Tolkien Events 2012 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

narfforc · 04-09-2011, 05:14 AM

The Return of the King will be held at Loughborough University between 16th and 20th August. This is a five day event and anyone who attended the Aston University event in 2005 will tell you how amazing it was, let's make this just as good, plenty of time to arrange/save up for, let's get as many Downers there as possible....................... I'm going.

Estelyn Telcontar · 04-09-2011, 01:14 PM

I'm definitely planning to attend and will lecture on a topic concerning music and Middle-earth. I am also planning to bring and present one or more costumes...

This would be a fabulous opportunity for a big Downer get-together!

narfforc · 04-10-2011, 09:34 AM

I am planning on my Five Wizards costumes Esty. I think this will be bigger and better than Aston 2005, I am so looking forward to it.

narfforc · 08-02-2011, 07:34 AM

January 3rd Birthday Toast.

Estelyn Telcontar · 01-02-2012, 11:02 AM

2012 is here, and tomorrow we celebrate the Professor's 120th birthday. Be sure to toast him at 9 pm your local time!

Guinevere · 01-02-2012, 11:10 AM

Thanks for the reminder! Until now, I always missed it.

narfforc · 01-03-2012, 08:58 AM

.......Hic........Happy Twelvety Prof.......hic..

Legolas · 01-06-2012, 11:56 PM

The fun is always on the wrong side of the Atlantic!

Estelyn Telcontar · 01-07-2012, 04:47 AM

There are numerous Tolkien events In The West, but probably no or few members here who know about them and pass on the information. Of course, the fact that JRRT was English means that there is more focus on him in his home country.

Are there any US Downers who know of Tolkien events State-side and are willing to post the dates and locations here? Or Canadians, or Australians, or...

Bêthberry · 01-07-2012, 08:28 PM

The Tolkien Society has associate groups called smials and there are many in the US and Canada and Europe. I belong to one, Wellinghall Smial. We try to meet once a month, at least some members if not all.

I think the most active used to be Heren Istarion in NYC. But folks can check out the TS's page to see if there is a smial near them: List of Tolkien Society smials. Contact info available through that link.

In addition to attending Oxonmoot and Return of The Ring, Downers can also make their own moots. Famous--infamous?--ones in the past have been Bostonmoot and Finlandmoot, and one summer the Finns made an entire summer of moots across the US. I was lucky enough to attend Niagara (Falls) moot. These mostly are organised on Facebook, which has a Barrow Downs group page.

Another way to maintain contact with other Tolkien fans is of course to join the Tolkien Society, which also has a Facebook page.

narfforc · 01-20-2012, 06:47 AM

Middle-earth Weekend 19-20 May

Sarehole Mill Birmingham.

middleearthweekend.org.uk/

narfforc · 01-20-2012, 06:51 AM

Tolkien: The Forest and the City 21-22 Sept

Trinity College Dublin Ireland

conrado@tcd.ie

narfforc · 01-20-2012, 07:14 AM

The Cambridge Tolkien Society

Anyone in the Cambridge area will find this interesting.

tolkien.soc.ucam.org/future.html

Bêthberry · 02-06-2012, 08:16 PM

The German Tolkien society has now published the programme for its seminar in Jena in late April.

Tolkien Seminar programme.

Faramir Jones · 02-10-2012, 02:01 PM

Thanks for the notification of the event in Dublin this September, narfforc.

I've put my name down for it, and will let people know how I get on.

Estelyn Telcontar · 04-19-2012, 01:18 PM

The German Tolkien Society has announced its special guest for the summer Thing: Cor Blok! You may be familiar with his illustrations for the official Tolkien calendar - an unusual style, but one that Tolkien himself liked enough for him to buy some of Blok's art. Of course, any person who has actually met JRRT himself is already an interesting guest, as far as I'm concerned!

Mithalwen · 06-03-2012, 04:58 AM

Anyone going to London before September who has an interest in Britain's literary landscape might be interested in this major exhibition at the British Library - part of the cultural Olympiad. I saw an advertisement for it in the paper yesterday - the strapline "Not all those who wander are lost" obviously caught my attention, however it is the manuscript of the Hobbit that is on show.

It isn't a free exhibition (Full price tickets £10 concessions for students etc) so in the unlikely event your literary tastes don't go further than Tolkien you might not find it good value for money - but I am sure that doesn't apply to many Downers

http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions...out/index.html

There is also a Hobbit specific event on 21st September

http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions...ent131380.html

I think that this is the Friday of Oxonmoot, and I know many are giving that a miss this year due to Return of the Ring, however since it is due to finish at 8pm it would be possible to combine the two if you were prepared forgo the opening dinner.

Anyway I have booked and hope I don't end up having to move house that weekend... I plan to go to the exhibition sooner so will report back. Have been meaning to have a look at the BL since they completed the renovations.

