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Events to celebrate Hobbit Day

The 22nd September, Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday, marks “Hobbit Day” worldwide. Since 1974 the Society has held Oxonmoot in honour of the anniversary, whilst you’ve probably seen us talking about it today on Facebook and Twitter. But how else can you get involved in?

Bringing together friends and food

Hobbits love to have regular meals, so why not invite some friends over, reading some passages from the books and enjoy some good food with excellent company? Or, if you can’t get anyone together in time, why not go on your own journey by a nice long walk in the countryside?

Tolkien Limerick Contest

The good folk at Middle-earth News are hosting a limerick contest. Limericks are five lines long, usually whimsical, and the five lines rhyme in the formation AABBA. Last year’s winner took the prize with this entry:

You would think, Bilbo mused, in the Shire
That surviving the dread dragon’s fire
Would command some respect,
But these auctions reflect
That my spoons’ reputation is higher.

The deadline for entries is 11:59pm EDT on 27 September 2015 (04.59 BST on 28 September 2015), and the prize is The Art of The Hobbit by Hammond and Scull, and a Hobbit film t-shirt. To enter, just leave your limerick as a comment on their article.

Tolkien Haiku Competition

As if that wasn’t enough, Middle-earth News have upped the stakes by offering a Haiku competition. A haiku is a Japanese poem of three lines with 5 syllables in the first and third lines, and 7 syllables in the second line. But! Middle-earth News don’t want entries in English – they want them in either Tolkien’s original languages (such as Common Eldarin, Noldorin, Quenya, Sindarin, Valarin, Khuzdul, Adûnaic and Black Speech) or “Languages that were used by Tolkien as a literary device to render imaginary languages with real ones, such as: Old English [Rohirric], Old Norse [Tongue of Dale], Gothic [Tongues of the Kingdom of Rhovanion], with the exception of English [Westron]).”

The deadline for entries is 11:59pm EDT on 27 September 2015 (04.59 BST on 28 September 2015), and the prize is The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Chronicles: Cloaks & Daggers, and an art print by Joe Gilronan. To enter, just leave your haikus a comment on their article.

Take the Mythgard Quiz

Mythgard Institute, part of Signum University, are launching their fundraising drive today. From 9.30pm ET (02.30 BST on 23 September) they will be holding a Tolkien trivia quiz which includes a tantalising selection of prizes! To take part, sign up here.

About the Author: Shaun Gunner
Shaun is the Chair of The Tolkien Society. First elected in 2013, Shaun has overseen the Society's expansion from 600 to 3,500 members. Shaun regularly speaks about adaptations of Tolkien's works and the future of Tolkien scholarship whilst passionately believing the Society needs to reach out to new audiences. In his spare time he can be found playing video games and Lego, or on Twitter. He chaired another charity, Mankind, and is a local councillor.