The holidays are almost upon us and what better way to celebrate the holidays than taking the family to see your local roller derby league? We got tons of holiday themed derby events, some fundraisers, some training events and of course, lots of bouts. Derby is always a fun and unique way to spend time with the family and your local derby teams could use your support for the upcoming holiday season.

Also starting on Thursday, December 1 in Toronto, Ontario is Blood & Thunder’s Roller Derby World Cup. This is the first Roller Derby World Cup and features teams from USA, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Finland, Sweden, France, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Argentina. Proof positive that the derby revival has become a worldwide obsession. Our Alternative Sports Doer Bob Noxious will be in the house helping out along with resident roller-girl Michelle Sunnyday (aka Sunny With A Chance of Pain of the Tilted Thunder Railbirds). This is going to be a great event where international derby teams can not only compete with each other but also network and learn from fellow derby enthusiasts. If you love derby, get your tickets here, head out to Toronto and be a part of what promises to be the derby event of the year.

And here’s our featured derby events happening up until then:

TONIGHT! Friday, November 18

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser – Merced, California  Help the girls of Merced’s Rollin’ Roulettes make it to one of the best roller derby “schools” to learn the newest tricks and tips so we can put on a better bout for you! Swing by Roller Land between 3 PM and 7:30 PM tonight, for a drive-thru spaghetti dinner hosted by your local derby girls. For $7, you can drive away with a heap of spaghetti, a fresh side salad, and a fluffy roll. Add just $3 for a drink and dessert! It’s the way to feed yourself (and the kids) with great food and no hassle. And all while helping support your local roller derby! Invite your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, babysitters, and workout buddies to head on over with you. And be sure to bring any questions you have about roller derby. Advanced tickets sales have ended but tickets should still be available at the door.

Hard Bash for Cash! – Vernon, Connecticut  Please come hang out with Hartford Area Roller Derby from 7-11pm at Ron A’ Roll. This is an open skate and rentals are free with admission! There will be music, prizes, baked goods, games and fun. They will be presenting their first mini-scrimmage! H.A.R.D is fundraising for their first bouting season, come see what they’re all about. Advanced tickets sales have ended but tickets should still be available at the door.

Saturday, November 19

Babes in Skateland – Medford, Oregon  Double header roller derby bout. Main Event- Sis-Q Rollerz vs. North Coast Roller Derby – Round 3. Exhibition opener by the Deep Valley Belligerents MEN’S roller derby team. Main event is the rubber match between Sis-Q and NCRD. Donations of toys and cash will be taken to benefit Toys for Tots. Cold beer, live action, and lots of fun!

Arizona Rollergirls – Mesa, Arizona  Cadaver Crue vs. Lolitas de los Muertos. Vendors, giveaways, derby swag, 50/50 raffle, live half-time show, suicide seating, face painting and more!

Assassination City Roller Derby Special Ops Bout at Fair Park! – Dallas, Texas  Assassination City Roller Derby Special Ops will be taking on a WFTDA team at Fair Park Coliseum. Half-time show performed by The Phuss. Established in 2005, Assassination City Roller Derby, Dallas County’s only women’s flat track roller derby league, is a proud member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.

Crossroads City Derby vs Duke City Derby – Las Cruces, New Mexico  Join us for CCD’s last bout of the season, against Albuquerque’s Duke City Derby Girls!

Derby Dames in Toyland – Billings, Montana  Billings Roller Derby Dames will host the CapiDolls from Cheyenne, WY! Come and cheer on your favorite derby girls as BRDD competes in their final bout of the season! There isn’t anything more fun to do with the whole family! A portion of the proceeds from this bout will be benefiting the Salvation Army Toy Run. Invite all your friends and family to attend and support a wonderful cause. Remember, the winners of our 50/50 raffle tickets have been taking home between $175-$500! Bring some extra spending cash and help make this Holiday season a little brighter for children who are less fortunate.

Desert Dolls Roller Derby Charity Bout – Phoenix, Arizona  Desert Dolls Roller Derby is hosting a charity bout with two mixed teams featuring skaters from all 4 home teams (Pretty H8 Machines, Cosmic Killas, Shotgun Shirleys, & Joon Cleavers) to raise money for Arizona Desert Dogs. The two teams playing will be the Stray Cats vs the Woof Pack. The Desert Dolls are also holding a food drive for the Arizona Humane Society. Bring your preferred pet food (toys & treats also accepted) for a chance to win great prizes!

Farm Fresh Roller Girls Present: The Nightmare Before Christmas – Rock Island, Illinois  FFRG vs The Crash Test Dolls at QCCA Expo Center. There will be charitable donations made to Toys For Tots and kids 12 and under get in for free!

