Since 2002, every summer a number of Tolkien fans meet up in the city centre of the Professor's home town, Oxford, for an informal weekend of fun, good conversation and the odd pint of beer.
On 22 Feb 2011, the city of Christchurch, New Zealand suffered a terrible earthquake. The number of people who lost their lives is currently 102, but it is expected to go up and there may be hundreds more still in the rubble of collapsed buildings. In the aftermath, we have gathered some information and a few ways that you can help.
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.
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."
As more news of the amount of devastation from the earthquake in Haiti on January 12th becomes available , The White Tree Fund are putting information together for any who would like to assist the aid efforts.
"A town in Mid Wales is to be turned into a bit of Middle Earth next summer with the launch of a festival based on Tolkien's Lord of the Rings."
September 22nd marks the birthday of these well-known and world-renowned Hobbits!
Alan Lee is back in New Zealand signing books... and maybe more?
"Oxonmoot is the special event of the Tolkien Society year held on a weekend close to Bilbo & Frodo's birthdays. There is a range of activities such as academic talks & papers, workshops (see the Call for Papers below if you wish to offer something), new, second-hand and rare book dealers, an art show (with professional and amateur works), plus a quiet area where you can drink tea, fill up the corners and chat with old or new friends."
Here's the latest press release regarding the Lord of the Rings score being performed at Radio City Music Hall in NYC.
Visit this festival (with Events for all ages) where Tolkien spent part of 1915/1916 in the Army training camps on Cannock Chase and in a small cottage called Gipsy Green in Great Haywood, near Penkridge, with his wife Edith
"Fantasy fans had a magical weekend in a Birmingham suburb transformed into a scene from Middle Earth to celebrate author JRR Tolkien."