On September 22nd, the very date of Bilbo’s and Frodo’s birthdays, a large group of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Men, Wizards, and well-behaved Wargs, gathered for a day of merriment, feasting, and activities.
The Party took place under the sheltering trees of Griffith Park, in the Mineral Wells picnic area, close by a meandering river. The day was warm, but not too warm. The sun high and bright. The leaves sparkled green and gold in a fair breeze which ruffled the Baggins’ Birthday banner and the feathers adorning Hobbit hats. Tents dotted the landscape: an Elven enclave here, a Dwarven fortress there, a Hobbit hole beneath a tree.
The banqueting table was laden with dishes–pulled pork, barbecue chicken salad, spicy sausages, cheese samplings, Lembas, watermelon, pasta salad (I could go on and on, but it’s making my mouth water all over again.) There were even two big jugs of delicious homemade apple brew crafted from a long list of enticing ingredients.
Lots more Middle-earth on the way as new things are previewed and fans assemble on Bilbo & Frodo’s birthday this year.
Tales of the Shire preview & new release date
Weta Workshop & Private Division gave select fans and gamers a playable demo of Tales of the Shire, a console & PC game coming to all platforms – Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Playstation, PC, and mobile via Netflix Games. Developers also announced the release date has been pushed to March 25, 2025. We have a full writeup and video playthroughs in another article.
Game producer Calliope Ryder was at TwitchCon San Diego this weekend for a panel on Tales of the Shire, and posted a “fun facts” thread about shirefolk on X.
so lovely to chat all things cosy and Hobbity!! thank you @MerryKish and @itscozyk for looking after us so well 🙂
It was also revealed that the duck with a dwarven helmet is a featured character, and its name is Ladle (sp?)!
If my ears do not deceive me, the name of the armored duck in Tales of the Shire is Leidel?@talesoftheshire can probably correct me if am wrong… pic.twitter.com/OLtMDm0N9b
Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop posted a 20-minute behind the scenes video of the game in progress.
War of the Rohirrim gets a poster & Warhammer tie-in
New Line Cinema’s feature anime film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim debuted its theatrical poster for Hobbit Day!
Also announced, Warhammer is bringing Rohirrim into its Middle-earth™ Strategy Battle Game with TheLord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim™ – Battle of Edoras starter set. The 56 piece package includes a board map, some Edoras structures, and a ton of miniature painted figures that the Tabletop RPG is known for. Get all the details over at Warhammer website.
Official WB social accounts reawaken
The Hobbit Movie posted a charming little video to celebrate Hobbit Day.
Today of all days, don’t forget your second breakfast! Happy #HobbitDay. Don’t miss #LOTR The War Of The Rohirrim only in theaters this Christmas. pic.twitter.com/gzpAl3DfiJ
Fans spotted that an orchestra concert of ‘The music of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit’ is coming to Pasadena in March 2025, and tickets are now available at Ticketmaster. (Note this is not the full scores being played with the movie – stay tuned for news of The Return of the King with live orchestra coming to NYC early next year!)
Prime Video celebrates Sauron on Hobbit Day
Also posting on Bilbo’s birthday was official accounts for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, focusing on Sauron. This fan wants to know: is Harfoot Nori’s birthday also September 22?
While a lot of your favorite Tolkien influencers are being featured in official The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power marketing, including our own greendragon, more fans are getting into the TolkienTube game. The newest is Makers of Middle-earth from Anna María, who has previously joined us for SDCC panels and livestreams. Her first interview is with the legendary Jed Brophy!
Fans celebrate together worldwide for Hobbit Day 2024
New Zealand fans visited Hobbiton with Red Carpet Tours.
Header photo is from Diane in the TORN Discord, taken under the party tree at Hobbiton! We hope all our fellow fans had a happy, hobbity day of fun and festivity – and are enjoying the riches of this era in the Tolkien fandom.
Wonderful news to share on this special double hobbity birthdate September 22 (familiar to all Tolkien fans as Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday) — there is a sparkling new Fan Event happening in the U.K. that some might not be familiar with just yet! FanXLive is happening this October 5 and 6 at Farnborough International Exhibition Center, a small journey southwest of London, with Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, Dean O’Gorman, and LOTR Co-Producer Rick Porras — and that’s just the celebs from the Tolkien franchise! In attendance will also be the stars, writers, and artists from Star Wars, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Indiana Jones, and so much more.
Here is the main announcement from their official site: Get ready to immerse yourself in the ultimate fan experience at FanXLive, the premier Comic Con-style event taking place at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre. Prepare to be captivated by a dazzling array of celebrity appearances, thrilling panel discussions, and an unparalleled collection of merchandise from your favorite franchises. Whether you’re a die-hard comic book enthusiast, a passionate gamer, or a devoted sci-fi fanatic, FanXLive promises to be a true haven for fans of all genres. Dive into a world of cosplay, exclusive panels, and unforgettable moments that will leave you craving more. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this extraordinary celebration of pop culture at FanXLive.
I was recently introduced to Jaime Milner, who is working tirelessly to bring all these elements together under one roof, and he shared some of his inspiration behind the creation of FanXLive as a distinct event: “As well as the usual mixture of stars signing autographs which every event tends to cater for I wanted to bring so much more including talent from behind the cameras to not only meet the fans but also talk about the stories they hold from their time working on the movies — and of course how they were all made. Those insights are so integral to the worlds we all know and love — and something that is so overlooked in our field of events, in all forms and genres of movie/tv attendance, so I wanted to change that.”
This will assuredly be an energized event, with many opportunities to meet talented voice actors, writers, and performers — some of whom are rarely seen because of their work inside a droid or acting behind a digital creation!
LOTR original trilogy fans will be delighted at this rare appearance of Rick Porras, who as Co-Producer of the trilogy has terrific stories to share from his time working with Peter Jackson and WETA. There is a Cosplay Contest as well as a unique “After Hours” program featuring one of our favorite stars from the British stage and screen, Miriam Margolyes! A delightful opportunity to be in that audience and ask questions directly to Miriam is a special treat indeed. Oh, the stories and memories she’ll share!
Be sure to check out all the details on their main site. Guests can pre-register for those celeb autographs and photos that they would most like. Special tip of the hat to Jaime Milner for putting together such a star-studded program.
September 22nd is the birthday of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. On September 21st 1937, The Hobbit was published. So this weekend is a great time to celebrate in ‘Shire-ish’ style – and we have suggestions for you if you’re near New York or Los Angeles!
On Saturday 21st, TORn’s good friend Donato Giancola is hosting an Open Studio in Brooklyn. This is an incredible opportunity to meet the artist himself, see where he works, and gaze upon his latest large scale Middle-earth painting, Bridge of Khazad-dûm. If you’re very lucky, you may even go home with a Giancola original of your own! Here are the details:
Donato Giancola Open Studio, 11am – 6pm Saturday 21st September
397 Pacific Street Brooklyn, NY 11217
Donato says:
This Fall (or the end of Summer) will see the annual hosting of an Open Studio here at our home and studio in Brooklyn. Open to you, friends, and anyone who you may like to bring along.
I will be showcasing the newly finished, large scale Middle-earth canvas, the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, alongside handfuls of new oil paintings including recent work for Tad William’s Stone of Farewell, D&D themed drawings, Empathetic Robot projects, as well as scores of classics from my 30+ year career as an illustrator.
Of lucky significance for this event is that September 21st is also the 87th Anniversary of the publication of The Hobbitby J.R.R. Tolkien!
I cannot be more thrilled by this opportunity to celebrate the writings and art of Middle-earth. Keep your eyes out for some very special offerings as I plan events and give-a-ways for this day including a lottery for copies of Middle-earth: Visions of A Modern Myth, a signed The Hobbit featuring my cover art from the Science Fiction Book Club edition (signed just by me, not Tolkien, sorry!), and other original art and prints to be announced in the coming weeks.
Anchoring the studio for the second year in a row is another massive Middle-earth work, at 66″ x 80″, and this time – framed! The successful Kickstarter which just ended this past week will allow me to offer that special print for visitors to examine first hand and enter a lottery for a free large canvas giclee of the art if you missed out on the campaign!
The Lottery will include numerous items in the offering- from an original oil painting, to a Middle-earth original drawing (Moon-Letters – see the image above), to prints, books and Magic Artist Proof paintings – and more to be added as we get closer to the date. (In-person Lottery drawing will be held at 5pm on Saturday, entrants need not be present to win.)
We are also thrilled that the artist & pianist Colleen Quint will be playing live on our piano throughout the day and artists Kelley Hensing and Carter Gill will be present to assist once again this year! New works from Magic: The Gathering as well as interior art for projects with Grim Oak Press will be on display throughout the studio.
For those who may be Darrell Sweet fans, I have his original acrylic painting of the Hobbit cover hanging in our home. This was the artwork used on the paperback book I first read as a young teenager!
Heavy discounts on prints and select original artworks will be offered. I will also have a handful of sketchbooks around for browsing and a few portfolios filled with large, preliminary drawings and studies will also be on display for perusal. Stop by, take in some art, and kick back in the backyard while you enjoy a lemonade in a little part of the Shire in Brooklyn and raise a toast to Tolkien!
Even if you can’t attend in person, you could enter the Online Lottery!
For all the online audience who may not make it to Brooklyn for the Open Studio, Donato is offering an online lottery for give-a-ways, closing September 21st 11:59 PM ET. To register for the lottery to win one of the incredible gifts (listed below) simply visit Donato’s social media pages (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter) and enter a comment on the respective post for the Lottery. Or email lottery@donatoarts.com with ‘Enter’ in the subject field/message.
Items for the Online Lottery include:
– Original watercolor, Micro Painted Magic: The Gathering Artist Proof
– Bridge of Khazad-dûm 24″ x 28″ foiled and embossed print (US shipping only)
– The Great Dragon Smaug 14″ x 11″ print (US shipping only)
– Trifold Keepsake of the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and 6″ x 9″ print of Gandalf and the Balrog
One entry per person.
Sunday 22nd September – TORn’s annual Baggins Birthday Bash
Come and eat, drink and be Hobbity with TORn! Staffers Garfeimao and Quickbeam (and others!) will be there to greet folks from 11.30am. Bring food for the potluck; or maybe even enter the Baggins Birthday Cake contest. Costumes strongly encouraged. Enjoy this very popular annual gathering of fans; all are welcome!
You can find all the details about the event here. Please note, this is event is FREE, and will be held in the Mineral Wells Picnic area of the park. There may be other happenings at Griffith Park that day – so double check the details so you know where to find us.
No doubt many fans will be gathering for festivity this weekend; let us know how you’ll be celebrating the Baggins Boys’ birthdays!
TheOneRing.net will be at Griffith Park Sunday, September 22nd, starting at 11:30am to celebrate Bilbo and Frodo’s birthdays with a picnic and festivities. Please join us if you are in the area!
This is a Potluck, so please bring a food item to put on the community potluck table–main courses, sides, snacks, fruit, salads, sweets–anything is welcome. We will also need plates, cups, napkins, utensils, etc. but check the Facebook sign-up so we don’t end up with too many. And if you have an ice chest to help keep beverages cool, fill it with ice and bring it along. Please RSVP in the discussion section on Facebook (see below) with what food, beverage or picnic supplies you plan to bring.
CAKE CONTEST: Instead of an official birthday cake, there will be a competition for everyone to show off their baking skills. All cakes and cupcakes designs with a Baggins Birthday or Middle-earth theme will be entered into the contest. Put your creative thinking caps on!
You can find detailed event information and a section to RSVP on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/events/8264139026978984/ Please read the About info, and open it to reveal more because there is a lot of info in there, including driving directions. If you don’t do FB, RSVP to Garfeimao@TheOneRing.net with what food or other supplies you will be bringing.
WHAT TO BRING (Besides food): As you can see from the above image, portable chairs, pop up tents, blankets, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses are all standard. Bring a cloak because it can be surprisingly cool some years.
COSTUMES: Any and all cosplay is welcome and encouraged. You can wear a full set of armor, dress like a Hobbit, or turn to the dark side. If you just want to wear a geeky themed shirt, that’s okay, too. Anything is welcome, but be forewarned, there is usually a costume contest, so be creative.
SKITS: If time allows, there will be a chance to do your rendition of Gollum, act out a scene from the films, read a poem or book passage, or sing a song. So figure out what you want to do and practice ahead of time.
TRIVIA CONTEST: Brush up on your Tolkien Trivia, the competition is usually fierce, but it’s a lot of fun, and everyone is welcome to participate.
Hope to see you all there this year! Don’t forget to check the Facebook page for more info.
Additional note: There is a second Hobbit event planned somewhere in Griffith Park on Sunday. If their signage does not say Baggins Birthday Bash or TheOneRing.net, they are not our Baggins Birthday Bash. This other event will be charging for attendance, and as you know, for the past 23 years, we’ve always been free. As long as you follow the directions to the Mineral Wells location we’ve been at the past decade or more, you will find your TORn Sibs waiting for you.
Also, kids and pets are welcome, we are always a family-friendly event. Dogs must be leashed, and we suggest you bring a water bowl for your pet. It is predicted to be quite hot that day.
It’s just over a week since DragonCon 2024 drew to a close, after a fabulous weekend of panels, special guests, parties and merriment. TheOneRing.net was delighted as always to spend time with fellow fans, and to host An Evening at Bree, a long time tradition at DragonCon (and part of the High Fantasy Track).
As usual, there was incredible cosplay to be seen all around the con, from all kinds of fandoms. We thought we would share here just a few of our favourites (there were so many!) seen at the Evening at Bree costume contest (with big thanks to photographer Jonathan Franklin). Enjoy!
From The Rings of Power: Annatar promises he is just a giver of gifts; but Arondir has his suspicions…Bilbo is quite happy relaxing in his dressing gown; until the arrival of Lobelia sends him off on an adventure. (Anything to get away…!)Elves from PJ’s films: Haldir and ‘dark queen’ Galadriel.Two different Tom Bombadils enjoy the beautiful company of the River-woman’s daughter.Staffer greendragon chats with Gimli; and Denethor’s favourite son gives him the greatest gift of all – a tomato. (Faramir was there too, but obviously didn’t deserve to be in the photo.)
TORn always loves hosting An Evening at Bree, and it was wonderful after so many years to see the dance floor packed, and the fandom celebrating together, as folks jigged to musical acts The Brobdingnagian Bards, Beth Patterson and Landloch’d. It was indeed a night to remember – thanks to all who came along, and to the High Fantasy track for allowing us to host!