Mithalwen · 09-01-2012, 09:46 AM

Just found out that Brian Sibley is a guest speaker at this event so I am minding less that I didn't go to ROTR (though grateful thanks to Poison Ivy for getting me his autograph!!).

Mithalwen · 10-05-2012, 06:05 AM

It was mentioned at the Hobbit evening at the BL that Moleskine are producing a range of special edition notebooks for the anniversary. They aren't available yet but it looks like they will be released at the end of November.. in good time for all our *Christmas lists!

*other present giving opportunities are available.

Mithalwen · 01-13-2013, 11:05 AM

I actually got one of these for Christmas. Was ridiculously overexcited but I haven't decided what to use it for yet. Any suggest ions?

Formendacil · 01-13-2013, 01:20 PM

I got one of those for Christmas too! (And a copy of Hobbitus Ille, for what it's worth), and I have the same problem of not knowing what to use it for. I want to use it for something properly fitting its attractive dignity... but that's the sort of holding out that is likely to see me fail to use it at all, which would be worse.

Estelyn Telcontar · 01-13-2013, 01:44 PM

How about using the notebooks for recording live Tolkien activities and collecting signatures of Downers and other Tolkienists? You can also ask artists to draw in them. I have a selfmade fabric journal (well, I'm actually on the second one because I go to a lot of German Society events in addition to the international ones) which serves that purpose for me.

Bêthberry · 01-13-2013, 02:02 PM

Mithalwen or Formendacil, could you provide a picture or a link so we can see what this lovely notebook is like?

Estelyn's suggestion is a lovely one, as her fabric books are full of souvenirs of wonderful moots--and she has some original artwork by very well known Tolkien illustrators as well!

Mithalwen · 01-13-2013, 02:17 PM

I am far too antisocial to need 192 pages for autographs and it ia a bit small for lecture notes at least for my spider fell in an inkwell and staggered across the page scrawl. I may have to have an adventure of my own. I Have pics will try to link

Estelyn Telcontar · 01-13-2013, 02:24 PM

Ooooh, a "There and Back Again" of your own - that sounds great!

Mithalwen · 01-13-2013, 02:27 PM

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/8...MP04X2X5D0J981

This is the one I have. The larger version would have served better for the kind of communal commonplace book.
There is ared foil dragon and the section ofvthe map covering the mountains and mirkwood inside the pocket is a map of the wild an d a thorin and co style return to ..otherwise a normal moleskine

Bêthberry · 01-13-2013, 07:11 PM

Still, it is lovely. The dragon is nicely done. I think it would do quite nicely to be your own RedBook for an adventure.

Or reviews of favourite restaurant feasts. You could begin by going back to Hobbits--or writing a review of our lunch there with Poison Ivy.

Mithalwen · 01-13-2013, 08:10 PM

Oh deari probably shouldn't have got it save it was so very lovely.I don't perhaps have the record keeping temperament. If something isn't memorable enough to remember why waste time writing it down? If it were indexed I might have used it for recipes as it is adventure seems the way forward. nothing for it, will just have to become a piratical maid of all work or similar...

Lalwendë · 01-14-2013, 06:05 AM

If I'd seen this I might not have got myself a Marvel Comics one. I wanted a nice notebook for work rather than use the standard 79p ones from Banner from the stationery drawer. I always keep my notebooks anyway, as I end up noting personal stuff and drawing in them when I'm having the pants bored off me in an irrelevant meeting. So using it for work is OK in my err....book.

Or use it to note down quotes you like. Lists of books you might want to read or places to visit. Recipes. Gardening notes. Family history notes. Daily weather and nature observations. Just to note stuff you find interesting.

I have a replica Red Book though that I've never used - it came with a box set of five action figures (Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry & Pippin) I got back in 2001. I thought I'd better not use it because it was part of the set.

Mithalwen · 01-14-2013, 09:00 AM

Stationery is one of my weaknesses so I do have notebooks for a lot of these thingsbut the family history appeals sincce it ia currently spread across teo general notebooka and it is a truly hobbity thing..cheera..

04-09-2011, 05:14 AM	#1
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	Tolkien Events 2012 The Return of the King will be held at Loughborough University between 16th and 20th August. This is a five day event and anyone who attended the Aston University event in 2005 will tell you how amazing it was, let's make this just as good, plenty of time to arrange/save up for, let's get as many Downers there as possible....................... I'm going. __________________ [B]THE LORD OF THE GRINS:THE ONE PARODY....A PARODY BETTER THAN THE RINGS OF POWER.

