Spencer, NY
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Thunderbird Atlatl Elves Ready for Holiday Orders!

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It is a busy time of year at the Thunderbird Atlatl shop. We are ready for your atlatl and dart orders. Gift certificates are also available.
In the next couple of weeks, we cannot handle custom orders.

Shop cat, Molly, is ready to help with gift certificates. Molly & our dog, Tina, worked hard on atlatl orders. Tina is no longer with us but Molly carries on the work.

The majority of our orders are shipped Ground Advantage via the post office. Due to holiday shipping price increases and the oversize charge, there is additional shipping for other services. While not guaranteed, the post office says orders going out by December 17 should arrive by Christmas. Here are the holiday mailing deadlines for USPS/UPS/Fed Ex:
Note that these deadlines are guidelines; weather, inventory issues, congestion may delay arrival of packages.
Here are some of the shipping deadlines for those looking to receive packages by Dec. 24.
2025 holiday gifts shipping deadline:
USPS: Ground and First-Class by Dec. 17, Priority Mail by Dec. 18, Priority Mail Express by Dec. 20. Shipping might take longer for Alaska and Hawaii addresses. UPS: 3-Day Select by Dec. 19, 2nd Day by Dec. 22, Next Day by Dec. 23.
FedEx: Ground and Home Delivery shipments by Dec. 17, 4-day by Dec. 18, 3-day by Dec. 19, 2-day by Dec. 22, 1-day by Dec. 23; Overnight or Express shipping deadline is Dec. 23, Same-Day still possible on Dec. 24, depending on zip code.

Valentina (Tina) is no longer with us but she was always ready to help out. We know she is with us in spirit. She and Molly made a great team. Molly is working hard to carry on the for both of them.
Molly will try to train her fellow felines (Nadia, Opal and Chester) to help out this season. She says our new canine helper, Reggie, does not have Tina’s skills. Molly is not expecting much help from Reggie this season.

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Candor Fall Festival this weekend! Atlatl Contests, Demonstrations and more!

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Visit Candor, New York this weekend for the Candor Chamber of Commerce’s annual Fall Festival!

Thunderbird Atlatl will be hosting atlatl contests and demonstrations on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 and Sunday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. We look forward to seeing any visitors and welcome visits to our newly rebuilt shop!

We had a great time in Vermont a couple of weeks ago for the World Atlatl Association meeting and the 30th anniversary of the Chimney Point Historic site’s 30th annual atlatl contest. The program received a lot of attention with a great story by the Associated Press.

Finally some photos from previous Candor Fall Festival atlatl contests.

And the winners are..!

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Visit the Coshocton Flint Festival and Knapin with Thunderbird Atlatl Labor Day Weekend

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Thunderbird Atlatl will be at the annual Flint Festival and Knapin at the Coshocton County Fairgrounds in Coshocton, Ohio. We will be on-site all day Saturday.

The knap-in is a three day event. There will be a variety of vendors and demonstrations. The Ohio Atlatl Association will be hosting atlatl demonstrations and contests throughout the weekend.

There will be an auction on Saturday and a raffle featuring these points knapped by Roy Miller and Don Roberts. Come and enjoy!

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Join Thunderbird Atlatl at the Candor Daffodil Festival April 26

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The Village of Candor, New York’s Annual Daffodil Festival will be celebrated at the Candor Ball Field Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. rain or shine!

Come down and enjoy bands, food vendors, kids’ activities and much more. Celebrate spring. Just down the street, Thunderbird Atlat will be hosting atlatlists for ISACs and contests. If you are interested in watching, you may find parking easiest as the Candor Central School and walking over. The contests will be behind our recently rebuilt shop at 90 Main Street, Candor. Sorry about our construction! We are a work in progress!

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Thunderbird Atlatl heading to Germany April 12 to 13 Join us at Stettenfels Castle!

