Continuing the tradition started two years ago, TORn is pleased to announce the third edition of our Annual Baggins Birthday Picnic, which will take place on Sunday September 19th, 2004, from noon to 6pm in Griffith Park, on the picnic grounds near the Carousel (those of you who attended last year will probably remember the spot – for the newbies, we’ll post directions shortly).

As always, costuming is highly encouraged, and there will be contests, games, great prizes and lots of fun!

As this is a potluck event, please contact Arwen at arwen@theonering.net to let her know what items you will be contributing – and check the news page in the next few days for more details about the picnic. We hope to see you there!

Two days later, on Tuesday September 21st, another great fan event and celebration will take place: Bowlmoot 2004. The gathering will take place before the performance of the Lord Of The Rings Symphony at the Hollywood Bowl. For more information about Bowlmoot please visit the website at http://www.bowlmoot.net/

Gondowyn writes: Christopher Lee will make an appearance in Amsterdam on September 9th at the music theater “Concertgebouw”. Lee will join conductor Jules van Hessen and the Dutch Theater Orchestra in a LOTR concert. The concert will feature parts from the LOTR score, but also LOTR music composed in 1978 by Leonard Rosenman and musical adaptations of Tolkien poems. He will be performing as ‘storyteller’ in Johan de Meij’s “LOTR symphony”, and will recite “Treebeard’s song” which he recorded earlier with the Tolkien ensemble. Tickets for the concert are available at concertgebouw.nl.

CHICAGO, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ — Fans of the music of Academy Award-winning Howard Shore will have two opportunities to interact with the composer during the Chicago performances of “The Lord of the Rings Symphony: A Symphony in Six Movements” on October 8 and 9 at the Auditorium Theatre. Mr. Shore will host a 45-minute question & answer session prior to each performance from the Auditorium Theatre Stage; the Q&A sessions are only open to patrons holding tickets for those respective nights. Mr. Shore will also host a 90-minute post-show dessert and champagne reception each night immediately following the show. The reception tickets, which are $75.00, are limited to 100 patrons per night and may be purchased by calling (312) 951-0080.

The performances each night begin at 8:00 p.m. Fans wishing to interact with Mr. Shore at the Q&A session may arrive at the Auditorium Theatre at 6:00 p.m.; seating will be general admission. Mr. Shore and Doug Adams, author of the upcoming book The Music of the Lord of the Rings, will take questions from the stage beginning at approximately 6:30pm. Upon conclusion of the Q&A session at 7:15 p.m., patrons will be reseated in their ticketed seat.

The post-show reception will be in the Auditorium Theatre’s 2nd-floor dress circle lobby. Mr. Shore will sign autographs, pose for pictures, and otherwise mingle and interact with attendees. Dessert from Eli’s Cheesecake and champagne are complimentary. Other cocktails and soft drinks are available via a cash bar.

“The Lord of the Rings Symphony: A Symphony in Six Movements” features more than 200 musicians and singers performing music from all three films in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. The presentation will also feature original concept and storyboard artwork from the films by artists Alan Lee and John Howe. Projected images will chronologically align with the music as the story of the hobbits’ journey unfolds. Tickets, which range from $35.00 to $80.00, are on sale now, and may be purchased at the Auditorium Theatre box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, or by calling (312) 902-1500.

“The Lord of the Rings Symphony: A Symphony in Six Movements” is presented by Jam Theatricals.