Fowlfest Mixer Bout – Loves Park, Illinois Come out and talk some turkey!  The Rockford Rage skaters are mixing it up again with another inter-league bout.  See their newest skaters and your old faves. Please bring gently used winter clothes for their winter clothes drive and help someone keep warm when the chilly weather comes!

Inland Empire Derby Divas vs The Undead Betties “The Inland Empire Strikes Back” – Corona, California  The Inland Empire Derby Divas LAST home game of the season with special guests The Damned Skaters!!! Come out and see the saga unfold right before your eyes as the Inland Empire Derby Divas “Inland Heat” take on The Undead Betties “The Damned Skaters”!!! Experience this epic battle as never seen before… on skates!!! Please wear Red to show your support!!

McLean County MissFits Roller Derby presents: THANKS for GIVING – Bloomington, Illinois  Double Header roller derby bout, benefitting the Illinois Eye Bank. First Bout 6:30PM MissFits Black vs. Stateline Roller Derby Divas. Second Bout: 8:30PM MissFits Green vs. Prairieland Punishers.

Quad City Rollers Formal Frenzy – Davenport, Iowa  The Quad City City Rollers End of Season Formal (formal dress optional) Party. Come celebrate the end of our season with food, fun, music, comedy and awards. We will be recognizing our skaters, refs, retirees, sponsors, volunteers and fans with a great big blowout. Bands playing are the Old 57s and Justin Payne. Stand up comedy by David Rotz. Come in your best (or worst) formal atire for fun, photos and prizes.

Red, White & Bruised – Kalispell, Montana  Big Mountain Misfits rematch against the Rimrock Mafia. Proceeds will be going to the local Veterans Food Pantry. Also if you bring a can of food, you will receive a raffle ticket. They will also have tickets for $5 at the door for all military & vets with ID.

Roller Derby Season Finale – Merced, California  Last bout for 2011!!! This will be a military themed bout, in honor of our men & women who serve for our county. Merced’s Rollin’ Roulettes Derby Girls vs. Santa Maria’s Cal Skate Roller Derby. They will also have raffles, vendors, and a beer booth.

Sac City Rollers Presents BRAWL HARVEST! – Woodland, California  Join the Sac City Rollers for their last full-length bout of the 2011 season!!!  The action starts early as their Jr. Derby league the Bad Apples participate in a full length bout. Then after a brief break the Sac City Rollers very own Folsom Prison Bruisers take on the High Country Hellcats from Sonora!!  Don’t forget, they’re at their NEW VENUE the Norcal Indoor Sports complex at 1460 Tanforan Avenue in Woodland, California.

Season 6; Bout 1: Naptown Roller Girls vs Ohio Roller Girls – Indianapolis, Indiana  The Tornado Sirens have just returned from the WFTDA Championship tournament in Colorado, and now they’re ready to see their fans at home! Naptown Roller Girls present the first bout of season 6: a single-header matchup of Naptown Roller Girls vs the Ohio Roller Girls. Come watch the bout and get your photo taken with your favorite Star Wars character!
The Tornado Sirens, along with the Warning Belles and Naptown’s Third Alarm are all competing teams for Indianapolis’ own Naptown Roller Girls. NRG is a group of awesome gals from Indianapolis, Indiana who want to do one thing: SKATE.

Sin City Rollergirls Pre-Season Mini Bout Extravaganza – Las Vegas, Nevada  4 teams, 6 mini bouts!  Every team plays each other. We’ll be representing Las Vegas with round robin mini bouts featuring teams representing The Strip, Fremont St, Summerlin, and Green Valley. Come show support for your side of town!

SoCal Derby VS. South Coast – National City, California  Season 1, Bout 3: SoCal Derby vs South Coast Roller Derby. Kids under 6 get in free. OB Party Bus VIP Tickets include OB Party Bus ride to & from bout AND
VIP reserved seating!

Spanksgiving Smackdown – Jacksonville, Arkansas Girls Rollin’ in the South’s own Breakneck Brawlers will take on the Tulsa Derby Brigade at Skateworld LLC in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Whistle blows at 4:30 p.m.
There will be a special collection for Baptist Hospital’s NICU unit so, bring baby clothes and supplies.

Tragic City Rollers vs. Savannah Derby Devils – Birmingham, Alabama  Tragic City Rollers vs. Savannah Derby Devils of Savannah, GA. Double header with the first game starting at 5 and the second game starting at 7. Doors open at 4.

