Can you believe it has been 10 years since we first gathered at Griffith Park to celebrate the birthday of not one, but two imaginary characters from a book and film? The Baggins’ Birthday Bash has always been a great way to celebrate Fellowship amongst LA Fandom, act a little goofy, and to farewell the Summer. This year the party comes just a day after the official 75th anniversary of the publication of The Hobbit back in 1937, so we’ll have more to celebrate than just Bilbo and Frodo. Here are the pertinent details:

When: September 22 from Noon till 6pm

Where: Griffith Park in LA, just past the Carousel turnoff. There are directions and a link to a map at the bottom of the description on the Facebook Event Page. Baggins’ Birthday Bash Facebook page

What can you bring?: Take a peek at the Facebook page, and open the description fully to see what food and beverage needs we have and what you can bring. The list will be updated when people RSVP, which can be done on the Facebook event page, or by emailing Garfeimao@TheOneRing.net

Activities: There will be some trivia, we will have fans taking turns to read The Hobbit aloud during the day, and there will be a rousing game of Golfimbul, followed by a Birthday Cake.

 

The fun and games never stop at DragonCon!  Staffers from TORn have been busy all weekend, speaking at panels, running TORn’s booth and enjoying meeting with fellow fans.  For a brief while this afternoon we were joined at the table by none other than actor Billy Boyd, who took over asking trivia questions to some delighted folks!  Many people have stopped by to enjoy our ‘Don’t you know YOU’RE Sam’ photo opportunity – and Billy joined in the fun to create a slightly confusing hobbit line up!

One more day of festivity to go – expect more photos and reports later in the week!

Thirty-nine years ago today, our beloved professor, J.R.R. Tolkien, passed away at the age of 81. Among his many legacies are the books, “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” that have brought so much joy to so many people, including us.  This morning, the variety news show “Sunday Morning” which airs weekly on CBS in the U.S., did a small segment in tribute to Tolkien. Message board member Magpie caught it and alerted us to it, and we wanted to share it with you:


Rest in peace, dear professor. Read more…

Actors Billy Boyd, Craig Parker, and John Rhys-Davies captivated Dragon*Con yesterday with their enchanting accents and witty repartee as they hosted a panel at the Atlanta convention. Debbie Yutko writes:

“When asked about Peter Jackson’s upcoming film The Hobbit, all three actors agreed that it will be epic. Rhys-Davies predicted that The Hobbit will be a game-changer. ‘You’re going to see one of the greatest films of all time—soon,’ he said to rousing cheers and applause. He predicted that a lot more awards will be coming Peter Jackson’s way.”

Thanks to Ringer Lisa for the heads-up on the article.

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We revealed in July during HobbitCon 2012 that pre-sales for The Bridge Direct’s line of figures from Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy would begin in September. Well, today is the day fans can start pre-ordering for the figures representing the characters from the first film in the trilogy.

The figures in The Bridge Direct’s range will vary in scale from 3.75″ figures to 6″ figures, and come in two-packs, battle packs, and deluxe figures. Check out Amazon.Com, ToysRUS.com, and EntertainmentEarth.com to get your online orders in now.

Brick and Mortar stores will be have these awesome figures starting in October. Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – The Bridge Direct The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Figures Up For Pre-Order”

Ok, so officially things don’t really get going until tomorrow, but in the hearts of everyone arriving at hotels in Atlanta today, DragonCon has started!  And as you know, TheOneRing.net and Tolkien fandom are here in force!  Staffers deej and greendragon are hard at work to make the TORn table fun for all – come and see us from 11am Friday in the Hyatt (Exhibit Level, near the Art Show) to try your hand at trivia or pick up one of TORn’s fabulous new shirts! Or just pop by to chat – we love seeing old friends and new!

You can also visit TORn’s good friends Badali Jewelry here at DragonCon.   They will be found in the Dealers Room located on the bottom floor of the Marriott Marquis.  For your spending pleasure, they will have a full inventory of Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit items, as well as some of their most popular Fantasy, Celtic, Pirate, Vampire, and Elven pieces.  There will be 3 brand new Officially Licensed Hobbit pieces to see, and they even have a fabulous offer for fans here at TheOneRing.net – 15% off your entire purchase!! Just stop by and say the magic words “Gandalf Sent Me”.

The good times keep coming with ‘Evening at Bree’ Friday night, and panels from TORn 4pm on Friday, 5.30pm Saturday and 11.30am Monday.  For a complete list of Tolkien Track panels, click here.  Can’t wait to see everyone! – and for those of you who can’t join us, we’ll bring you updates of all the fun, right here on TORn.  Let the games begin!