04-09-2011, 01:14 PM	#2
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	I'm definitely planning to attend and will lecture on a topic concerning music and Middle-earth. I am also planning to bring and present one or more costumes... This would be a fabulous opportunity for a big Downer get-together! __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

04-10-2011, 09:34 AM	#3
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	I am planning on my Five Wizards costumes Esty. I think this will be bigger and better than Aston 2005, I am so looking forward to it. __________________ [B]THE LORD OF THE GRINS:THE ONE PARODY....A PARODY BETTER THAN THE RINGS OF POWER.

08-02-2011, 07:34 AM	#4
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	January 3rd Birthday Toast. __________________ [B]THE LORD OF THE GRINS:THE ONE PARODY....A PARODY BETTER THAN THE RINGS OF POWER.

01-02-2012, 11:02 AM	#5
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	2012 is here, and tomorrow we celebrate the Professor's 120th birthday. Be sure to toast him at 9 pm your local time! __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

01-02-2012, 11:10 AM	#6
Guinevere Banshee of Camelot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 5,830	Thanks for the reminder! Until now, I always missed it. __________________ Yes! "wish-fulfilment dreams" we spin to cheat our timid hearts, and ugly Fact defeat!

01-03-2012, 08:58 AM	#7
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	.......Hic........Happy Twelvety Prof.......hic.. __________________ [B]THE LORD OF THE GRINS:THE ONE PARODY....A PARODY BETTER THAN THE RINGS OF POWER.

01-06-2012, 11:56 PM	#8
Legolas A Northern Soul Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Valinor Posts: 1,847	The fun is always on the wrong side of the Atlantic! __________________ ...take counsel with thyself, and remember who and what thou art.

01-07-2012, 04:47 AM	#9
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	There are numerous Tolkien events In The West, but probably no or few members here who know about them and pass on the information. Of course, the fact that JRRT was English means that there is more focus on him in his home country. Are there any US Downers who know of Tolkien events State-side and are willing to post the dates and locations here? Or Canadians, or Australians, or... __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

01-07-2012, 08:28 PM	#10
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	The Tolkien Society has associate groups called smials and there are many in the US and Canada and Europe. I belong to one, Wellinghall Smial. We try to meet once a month, at least some members if not all. I think the most active used to be Heren Istarion in NYC. But folks can check out the TS's page to see if there is a smial near them: List of Tolkien Society smials. Contact info available through that link. In addition to attending Oxonmoot and Return of The Ring, Downers can also make their own moots. Famous--infamous?--ones in the past have been Bostonmoot and Finlandmoot, and one summer the Finns made an entire summer of moots across the US. I was lucky enough to attend Niagara (Falls) moot. These mostly are organised on Facebook, which has a Barrow Downs group page. Another way to maintain contact with other Tolkien fans is of course to join the Tolkien Society, which also has a Facebook page. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

01-20-2012, 06:47 AM	#11
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	Middle-earth Weekend 19-20 May Sarehole Mill Birmingham. middleearthweekend.org.uk/ __________________ [B]THE LORD OF THE GRINS:THE ONE PARODY....A PARODY BETTER THAN THE RINGS OF POWER.

01-20-2012, 06:51 AM	#12
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	Tolkien: The Forest and the City 21-22 Sept Trinity College Dublin Ireland conrado@tcd.ie __________________ [B]THE LORD OF THE GRINS:THE ONE PARODY....A PARODY BETTER THAN THE RINGS OF POWER. Last edited by narfforc; 01-20-2012 at 06:57 AM.

01-20-2012, 07:14 AM	#13
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	The Cambridge Tolkien Society Anyone in the Cambridge area will find this interesting. tolkien.soc.ucam.org/future.html __________________ [B]THE LORD OF THE GRINS:THE ONE PARODY....A PARODY BETTER THAN THE RINGS OF POWER.

02-06-2012, 08:16 PM	#14
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	The German Tolkien society has now published the programme for its seminar in Jena in late April. Tolkien Seminar programme. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

02-10-2012, 02:01 PM	#15
Faramir Jones Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lonely Isle Posts: 706	Thanks! Thanks for the notification of the event in Dublin this September, narfforc. I've put my name down for it, and will let people know how I get on.

04-19-2012, 01:18 PM	#16
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	The German Tolkien Society has announced its special guest for the summer Thing: Cor Blok! You may be familiar with his illustrations for the official Tolkien calendar - an unusual style, but one that Tolkien himself liked enough for him to buy some of Blok's art. Of course, any person who has actually met JRRT himself is already an interesting guest, as far as I'm concerned! __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

