Bilbo’s farewell party was a grand celebration hosted by Bilbo himself on account of his 111th birthday. The day also co-incidentally marked the 33rd birthday of his nephew Frodo Baggins. Another significance of that day was that the sum of Frodo’s and Bilbo’s years came up to 144 which was gross, and due to which only 144 "invitation only" guests were invited to the party. [1]
Preparations
Along with his 111th year, Bilbo was also celebrating Frodo’s coming-of-age. The following months went by as Bilbo got busy sending invitations, managing the guest list, and packing gifts. The post offices in Hobbiton were flooded with the number of invitations that went out and the responses that came in. Due to his catering needs, most of the stores and warehouses around Hobbiton emptied their stock. Leading to the party, the front of the Bag Ends was decorated to meet the needs of a feast. There were poles, lanterns, tents, and a new gate that connected to the road.
Attendees
The whole of Hobbiton and Bywaters was invited, including Buckland. Even those distant relatives who were overlooked by accident came anyway. A list of 144 guests from Frodo’s and Bilbo’s extended family including Gandalf and other special guests attended the grand family dinner.
The Party
The party itself was an expensive celebration. Bilbo stood at the new gate to welcome the attendees and give them their presents. Apart from copious amounts of food and drinks, the party also featured songs, dance, and music. One of the highlights of the party were fireworks created by the wizard Gandalf. Gandalf worked with colored smokes and light to create singing birds, sailing ships, and trees with scented flowers. The final firework was in honor of Bilbo during his Quest of Erebor - a fire-breathing dragon that emerged from the mountains circled over the crowd before exploding into the Bywaters.
The final firework was the signal to head for dinner. Post dinner, it was time for Bilbo’s speech. Bilbo started his speech by talking about his age and thanked everyone for joining the celebrations. He went on to say that they were gathered here for three reasons: (1) To let them know that he was fond of them, (2) To celebrate Frodo’s and his birthday, (3) To bid farewell as this would be the end. With that, Bilbo disappears abruptly using the Ring for creating an effect followed by Gandalf’s improvisation with the flash. He made his way through shocked guests, mumbling, and gossiping through their food. Gandalf joined him shortly and convinced him to leave the Ring with Frodo for safekeeping. Bilbo began his journey to the East along with his three dwarf companions.
The final firework was the signal to head for dinner. Post dinner, it was time for Bilbo’s speech. Bilbo started his speech by talking about his age and thanked everyone for joining the celebrations. He went on to say that they were gathered here for three reasons: (1) To let them know that he was fond of them, (2) To celebrate Frodo’s and his birthday, (3) To bid farewell as this would be the end. With that, Bilbo disappears abruptly using the Ring for creating an effect followed by Gandalf’s improvisation with the flash. He made his way through shocked guests, mumbling, and gossiping through their food. Gandalf joined him shortly and convinced him to leave the Ring with Frodo for safekeeping. Bilbo began his journey to the East along with his three dwarf companions.
References
Categories:
Event
Festivals and Feasts
