The Tolkien Society’s annual Oxonmoot will take place at St Antony’s College, Oxford from September 10-13.

Shaun Gunner, Chairman of The Tolkien Society, said: “Oxonmoot always takes place in September to coincide with the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo, but this year we have a record number of attendees coming to St Antony’s College to enjoy the longest-running Tolkien event in the world.” He added, “Oxonmoot has been going for over 40 years and provides an excellent opportunity for hundreds of fans from around the world to come together for a weekend of fun and fellowship in Oxford, a location so important to Tolkien.”

The 42nd Oxonmoot will include talks and panels, friendly discussion, quizzes, an art exhibition, a masquerade, and a party including a traditional ceilidh.

The weekend concludes, as always, with Enyalie, a ceremony of remembrance at Tolkien’s grave in Wolvercote Cemetery on Sunday morning. This year’s Oxonmoot takes place in the run up to the anniversary of the 60th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings. The Return of the King was first published on October 20, 1955 and has become one of the world’s most popular books.

Founded in 1969 by Vera Chapman, The Tolkien Society is an educational charity and literary society with the aim of promoting the life and works with J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien himself supported the organization and gave it his seal of approval by agreeing to become The Tolkien Society’s President. On Tolkien’s death the family recommended he stay as President, so, to this day, he remains The Tolkien Society’s Honorary President in perpetuo. The Society has over a thousand members.