Monday, July 28, 2003
GenCon Reports Flooding In - Xoanon @ 14:29 PST
As GenCon wraps up in the States reports are flooding in fast and furious regarding the events of the con. Take a look at these reports from True-Hearted Easterling & The Billified One. [More]

Sunday, July 27, 2003
SF Ringer's Picnic Report - Xoanon @ 11:51 PST

Celefinniel writes: The LOTR Annual Potluck Picnic was a big success, despite the lack of sunshine in Stern Grove Park, San Francisco. Hoards of hobbits, a few men and even some Ringwraiths showed up for the fun in a Rivendell like glen. [More]

Wednesday, July 23, 2003
Backstage at Comic-Con - Xoanon @ 14:24 PST

Leah Jakusovszky was one of the lucky few to get transformed into a Hobbit by WETA Workshop at Comic-Con 2003. She sends along her story and these images! [More]

Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Cadbury Chocolate Carnival Goes Geek - Xoanon @ 13:15 PST
Rudy Sandybanks writes: I live in Dunedin, New Zealand since last year Dunedin has held 'The Cadbury Chocolate Carnival" which involves the 'Worlds steepest jaffa race', which is thousands of jaffas (Candy covered chocolate balls, for those that don't know) rolling down Baldwin St (the steepest street in the world), quite fun to watch. [More]

Monday, July 21, 2003
SF Tolkien Cook-off - Xoanon @ 22:20 PST
BeastyBunny writes: Do you live in the San Francisco Bay Area? Are you an LOTR fan? Do you like good food, the outdoors and talking Tolkien? Then this is the event for you! [More]

Middle Earth Festival in Switzerland - Xoanon @ 09:49 PST
LaWiseWoman writes: I attended the 3rd international Middle Earth Festival (MEF) in Switzerland and I think this might be interesting for the news section. For four days we spent our time in Middle Earth, surrounded by Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Wizards, Orcs, Men and other creatures in the lovely scenery of Leuk's castles and vineyards in Switzerland.

I made a report with pictures (I guess about 50 of them) of costumes (the whole fellowship was there) of workshops (archery, swordfighting) and other tidbits.

I am sure the 500 visitors would be delighted to see something about the festival on theonering.net. Some of them traveled for hours from Berlin to be there. [More]

'The Hobbit' Stageplay Auditions - Xoanon @ 09:16 PST
Live in the LA area? Are you 5'2" and under, or 6' or over? Wanna audition to be in an ambitious stage version of "The Hobbit"? Well if so, the Canyon Theatre Guild in Santa Clarita, CA (Valencia/Newhall, near Six Flags Magic Mountain) just north of Los Angeles will be holding auditions. [More]

Tuesday, July 15, 2003
'Ringers' LOTR-Doco Website Goes Live! - Xoanon @ 16:31 PST
The website for the Tolkien fan documentary "Ringers: Lord of the Fans" is now live!

The crew of Ringers is ready to take on the Comic-Con International 2003 in San Diego, which opens Thursday, July 17, 2003. In August we will also be filming LOTR fans at the amazing Dragon*Con in Atlanta.

If you've never been to one of these events, put on your furry feet and hurry on down.... you will surely experience the rush of Fandom at its height! [More]

Houghton Mifflin Contest Winners! - Xoanon @ 12:02 PST
Clay writes: Houghton Mifflin is pleased to announce the ten winners of The Lord of the Rings Book and Bookends Gift Set, chosen randomly from 4,942 qualified entries received. A clear majority of the nearly 14,000 fans who voted chose an image of Rivendell for the cover of the book within the set.

Winners will be notified directly by e-mail, and again when the sets are ready to ship in October. Thanks to all who participated, and congratulations to the winners:

Kristina Morales, Lake View Terrace, CA
Roy Warren Johnson, Everett, WA
Thia Mueller, Cranbury, NJ
Sharon Bush, Biloxi, MS
Rebecca Macon, Greeley, CO
Zachary Paul McCain, Huntsville, TX
Kathleen L. Hansberry, Sacremento, CA
Stephen A Mixsell, Milpitas, CA
David Gale, Provo, UT
Timothy M. Everett, Forsyth, MO

Thursday, July 10, 2003
Ozz Fest Goes Geek - Xoanon @ 12:37 PST
Mattforce writes: I wrote this on the 8th when Ozz Fest came to California: Well, Its 3:00 AM, Pacific time, and I got back from the Ozz Fest 3 hours ago, and I have some really cool news. Ozzy was doing some parodies on movies, and I turned to my freind and said half way through the video, “ I hope they do a LOTR thing.”

Next after the Pulp Fiction parody, I saw the Balrog pop up on screen, and there was The Ozz man, wearing the robes and beard and all, as Gandalf! Ozzdalf! Gandbourne! Well, he saw that Balrog, and when it leaped onto the fissure, he said, “ Holly S**t!” Then he said to him, “ Im gonna bite your fu**ing head off!” Then he broke the bridge, and when he was hanging off the edge, he said to Frodo, “ Why don’t you f***ing help me!”. And then he fell.

It was a really good concert though!-