Tucson Roller Derby Home Bout – Tucson, Arizona  It’s the time of year to be thankful and Tucson Roller Derby is thankful for fishnets, good knee pads, and their fans! So thankful, in fact, that they are starting off the holiday season with another double header of the 2nd annual Arizona State Conference. They’re ready to open a big can of butt whoopin. In the first game are the TRD Copper Queens and the Dirty Verde Roller Derby girls. In the second game of the evening, the TRD Furious Truckstop Waitresses are ready to dish out some of their own against the Surly Gurlies from Phoenix. While it is the season to be thankful, more importantly the holidays are about giving. Tucson Roller Derby is proud to feature the Tucson Community Food Bank as their charity for the month.

VCDD Double Header – Ventura County Derby Darlins vs. No Town Roller Derby – Ventura, California Join us as the Ventura County Derby Darlins take on No Town Roller Derby in a Double Header!

Walla Walla Sweets Roller Girls-Happy ThanksBeating – Walla Walla, Washington  Join the Walla Walla Sweets Roller Girls for the final bout of the 2011 season. Come and support WWSRG Crushtown Mafia against the Slaughter County Roller Vixens Death Rattle Rollers! A portion of the proceeds from the bout will benefit the WW YMCA’s youth scholarship fund.

Bath City Roller Girls -Roller Derby Bout #3 – Mt. Clemens, Michigan  The Bath City Roller Girls take the track again for the 3rd time this season! Come watch your favorite Derby Girls Battle it out on the track.

Corporal Punishers vs. Major Pains – Morristown, New Jersey  THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD!!! The Punishers take on their very own Major Pains in their season closer bout!! Ya don’t wanna miss this action!!!

Detroit Derby Girls 2012 Season Opener: Detroit Pistoffs vs. D-Funk Allstars – Detroit, Michigan  The Detroit Derby Girls 2012 Season Opener pits the teams that played in last year’s championship – The Detroit Pistoffs and The D-Funk Allstars – against each other yet again in what promises to be a spectacular start to the 2012 season.

Furry Fury EDG vs A2D2 – Roseville, Michigan Come see Eastside Derby Girls take on Ann Arbor Derby Dames! EDG will be collecting money for a 50/50 raffle where proceeds go to All About Animals Rescue. A representative from the company will be there to answer any questions you may have and to give information about this wonderful organization. Children under twelve are FREE (up to two free children per adult ticket purchased). Armed Services, EMT, firefighters, and police get in FREE when they show their ID at the door. AFTER PARTY for the leagues AND audience will be held at J.P Shakers.

Let Us Give Thanks for Roller Derby – Downingtown, Pennsylvania  Come watch the Brandywine Roller Girls All Star team take on the Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars in the the last All-Star Bout of the Season!  A not-to-miss event.

LVRG v. Rocktown Rollers – Schnecksville, Pennsylvania  Don’t miss the action when the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls take on the Rocktown Rollers out of Harrisonburg, Virginia.  This will be the first time that the Hissy Fits will battle the Rocktown Rollers. The bout is at Independence Family Fun Center in Schnecksville. Doors at 5pm, whistle at 6pm. This bout is the season closer for LVRG!

Maine Roller Derby “Thanks for Giving” Bout – Portland, Maine  Maine Roller Derby is hosting a bout to raise money for Hardy Girls, Hardy Women. ABOUT THE BOUT: MRD will be divided into two teams (much like Wicked vs Good). The teams will play against one another, but with an interactive twist. Audience members can purchase an opportunity to change the outcome: 1) Fans can add points or take points away from a team’s score. $1/point. 2) Fans can put a skater in the penalty box for one minute, and can spring a skater from the box. $3 in/$3 spring. A skater can spring herself from the box for $5. 3) Fans can put a referee in the box for one minute, and can spring a referee from the box (one ref in the box at a time). $5 in/$5 spring (refs can not spring themselves from the box). 4) Fans can swap players at the half. Say fan X likes the white team, and Grim is on the black team. Fan X can pay $20 to move Grim to the white team at the half. (Black team captain can choose the replacement for Grim). HALF-TIME FUN: Wheel Toss – fans pay $1/wheel. There is a taped square at the center of the rink. Fans roll the wheels from the outside of the track in-whoever lands their wheel closest to or in the box wins a 2012 spring season ticket. ABOUT HARDY GIRLS HEALTHY WOMEN: Hardy Girls Healthy Women (HGHW) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and well being of girls and women. Their vision is that all girls and women experience equality, independence, and safety in their everyday lives.

Grand Raggidy Roller Girls – Grandville, Michigan  GRRG double header. GRRG Attack vs Traverse City Cheeries & GRRG C Team vs Black Heart Maidens. Full contact roller derby. This will be the debut of the GRRG C Team!

Appetite for Derby – Richmond, Indiana  Join The Dire Skates for a night of derby, music and good food to support St. Judes Children’s Hospital. Kuhlman Center in Richmond.

SIDR vs Shoreline Roller Girls – St. James, New York The women from Strong Island Derby Revolution will be taking on Shoreline Roller Derby of Groton, CT in their debut bout. Come watch as these ladies explode on to the scene in St. James with this amazing line-up. DJ and half-time entertainment, raffles and prizes. Bring a chair and sit rink side. Ooh rah!

Smacksgiving Intra-League Bout – State College, Pennsylvania There is a time to give thanks and a time to give smacks. Come see State College Area Roller Derby’s two local teams tear up the rink as they bring our Maiden Voyage season to an end. Mt Nittany Mayhem and Pennsyltucky Punishers are made up of all your favorite skaters from the Happy Valley Dolls, as well as other SCAR Derby skaters still scrapping to be drafted to the Dolls. Come see Sounds Like Magic take on her twin sister, Hootie’s Bootie. Watch as Aralia Spine goes head to head with PartyGirl Accelerator. Can Mae B Nasty avoid a pounding from the Ovarian Fyst? The Mayhem triumphed at their Oct 1 bout – can they make it a streak or will the Punishers turn the tables on them? There’s only one way to find out!

Spike the Punch – Chattanooga, Tennessee  The Chattanooga Roller Girls take on The Little City Roller Girls from Johnson City, Tennessee.

Sunday, November 20

Aurora 88s Bout #3:TURKEY DAY TUSSLE!! – Aurora, Illinois  Come and join Aurora 88s for their THIRD bout!!! Watch the GLAMAZONS return to the rink to face off against the HARD CORE CORRUPTION!!!  Will the Glamazons manage to score a victory or will the HCC sell them out!!! The Aurora 88s are an all female flat track roller derby league in Aurora Illinois. Their mission is to empower women through athleticism and create an environment of respect to promote skill, confidence, and fun. They will also commit to giving back to the community through volunteering their time and making charitable contributions. This league is run for the skaters by the skaters.

Sunday Funday Training Event – Santa Rosa, California  Sonoma County Roller Derby hosts this monthly training event at The Wrecking Yard. 9:00 am Registration, 9:30 – 12 pm training with SCRD, 1:00 – 4:00 training with Lulu Lockjaw with scrimmage at the end. Must have current USARS or WFTDA. Taco Truck Lunch/Social/After Party in the works.

Gotham Girls Roller Derby Awards Party – The 2011 Five Borough Furies – New York, New York  It’s Gotham Girls Roller Derby’s annual end-of-season awards party! Congratulate the skaters in person and come root for your favorites to win League MVP … Best Jammer … Team MVP awards … Best Pivot … Rookie of the Year … Most Improved … and many more titles!  Also featuring the 2011 Photo Booth. Come tear it up with the Gotham Girls (on the dancefloor) as they celebrate the past season and look to the future! 2012 is a-comin!

Harvest of Hurt – Ormond Beach, Florida  Join the ladies of Palm Coast Roller Derby for a night of high energy action as they join forces with derby girls from around Central Florida to raise money for Team Feed Flagler, a local food bank, the only way they know how: on the track.

Saturday, November 26

Black ‘n’ Blue Saturday – East Lansing, Michigan  Come watch skaters from all over Michigan (and even some from Ontario) in a roller derby double-header! The Mitten Mavens will be hosting individuals from 13 leagues who will be divided into four teams to play two bouts in an exciting afternoon of roller derby!

Dismember in November – Battle Creek, Michigan  Those ladies of the track are back at it again, celebrating Thanksgiving with rink rash and hip checks. Don’t miss this event. The Battle Creek Cereal Killers versus their sister team, the Barry County Black Heart Maidens. Shenanigans galore!

Terror After the Turkey – Saint Clairsville, Ohio  It’s time to kick off the 2011/2012 Derby season in the Ohio Valley!!!! Bout 1: The Roll Miners Vs The River Brats. National Anthem performed by The Joseph Sisters. Half Time Entertainment featuring: The Other Tribe. After-party (21+) at Goodfellas Bar & Grill.

The Black Heart Maidens vs Battle Creek Cereal Killers – Battle Creek, Michigan Black Heart Maidens Roller Derby Bout Against the Battle Creek Cereal Killers.

Image Courtesy of Gomisan’s Flickr page