06-03-2012, 04:58 AM	#17
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	British Library Exhibition - Writing Britain: Wastelands to Wonderlands Anyone going to London before September who has an interest in Britain's literary landscape might be interested in this major exhibition at the British Library - part of the cultural Olympiad. I saw an advertisement for it in the paper yesterday - the strapline "Not all those who wander are lost" obviously caught my attention, however it is the manuscript of the Hobbit that is on show. It isn't a free exhibition (Full price tickets £10 concessions for students etc) so in the unlikely event your literary tastes don't go further than Tolkien you might not find it good value for money - but I am sure that doesn't apply to many Downers http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions...out/index.html There is also a Hobbit specific event on 21st September http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions...ent131380.html I think that this is the Friday of Oxonmoot, and I know many are giving that a miss this year due to Return of the Ring, however since it is due to finish at 8pm it would be possible to combine the two if you were prepared forgo the opening dinner. Anyway I have booked and hope I don't end up having to move house that weekend... I plan to go to the exhibition sooner so will report back. Have been meaning to have a look at the BL since they completed the renovations. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

09-01-2012, 09:46 AM	#18
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	Just found out that Brian Sibley is a guest speaker at this event so I am minding less that I didn't go to ROTR (though grateful thanks to Poison Ivy for getting me his autograph!!). __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

10-05-2012, 06:05 AM	#19
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	Moleskine Hobbit It was mentioned at the Hobbit evening at the BL that Moleskine are producing a range of special edition notebooks for the anniversary. They aren't available yet but it looks like they will be released at the end of November.. in good time for all our Christmas lists! other present giving opportunities are available. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

01-13-2013, 11:05 AM	#20
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	I actually got one of these for Christmas. Was ridiculously overexcited but I haven't decided what to use it for yet. Any suggest ions? __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

01-13-2013, 01:20 PM	#21
Formendacil Dead Serious Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Perched on Thangorodrim's towers. Posts: 3,328	I got one of those for Christmas too! (And a copy of Hobbitus Ille, for what it's worth), and I have the same problem of not knowing what to use it for. I want to use it for something properly fitting its attractive dignity... but that's the sort of holding out that is likely to see me fail to use it at all, which would be worse. __________________ I prefer history, true or feigned.

01-13-2013, 01:44 PM	#22
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	How about using the notebooks for recording live Tolkien activities and collecting signatures of Downers and other Tolkienists? You can also ask artists to draw in them. I have a selfmade fabric journal (well, I'm actually on the second one because I go to a lot of German Society events in addition to the international ones) which serves that purpose for me. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

01-13-2013, 02:02 PM	#23
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Mithalwen or Formendacil, could you provide a picture or a link so we can see what this lovely notebook is like? Estelyn's suggestion is a lovely one, as her fabric books are full of souvenirs of wonderful moots--and she has some original artwork by very well known Tolkien illustrators as well! __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

01-13-2013, 02:17 PM	#24
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	I am far too antisocial to need 192 pages for autographs and it ia a bit small for lecture notes at least for my spider fell in an inkwell and staggered across the page scrawl. I may have to have an adventure of my own. I Have pics will try to link __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

01-13-2013, 02:24 PM	#25
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Ooooh, a "There and Back Again" of your own - that sounds great! __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

01-13-2013, 02:27 PM	#26
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/8...MP04X2X5D0J981 This is the one I have. The larger version would have served better for the kind of communal commonplace book. There is ared foil dragon and the section ofvthe map covering the mountains and mirkwood inside the pocket is a map of the wild an d a thorin and co style return to ..otherwise a normal moleskine __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

01-13-2013, 07:11 PM	#27
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Still, it is lovely. The dragon is nicely done. I think it would do quite nicely to be your own RedBook for an adventure. Or reviews of favourite restaurant feasts. You could begin by going back to Hobbits--or writing a review of our lunch there with Poison Ivy. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

01-13-2013, 08:10 PM	#28
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	Oh deari probably shouldn't have got it save it was so very lovely.I don't perhaps have the record keeping temperament. If something isn't memorable enough to remember why waste time writing it down? If it were indexed I might have used it for recipes as it is adventure seems the way forward. nothing for it, will just have to become a piratical maid of all work or similar... __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

01-14-2013, 06:05 AM	#29
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	If I'd seen this I might not have got myself a Marvel Comics one. I wanted a nice notebook for work rather than use the standard 79p ones from Banner from the stationery drawer. I always keep my notebooks anyway, as I end up noting personal stuff and drawing in them when I'm having the pants bored off me in an irrelevant meeting. So using it for work is OK in my err....book. Or use it to note down quotes you like. Lists of books you might want to read or places to visit. Recipes. Gardening notes. Family history notes. Daily weather and nature observations. Just to note stuff you find interesting. I have a replica Red Book though that I've never used - it came with a box set of five action figures (Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry & Pippin) I got back in 2001. I thought I'd better not use it because it was part of the set. __________________ Gordon's alive!

01-14-2013, 09:00 AM	#30
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	Stationery is one of my weaknesses so I do have notebooks for a lot of these thingsbut the family history appeals sincce it ia currently spread across teo general notebooka and it is a truly hobbity thing..cheera.. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace