The Night of the Ring

A corner of Middle-earth in Ciociaria

Every summer, at the end of August, the small town of Torre Cajetani, a village of just over a thousand inhabitants in the province of Frosinone, in the heart of Ciociaria, turns into an outpost of Middle-earth. The Night of the Ring is a festival dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien and his narrative universe: a full day of lectures, readings, games, music, and exhibitions that culminates, after sunset, in a suggestive night walk through the walls of Castello Teofilatto and the alleys of the medieval village.

From the walls of Alatri to Castello Teofilatto

The event was born in Alatri in 2018 on the initiative of the Radici cultural association, inspired by the famous phrase «Hope flickers» from the film The Return of the King. After the first editions within the cyclopean walls of the Hernician city, the event found a home in Torre Cajetani, where it is organized by Radici together with the Storicamente Torre blog and the Turris in Fabula association. Castello Teofilatto, a medieval fortress linked to the powerful Teofilatto family, counts of Tusculum, is a perfect setting: towers, halls, and walkways naturally evoke the fortresses imagined by Tolkien, so much so that the evening visit has been renamed «Minas… Torre».

Lectures and Tolkien culture

The heart of the event is the cycle of afternoon meetings, which every year addresses a theme from the Oxford professor's work. In 2024, the focus was on humility in Tolkien's writings, while the 2025 edition, in harmony with the Jubilee year, chose hope with the lecture «SPE SALVI: hope in The Lord of the Rings», animated by scholars of the Tolkien universe such as Paolo Gulisano and Paolo Nardi. There are also original incursions, such as in-depth studies on the aromatic and medicinal herbs mentioned in The Lord of the Rings or the parallel between the medieval fortresses of Ciociaria and the architectures of Middle-earth.

Shire games, music, and exhibitions

• Shire games: an afternoon of themed games for children aged 6 and up.
• Hobbit Workshop: readings and stories for the little ones.
• Acoustic concerts: such as «Sounds of Rivendell», with live bands in the castle courtyard.
• Exhibitions: historical musical instruments, illustrations, and artworks inspired by Tolkien.
• «Minas… Torre» night tour: guided evening route through the castle and medieval village.

The flavors of the Shire

As in any self-respecting Hobbit feast, food has its place of honor: the «Prancing Pony» culinary corner offers street food and dishes inspired by the flavors of the Shire, to dine in a Bree-inn atmosphere before the night tour.

An appointment for everyone in Lazio

Designed for families, readers, and fantasy enthusiasts, the Night of the Ring has become one of the most original cultural events in the Lazio Region: it combines literary dissemination with the enhancement of the Ciociarian medieval heritage, a stone's throw from Fiuggi and its thermal baths. The date traditionally falls at the end of August, close to the anniversary of J.R.R. Tolkien's passing, on September 2nd.