I thought I'd refresh this thread to report on the Middle Earth party mentioned above. We had a great time. Costumes there were, and food and drink and music.

We had a Galadrial, a Goldberry, three Tom Bombadils, an Arwen, and a 6'3" hobbit (me). Food included one of the above seed cakes, a lot of cheese, salad, bread, honey, sausages, black beans and rice, a beef casserole, a broccoli and cheese casserole, and many other items. Drink was in the form of Penobscot brown ale, mead, and spiced cider. One hit was provided by Sinsull who loaned me four LOTR glass goblets with red lights in the bottom. They gave a strange look to the contents.

Music was on two harps, fiddles, whistles, bodhran, various percussion instruments, guitar, and Fred's 6' thingy (digerido).