Some associate TheOneRing only with Peter Jackson films set in Middle-earth. It is always our pleasure to support fans and all the aspects of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien (except what you are selling on Ebay). Below is a press release sent by The Tolkien Society that we give to you just as it was sent to us. The Tolkien Society (UK edition) was founded in 1969, 30 years before TORn, and it is always a pleasure to alert people to its events. When we post these we can’t help but wish this was the year we would attend. Anyway, here is the release for events taking place this weekend. Spread the word!

“The Tolkien Society has teamed up with the Birmingham Tolkien Group to bring you the thirteenth Middle-earth Weekend this Saturday and Sunday in celebration of 75 years of The Hobbit.

Middle-earth Weekend takes place at Sarehole Mill in an area of Birmingham in which Tolkien grew up and which inspired his writings – the area is credited with inspiring Tolkien’s vision of The Shire and Hobbiton including Sandyman’s infamous Mill. This area has been designated as “The Shire Country Park” in Tolkien’s honour and the park covers the River Cole, Chinn Brook, Moseley Bog & the Dell, and the Dingles – all places J.R.R. Tolkien knew as a child when he lived just across from the mill pool.

Events this year include: mediaeval re-enactments, archery, live performances of excerpts from Tolkien’s works by Shire Productions, guided walks, poetry and music, our Tolkien tent with stalls of goodies, a climbing wall, our popular costume competition, face painting, dragons(!), and, of course, a working mill! It is a full menagerie of events for the whole family that will excite, entertain, amuse and inform. Continue reading “Tolkien Society celebrating 75 years of ‘Hobbit’ this weekend”

The Tolkien Society sends this in: This year’s Middle-earth Weekend has the theme of the Mariner to tie in with the International Maritime Organization’s Year of the Seafarer. Although Sarehole itself is landlocked and hobbits had a fear of boats Tolkien’s ‘Shire’ for which Sarehole was an inspiration was bordered by the elven towers at the outskirts of the Grey Havens from where the elves would sail West to Valinor. A story that links the earliest ages of Middle-earth with “The Lord of the Rings” is the tale of Eärendil the Mariner. Continue reading “The Mariner: Sailing Around Middle-Earth”

Tolkien Reading Day was set up to encourage people to get together and explore some of Tolkien’s stories at school, university, in reading groups, or as a family; the theme for 2010 is

“Tolkien’s Seafarers”

Reading Day is an opportunity for people of all ages to read together and share their thoughts about the story. As 2010 is the International Maritime Organization’s Year of the Seafarer the theme chosen gives people a chance to read and think about exploring the undercurrents in the Numenorean romance the “Tale of Aldarion and Erendis” from “Unfinished Tales”, the journeys and ships of the Teleri, the flight of the Noldor, and the voyages of Tuor and Earendil in “The Silmarillion”, or Bilbo’s poem about the latter in LotR. There are also the poems “The Happy Mariners” and at a pinch “Bombadil Goes Boating.

Continue reading “Tolkien Reading Day is March 25th”