NORWICH - Serenity Hobbies in downtown Norwich will host a Magic: The Gathering tournament this Sunday, welcoming competitive and casual players of all ages

The event will offer prizes and free pizza at the hobby store.

Serenity Hobbies opened in 2018 and is locally owned and operated by Norwich teachers Eric Cunningham and his wife, Courtney Cunningham.

The event is made possible through sponsorship from a professional artist and well-known Magic player Tim “Goldsabertooth” Taranto, a local college professor.

Taranto is active in the competitive Magic: The Gathering community and often sponsors competitive matches known as ‘cEDH,’ in which he travels nationally to compete. Taranto is sponsoring the hometown tournament by providing prizes, paid judges and his own custom artwork items for players.

Taranto complimented the owners of Serenity Hobbies for offering local youth and adults a venue to interact and have fun.

“Eric and Courtney are such good people. I love them. They are awesome and what they've done for the kids is amazing,” he said.

Sunday’s tournament is an official Magic tournament known as a Commander Deck cEDH competition. Registration is required online through TopDeck.gg, under Goldsabertooth.

The store will open at 10 a.m. with matches and registration check-in by 11 a.m. Serenity Hobbies, is located in the heart of downtown Norwich at 97 East Main Street.

Prizes will be offered to the top four players, such as a Russian foil Mana Confluence, Breach and other Magic cards. The champion will receive a playmat specially created by Taranto, aka, Goldsabertooth. He operates a successful and profitable business creating and selling his own artwork for Magic: The Gathering and has attracted a large following online and in the gaming community for his work.

Organizers said all participants will receive free stickers and token packs designed by Goldsabertooth.

In early November a similar tournament sponsored by Taranto drew scores of players to downtown Norwich with all three floors of the hobby store filled with about 100 adults and youths. This weekend’s tournament is limited to 36 players.