April 8, 2013:
This Monday evening brought down a raging river of wind from the far north, and it also brought Kris Swank to the Grey Havens Hall of Fire. She gave a very engaging talk on Tolkien’s Letters From Father Christmas, explaining the dynamic lattice of elements connecting Tolkien’s various writing projects, demonstrating that he kept returning to the same “cauldron of story” to nourish his imagination. We are grateful to Kris for giving us this fascinating glimpse of Tolkien the storyteller at work long ago, and we only wish she could join us every week to share our journeys to Middle-earth.
March 24, 2013:
On a chilly Sunday afternoon the folk of Grey Havens gathered under the gaze of the Blue Mountains. A golden light shimmered in our Hall of Fire. And that day we heard many songs and tales and poems from many realms of Middle-earth. It was International Tolkien Reading Day at Barbed Wire Books!
Kelly Cowling opened the proceedings
in the Grey Havens Hall of Fire
Ivan Granger began our adventure
reading a favorite passage from The Hobbit
Clay Evans visits Fangorn
We hear a forest full of faint echoes
of ancient memory
In the Hall of Fire, Charles Conant stepped aside with Ivan and Roger
to finish his one act mini-play, with Ivan playing the role of young Estel
Kris Swank gifted us with Letters from Father Christmas
Kris Swank
The magic of Crystal Iridescence
Dyhrddrdh Colby and Kelly Cowling
The folk of Middle-earth
March 10, 2013:
On this Sunday afternoon the Longmont Public Library partnered with Grey Havens to present “Wizards Rule: A Magic-Themed Event for Kids.” A fun-filled afternoon followed for 67 little wizards and witches and their parents.
These busy wizards imagined Lego masterpieces and summoned forth tiny magic animals and enchanted ships.
Distinguished Professors visited from Godric’s Hollow. Krista Ahlberg helped kids make their own Harry Potter glasses; Donna Clement taught the painting of dragon eggs; and Christine Gonzalez madlibbed Harry Potter and read a story.
At the end of the afternoon, Kelly Cowling bestowed special awards upon the little wizards and witches, bringing to a close another happy moment in this corner of the world.
To see more of Talelmarhazad’s photos of this event visit here.
February 16, 2013:
It was an out-of-this-world Valentine’s shiny shindig at Nerd Love Is True Love: A Valentine’s Day Sing-along & Sale. The Grey Havens Group and guests sang almost twenty songs from science fiction and fantasy movies and television, with prizes for Nerd trivia, plentiful Geek food, and cool crafts. All this fun to raise funds for the family literacy events of The Grey Havens Group!
Donna Clement’s “Accio Nerd,” an enchantment summoning Nerds everywhere!
From Buffy the Vampire Slayer, “I’ve Got a Theory”
“It could be bunnies!”
From Labyrinth, “Dance Magic Dance”
“What kind of magic spell to use”
From The Hobbit, “Misty Mountains”
“We must away, ere break of day”
From Firefly, “The Hero of Canton”
“Now here is what separates heroes from common folk”
From Doctor Demento, “Star Trekkin’”
“It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it!”
To see what REALLY happened at this event, follow this link.
January 14, 2013:
Clay Evans and Bill Johnk show us Bilbo
On this evening Clay Evans arranged for artist Bill Johnk to visit Grey Havens to tell how he brought The Hobbit to life long ago with his wonderful marionettes. When Clay was a youth in Boulder, Colorado in 1974, he attended one of Johnk’s performances. That enchanted evening stayed with Clay through the decades that followed, and in 2012 he interviewed Johnk and wrote an article about his Hobbit artistry. So it was a very special privilege for Grey Havens to hear Bill’s moving tales of how he created these marvelously sculpted magic marionettes, and how he tragically lost them.
January 3, 2013:
On this evening the Grey Havens Group met for our first weekly book discussion meeting of 2013. We enjoyed a very lively discussion about “Riddles in the Dark,” in The Hobbit. After the meeting we adjourned to a nearby tavern to observe JRR Tolkien’s birthday and to raise the traditional toast. The Professor!
Grey Havens at the Dickens Tavern, Thursday, January 3, 2013
December 9, 2012 from 2:00-3:30 pm:
The Grey Havens Group shared its love of Middle-earth with a whole new generation by hosting Hobbit Holiday: A Celebration for Young Hobbits and Their Families. We had costumed characters (including our very own Bilbo Baggins!), a riddle contest with prizes and snacks to please the hungriest of hobbits. The event took place at the Longmont Public Library.
Click here for an article and video from the Longmont Times Call about the event. Click here for a gallery of event photos from The Boulder Daily Camera.
November 29, 2012:
All hands on the Holodeck! Tolkien set Middle-earth in the distant past, but on this evening some Grey Havens mariners decided to set sail into the future. While some members met to discuss The Hobbit, others attended a special showing of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season Two, “Q-Who” and “The Measure of a Man.” Grey Havens issues passports to far horizons of every kind!
October 27, 2012:
To celebrate The Grey Havens Group’s second anniversary, our very own Reodwyn organized a magical overnight get-away in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado. The Colby clan and Liritar did the cooking, Ithiriel mulled the wine and everyone shared stories, songs and passages from their favorite works of literature. Because it was almost Halloween, Liritar tried to convince us that the howling we heard wasn’t just the wind. Maybe he knew something that we didn’t!
September 22, 2012 from 3:00-6:00 pm:
The Grey Havens Group celebrated Hobbit Day at Dickens Tavern and Opera House in Longmont, Colorado. There was an epic Trivia Battle of Five Armies in which many prizes were won. There was face painting, crafts, games, live music, “fireworks,” a raffle and more than one friendly hobbit to greet our guests.
The full Dickens menu was available along with Shire Specials including: Stolen Mushrooms, Whatz Taterz, Shire Shepherds Pie, Green Dragon Ale and Entdraught. We even had free birthday cake and mathoms for everyone to honor the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. Those hobbits really know how to party!
Listen to Claywise and Badgaladriel talk about this event on Boulder’s KGNU radio. The discussion begins at around the 20 minute mark with Claywise reading Bilbo’s famous farewell speech.
March 25, 2012:
On Tolkien Reading Day, Grey Havens joined in the world-wide tradition of celebrating J.R.R. Tolkien and his works. The free peoples of Middle-earth (and one Ringwraith) gathered from far and wide for music, crafts, games, food, fun and fellowship– and, of course, lots of reading! Read more about this wonderful day here.
January 3, 2012:
The third of January is the birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Grey Havens Group gathered at Dickens Opera House for the traditional toast, “To the Professor!”
September 22, 2011:
The Grey Havens Group celebrated its very first Hobbit Day with a Baggins Birthday Bash after hours at Page Two Coffee and Gifts. If I were you, I would be careful not to cross our lovely shieldmaiden!
May 16, 2011:
The Grey Havens Group gathered at Page Two Coffee and Gifts to feast on Middle-earth delicacies and exchange many magnificent mathoms. Our trivia contest winner, Katy, amazed us all with her exhaustive knowledge of Tolkien’s legendarium!
March 25, 2011:
The Grey Havens Group celebrated its first Tolkien Reading Day with a Downfall of Sauron Party at The Pumphouse Brewery and Restaurant.
East of the Blue Mountains
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