Windy Goat Acres Co-Owner Jim Carney pauses his running about during the event at the axe throwing station. PHOTO BY AN ODD WIZARD AND A GRUMPY ELF

CHELSEA — Walking around slick with elf sweat, the hair on your hobbit feet matted down with sultry dew, the day may have been hotter than the fires of Mount Doom, but that couldn’t dampen the spirit of the third annual Hobbits and Elves Immersive Fantasy Retreat. On the outskirts of Chelsea, at the wondrous Windy Goat Acres, Tama County was once again whisked away to the lands of Middle Earth on Saturday, June 21. People from all around the country came to take a break from the meager humdrums of reality and see what the fantastic felt like.

Dresses flowed, warpaint splattered, tusks bulged from the bottom lips of the orcs. Finding someone in a simple shirt and shorts among the amazingly elaborate costumes would be like finding Waldo in a Hieronymus Bosch painting, but this is what makes the Hobbits and Elves event so great, the dedication. Knights walked among peasants, queens passed dwarves, it was an all-inclusive getaway to the land J.R.R. Tolkien dreamed up.

Whether you were getting a beautiful drawing done by Kitty Cowgirl Caricatures out of Des Moines or finding the dwarven mines, there was fun to be found around every talking Ent. The magnificent scenery of Windy Goat Acres was utilized in a number of ways. Forest Folk Photography was available to take Lord of The Rings inspired pictures of those who wished to forever remember their tiptoe through the shire. Pink Witch Forturnes had their tent set up to accommodate royalty and pauper alike, with a twerking opossum to be held as your future is told. And if you showed up only moderately dressed there was no need to fear because North Woods Warpaint with a flair of brushes and makeup would have you looking fierce and ready to go to war.

A new attraction this year was straight out of Arthurian legend. A floppy-hatted merlin stood next to a stone that held none other than Excalibur itself. More than a few wandered by to see if they were worthy to rule England or Tama County, I guess.

Windy Goat Acres made the news earlier this month by making a very exclusive list. Hicamp, the world’s number one app for finding and booking campsites. Searched more than 500,000 locations around the United States, and placed Windy Goat Acres among its top fifty places to visit. This news was gladly shared by many Iowans online including State Auditor, gubernatorial candidate and one-time Windy Goat Camper Rob Sand.

A knight walks around Middle Earth, the light glinting off his armour. PHOTO BY AN ODD WIZARD AND A GRUMPY ELF

Jessica Kettler and Jim Carney, the Co-Owner and operators of Windy Goat Acres were only seen in flashes and blurs on Saturday as they rushed around, a million things to get done. This is not new to them as they have several events each year on the property. Coming up soon is Dan Medeiros and Kate Kristine, a concert on June 28 at 5 p.m. Their next big festival is The Faery Experience, taking place in August.

Whether you went out to Windy Goat Acres to listen to the troubadour, to throw an axe, to buy a book the size of a thumbnail or you just wanted to don some pointy ears, the Hobbits and Elves Retreat was the place to be this weekend. Hobbits, elves, orcs, wizards, witches, dwarves, and simple humans, mingled and were merry at another wondrous event in the Tama County Shire.

Two fantastically dressed attendees make their way through the retreat. PHOTO BY AN ODD WIZARD AND A GRUMPY ELF

An Orc trods his way through the shire with a bad attitude. PHOTO BY AN ODD WIZARD AND A GRUMPY ELF