Martin Bayton, creator of Jane and the Dragon, is spearheadng an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Sandcastle building on Sunday, November 25 starting at 8am. This is not just a passing social event, funds are being raised for the Neonatal Trust of New Zealand. Wellingtonians, Kiwis, and everyone else visiting the city that weekend are invited to participate, and to encourage that, there are some benefits. WETA and Air New Zealand have come on board to offer some support and sponsorship, including a Pair of Tickets from any Air New Zealand gateway city to Wellington for the week in order to help build a Sandcastle and see all the Premiere activities. For New Zealanders, you simply need to join Adventure Wellington and then RSVP, everyone else would want to donate a minimum of $10NZD, which includes a ticket to the event and en entry to win the trip. You can find all the details at WETA supports world Record Attempt WETA is even making custom molds to help make sure the Sandcastles are built up to the required specs to meet the Guinness requirements.

TORn staffers are just back from a busy weekend at New York ComicCon, where we had a wonderful time meeting and chatting with fellow fans.  It was great to see so many folks at our party on Thursday night, and we loved seeing everyone who came by our booth at the convention.  Thanks to all for your support!  Tolkien fans really are amazing creatures… 🙂

Alas, we didn’t learn about this amazing art until we had all left the Big Apple!  Never mind King Kong or Godzilla, giant dwarves are taking over Manhattan!  If you’re in New York, go check it out – at the South East corner of 24th and Park.  Thanks to ringer spy Debba521 for the heads up!

Cali at Comic Con 2009Welcome to the latest “Getting to know…” questions that need answering. It’s based on the old Getting to know you threads that I used to post on the message boards here on TORn, so those familiar with them will know that the questions can be a little crazy and the answers even crazier.

This month we’re asking questions of one of our Four Founders, Calisuri.

Thanks Chris for agreeing to do this 🙂

Me: What was your favourite cartoon when you were growing up?

Hong Kong PhooeyCalisuri: Oddly enough, the first one that pops into my head is Hong Kong Phooey! Though I know I really enjoyed He-Man, Thundercats and Gummy Bears! hah. Continue reading “Getting to know Calisuri”

TORnadoes ask about it often in person at events, via email, on Twitter and Facebook: “Will there be line party events and organizations for The Hobbit movies?” The answer is a resounding YES! There will be some changes around TORn, any minute now, or at least in just a few hours after this post. Part of the purpose is to make things as great as possible, to get the site ready for The Hobbit onslaught but also to accommodate local gatherings around the world. Movie tickets should go on sale around November 7 and we hope to help events organize in a grass-roots fashion around the globe. Stay tuned and spread the word! Consider theater destinations, consider organizations in your community like book stores, movie clubs, people who love lines and consider lending a hand to a world wide effort to see “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” with like-minded friends. Thanks for your energy and enthusiasm and get ready!

Ringer Karen wanted to share the news that lucky Aussies who live in or near Perth can now purchase tickets to screenings of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring with live music and chorus being presented by the Western Australian Symphony Orchestar (WASO) on June 21 and 22, 2013. From the WASO website: “Peter Jackson’s epic vision of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is supported by some of the greatest film music of all time. Howard Shore’s Academy Award®-winning score captures the film’s sweeping emotion, thrilling vistas and grand journeys through the power of a full symphony orchestra and massed voices.”

Visit the WASO website for more information and to purchase tickets. Read more…

Rosie-with-the-ribbonsRinger-spy Rosie-with-the-ribbons sent us the following report from this years RingCon.

Last weekend there was another RingCon in Bonn, Germany, the 11th RingCon to be precise.

In the last few years more and more fandoms have been invited to attend. And this year we were very happy to greet a big number of Game of Thrones-stars and their beautifully costumed fans to the event. But I am going to focus on all the LOTR-stuff that happened.

Continue reading “RingCon 2012, what a wonderful time”