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Thunderbird Atlatl will be at the Ox Bow Archery Program in Germany April 12 to 13. We look forward to atlatl and flintknapping demonstrations at this program. For further information about the program check out the above link. We hope to see many old and new European friends at this special event.
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Below is information from the program’s flyer:
13th OX-BoW Archery, Knifemaking & Outdoor Fair 2025
Let yourself be enchanted by the unique atmosphere of Stettenfels Castle and immerse yourself in the fascinating world of archery!

We warmly welcome you to our 13th Ox-Bow Archery Fair on April 12th and 13th, 2025, at Stettenfels Castle.

Renowned altatl makers, (yes, Thunderbird Atlatl added this line!) bow makers, dealers, service providers, and artisans will once again exhibit their goods and services on over 1,200 m² of space in and around Stettenfels Castle. Our offerings are aimed not only at those interested in the entire spectrum of archery, but also at those from the knifemaking and outdoor scene.

All archery enthusiasts, as well as newcomers and outdoor enthusiasts, will get their money’s worth here.
… Discover the latest news, get expert advice, try out new bows atlatls (!), and enjoy the castle’s unique flair, combined with sweeping views of the Heilbronn region.

The crew will take care of your culinary needs in the Stettenfels Castle bar and beer garden. Take a seat and indulge in the culinary offerings.

Stettenfels Castle is a medieval venue for cultural events including theater & festivals, with seasonal bar & beer garden.
Address: Burg Stettenfels 4, 74199 Untergruppenbach, Germany
Phone: +49 7131 97700

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Visit Thunderbird Atlatl at the Flint River Knapin in Georgia February 22 to 23

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Thunderbird Atlatl will be at the Flint River Knapin in Georgia Saturday, February 22, to Sunday, February 23.

This is the second year for the Knapin which takes place at the Whigham Community Club, 267 East Broad Avenue, Whigham, Georgia. Admission is $5. Children 5 and under are free.

There will be primitive arts and crafts, food vendors, demonstrations, modern arrowheads, lithic arts and atlatl demonstrations throughout the weekend.

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Visit Silver Springs State Park with Thunderbird Atlatl February 15 to 16

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Thunderbird Atlatl will be at the Silver Springs, Florida Primitive Arts Festival in Silver Springs, Florida this weekend, Saturday, February 15 and Sunday, February 16.

There will be lots of activities and opportunities to try the atlatl. International Standard Accuracy Contests are planned for both days. Saturday’s contest will be at 4 p.m. and Sunday’s contest at 9 a.m.

Stop by. For questions, send an email to contact@thunderbirdatlatl.com

2025 Knap In Flier

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Atlatl Contests, Fall Fest Fun Candor, NY October 11 to 13. Come Visit!

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Come to upstate New York this weekend for the annual 2024 Fall Fest weekend Friday to Sunday, October 11, 12 and 13. 2024 Fall Fest Brochure

Thunderbird Atlatl will be hosting atlatl contests and demonstrations behind our shop at 90 Main Street, Candor, NY Please stop by and try the atlatl. Join in the competitions if you would like. We look forward to seeing you.

There are a lot of events going on throughout Candor for the weekend. The events start off with a Fall Block Party Friday evening at the Candor Town Hall pavilion. Saturday, there are events throughout the community including the popular Woodcarvers Show and Quilt Show. Area businesses like Side Hill Acres Goat Farm and Iron Kettle Farm are sponsoring lots of fun activities. Side Hill Acres will have several vendors onsite.

Below are a few photos from past Fall Festival atlatl competitions:

Where did those darts end up?
Checking where the dart hit the target
And the winners are..!

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Vermont Atlatl Workshop; Annual Chimney Point Contest September 20 & 21

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Thunderbird Atlatl is looking forward to visiting Chimney Point Historic site for our annual workshop and contest September 20 and 21.

The 29th Annual Northeastern Open Atlatl Championship will be held September 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chimney Point Museum in Addison, Vermont, next to the Lake Champlain Bridge. It is $12 to register; $14 the day of competition. The museum and grounds are open for $6 per adult and free for children under 15.

