Dragon Con 2021 had a different feel, to be sure, but the always popular Tolkien-themed party events offered plenty of hobbit cheer and con camaraderie. As in past years, the two fun-filled celebrations, An Evening at Bree and Hobbit Drinking Songs, gave fans venues for great music, fabulous cosplay, and foot-stomping, hand-clapping fun.
An Evening at Bree
The traditional Friday evening celebration was organized and hosted, as always, by our good friends at TheOneRing.net, led by Kirsten Cairns (Greendragon), Rebecca Perry (Deej), and Jim Wert (Madeye Gamgee). Dragon Con regulars and Tolkien fan favorites The Brobdingnagian Bards, Marc Gunn and Andrew McKee, opened the festivities with a rousing set that got everyone on their feet or at least tapping their toes.
The High Fantasy Track cosplay contest is always a high point of the evening. This year’s Best in Show prize winner was the amazing, intricate, and beautiful “Smaug the Magnificent” cosplay, designed and made by its talented wearer, Lacey Santos. Reminding us to keep the “play” in cosplay was a clever and amusing entry by Michael Doering: “PO-TA-TO”, shown here with his admirer, Samwise Gamgee (cosplayer: Jim Wert). I had the great honor to be one of the judges for the contest this year and was lucky enough to get a close look at all the great costumes. Great work and thank you to all the contestants!
After the cosplay contest, musician Beth Patterson performed a terrific set, playing the Irish bouzouki and getting everyone into that top-tapping mood again. All in all, An Evening at Bree was yet again a great event to round out the first full day of Dragon Con in style.
Hobbit Drinking Songs
What would Sunday evening at Dragon Con be without Hobbit Drinking Songs, performed by the endlessly energetic Brobdingnagian Bards, Marc Gunn and Andrew McKee? I’m not anxious to find out, since Hobbit Drinking Songs is always one of the things I look forward to most at con. As always, the room was completely full, and the Bards gave a terrific show, again as always. We clapped, we laughed, we sang along, we enjoyed the inside jokes, and even shed a few tears. The one thing that was a little different this year was that the less packed than usual schedule allowed for a slightly longer than usual show, much to the delight of the fans in the audience.
I was so glad to be back among such excellent and admirable hobbits (and elves, dwarves, humans, Ringwraiths, dragons, and even taters). It was wonderful to again gather together, with appropriate safety measures, to celebrate our Tolkien fandom and friendships.
