What kind of an event is this? Why are we doing this? Are we profiting from this?

Many of you must have questions along these lines; so let me describe the meaning behind all of this.

First and foremost, let us state clearly that we are not in this for profit, unless it be in friendship and memories. We have strayed away from many elements that would associate us with the larger conventions and their means to extract money from the attendees. The price you pay for the tickets covers only the expenses and nothing more. This is an event for fans by fans.

It started with a small group of friends who had grown tired of the typical conventions and wished for something a bit more meaningful. Many were the voices we heard that longed for a more intimate gathering that was strictly Tolkien. Thoughts and ideas were thrown around until we decided to start one of our own. Many locations were considered and even contacted, but as is often the case, the ideal location was right under our very noses.

The setting of Shaker Village seemed natural because of its strong resemblance to the Shire, as you will see. It is a working farming community, not unlike the Shire, and you can experience the many things it has to offer such as crafts, herb gardens, horses and other livestock and an area rich in history and lore. In our eagerness to get as many spaces in the village as we could for guests, we have taken over the entire village for the duration of the event ~ something which has never been done before. It is important to note here that there is limited space available, as Shaker Village can only hold so many people, so do not delay in responding to the invitation if you are interested.

We have chosen to invite you because guests bring a little piece of the Shire with them. Instead of a busy metropolitan district, the peaceful quiet of the countryside shall be our setting. Discover another time and place as you gather with friends both new and old, and you may even discover a little about yourself.

What we offer are events reminiscent of another time, full of tales told around a fire, musicians, singing, poetry, plays, boating about on rivers, hikes, good food and drink, learning from the lore-masters and marveling at the works of artists from both near and far. Parties, dancing and a few surprises await those for what we believe to be the closest thing to the Shire you may ever find, but in the end, the main focus of the event is you, the attendee, that you may find comfort and create memories that will last a life time.

Why do this at all? Simply because in these days of work ~ eat ~ sleep, this means something; something very dear to us that cannot be easily put to words or measured in numbers. In short, this is a Tolkien-related event for anyone who loves Middle-Earth and has ever longed to go there.

~ A Long-Expected Party Staff

 

 

This fan site/event is maintained and updated by fans of The Lord of the Rings, and is in no way affiliated with the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, or New Line Pictures. We do not claim in any way that the artwork displayed to be our own. Copyrights and Trademarks for the books, films, articles, and other promotional materials are held by their respective owners and their use is allowed under the fair use clause of the U.S. Copyright Law.

Original design, photography, and artwork however are copyright © 2007 A Long-Expected Party except for the ALEP painting logo which is copyright © 2007 by Jef Murray and is used by permission.