Participate in or watch this annual atlatl championship testing skills in accuracy and distance. The sport of using the atlatl to throw darts is based on the ancient hunting technique. Newcomers to experts welcome. Flint-knapping and other demonstrations and lessons throughout the day. Pre-registration for competitors required. Call (802) 759-2412 to register. Vermont Archaeology Month event. The workshop is on Friday, Sept. 20, beginning at noon. Call the museum to register.

Food and snacks available for purchase, while they last.

Long Distance throw at Chimney Point contest
Workshop Participants try their newly made atlatls and darts

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Visit Thunderbird Atlatl at the Coshocton Flint Festival & Knap In Labor Day Weekend August 30 to September 1

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Thunderbird Atlatl will be in Ohio Labor Day Weekend for the Coshocton Flint Festival and Knap In. There will be lots to see and plenty of atlatl demonstrations and opportunities to try the atlatl. The Ohio Atlatl Association will be there. Stop in and visit!

Articles, How To, News, Videos

Japanese Bamboo or River Cane? How do you tell the difference?

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While in Florida, Bob Berg of Thunderbird Atlatl spent some time explaining the differences between Japanese Bamboo and River Cane. With the help of Florida Park Ranger George Royal and Greg Maurer, Bob put together a short video on the two plants.

Once you decide on what material you are going to use for your cane or bamboo dart, check out Bob’s You Tube video on making Cane Darts

Articles, Misc.

Silver River Knapin Cancelled!

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The Silver River Knapin has been cancelled for 2024. We will try to set up an atlatl contest in the Gainesville, Florida area. Watch for updates.

Silver River sent out the following annoucement:

,”After a lot of consideration, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Silver River Knap-In and Prehistoric Arts festival this weekend due to the persistent rainy weather forecast on Saturday and Sunday. We know from experience this will result in a very low attendance. We rely on gate admission income to cover event expenses.
The event will not be rescheduled but we do plan to hold it as normal in 2025. We apologize for this but we wanted to notify everyone in advance so that plans could be changed.
There is another knap-in the following weekend near the Flint River in Georgia. For more information about that event please contact John Lane at flintriverknapin@gmail.com.
If you are from out of state and are in need of camping accommodations this weekend, please call me here at the museum so that we can discuss options with you (352) 236-5401.
Thank you all and we are sorry for any problems this causes.”
Ph. (352) 236-5401
www.SilverRiverMuseum.comThunderbird Atlatl will be at the Silver River Knapin at Silver River State Park February 17 & 18.

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Busy Holiday Season. Shipping Services Setting Holiday Cut Offs. Order your atlatl sets!

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The shipping services (UPS/Fed Ex and USPS) are sending out their holiday advisories for receiving packages before December 25. The post office has set December 15 for its ground advantage and priority mail shipping. UPS and Fed Ex have similar advice.

The Thunderbird Atlatl shop elves are busily working to get orders out as quickly as possible. Give us a call at 607-659-3854 or 1-800-836-4520 if you have a special request or need.

Gift certificates are also available if you are unsure of what to get. We can email or snail mail gift certificates to your recipient(s)

Happy Holidays from the Thunderbird Atlatl staff!

Our into everything shop/family cat, Molly, says she will gladly help send out gift certificates!
And so it begins. Packages going out this holiday season 2023!

Articles, News, Our Products, Video

Uses for Thunderbird Atlatl’s Hafting Resin New Video

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Not quite a 100 ways of what you can do with Thunderbird Atlatl’s hafting resin but Bob Berg shows several uses in this new You Tube video on our Thunderbird Atlatl channel.

Thanks to Peter Berg for taking the time to put this video together. Thunderbird Atlatl’s hafting resin is available in packets of two cubes or in larger packages of 10 cubes.

Hafting Resin

The world's foremost atlatl and dart outfitter