When is Hobbit Day?
Hobbit Day 2027 is on Wednesday
Wednesday, September 22, 2027
September 22 every year. That's in 340 days.
until Hobbit Day begins, in your time zone
Hobbit Day celebrates the shared birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, the hobbit heroes of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Fans mark it with feasts, costumes, readings and, often, bare feet.
About Hobbit Day
In Tolkien's stories, Bilbo Baggins and his younger cousin and heir Frodo share a birthday on September 22. The Lord of the Rings opens with the Long-expected Party, a lavish joint celebration in the Shire where Bilbo, turning 111, gives presents to his guests rather than receiving them and then famously disappears. Hobbit Day borrows that spirit of food, games, fireworks and gift-giving.
The American Tolkien Society, a fan and study group organized in 1975, designated Hobbit Day and Tolkien Week in 1978. Its definition is simple: Hobbit Day is always September 22, and Tolkien Week is the calendar week, Sunday through Saturday, that contains it. The society notes that fans were celebrating the date before it was formally named, and it describes Hobbit Day as perhaps the oldest festive observance in Tolkien fandom. It also says elected officials at several levels have issued proclamations and tributes supporting the two observances.
Tolkien Week falls during the back-to-school season, and the society encourages libraries, bookstores and schools to use it for displays, talks, art shows and film screenings that draw new readers to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and Tolkien's other Middle-earth writings. September 22 is the date Tolkien gives in his English rendering of the hobbits' own Shire calendar, which he describes in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings. Hobbit Day is a fan celebration with no official status.
Sources: American Tolkien Society: Hobbit Day and Tolkien Week, American Tolkien Society (official site). How we check dates.
How to mark Hobbit Day
- Host a hobbit-style meal, or work your way through second breakfast, elevenses and afternoon tea.
- Give small gifts to your guests, the way hobbits do on their birthdays.
- Read the opening chapter of The Lord of the Rings, A Long-expected Party, aloud with friends or family.
- Ask your library or school about a Tolkien Week display, or help set one up.
- Go barefoot for part of the day, as hobbits do, if it's safe where you are.
- Start The Hobbit with a young reader who hasn't met Bilbo yet.
Hobbit Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Monday, September 22, 2025 |
| 2026 | Tuesday, September 22, 2026 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, September 22, 2027 |
| 2028 | Friday, September 22, 2028 |
| 2029 | Saturday, September 22, 2029 |
| 2030 | Sunday, September 22, 2030 |
| 2031 | Monday, September 22, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is Hobbit Day 2027?
Hobbit Day 2027 is on Wednesday, September 22, 2027. It falls on September 22 every year. In 2028, it is on Friday, September 22, 2028.
Why is Hobbit Day on September 22?
September 22 is the shared birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins in Tolkien's books. The Lord of the Rings begins with their joint birthday party on that date.
What is Tolkien Week?
Tolkien Week is the Sunday-to-Saturday calendar week that contains Hobbit Day. The American Tolkien Society designated both in 1978.
Who started Hobbit Day?
The American Tolkien Society formally designated Hobbit Day in 1978, although the society says fans were already celebrating the date before that.
Is Hobbit Day a public holiday?
No. Hobbit Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.