CAKES GALORE — Last year’s first Hobbit Party in downtown Steubenville had five cakes, inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, submitted to its cake decorating contest. -- Christopher Dacanay

STEUBENVILLE — Several downtown businesses are collaborating to organize the city’s second-annual Hobbit Party, a community-building event promising an evening of fantasy fun.

Steubenville’s Hobbit Party commemorates the canonical birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, characters from “The Lord of the Rings” novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Activities — including a cake decorating contest, a potluck dinner and literary analyses — will take place Saturday, beginning at 5 p.m., on Fourth Street.

It’s nearly been one full year since John Kuhner, co-owner of BookMarx Bookstore, pulled together Steubenville’s first Hobbit Party, which took place on the Baggins’ actual birth date of Sept. 22. That party was such a hit that he and organizers now intend to host it every year, on the same weekend in September.

“This was the best day in the history of the shop in terms of sales,” Kuhner recalled. “There was a big crowd, and we sold a lot of books. That means we have a high incentive to keep doing it. It was a great community event last year. What we’re particularly proud of for the event is that we feel we had a little bit for everyone.”

This year, Kuhner said, there will once again be something for everyone to enjoy, or a “reason for the whole town to show up.”

Activities will begin at BookMarx, with a 5 p.m. talk entitled “Philosophical Reflections: Tolkien’s Mythopoeia,” given by Alex Plato, professor of philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Just down Fourth Street at Leonardo’s Coffeehouse, bakers can begin submitting cakes at 5:30 p.m. for the cake decorating contest. Cakes must be themed after the works of Tolkien, and judging begins at 6 p.m. Rules and other information can be found at BookMarxBooks.com by following the “Our Events” tab and selecting Sept. 21 on the calendar.

From 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. there will be a potluck dinner in the third-floor ballroom of Leonardo’s. Kuhner will kick off dinner by reciting the Latin meal blessing used at Merton College, one of the constituent colleges of England’s University of Oxford and the college that Tolkien taught at for much of his life.

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for individuals between the ages of 18 and 14 and free for kids 14 years old and under. Admission, which covers drinks and dessert, is free for anyone in costume as a character from “The Lord of the Rings.”

Kuhner noted that proceeds help to cover the costs of putting on the event.

Meanwhile, there will be a number of kids’ activities taking place on the second floor of Leonardo’s, including a coloring station and a Tolkien story hour that begins at 7 p.m.

Also at 7 p.m., Kuhner himself will speak at BookMarx, presenting a talk entitled “Tolkien Almost Wrecked the Hobbit: What Writers Can Learn from Tolkien’s Example.”

“It’s a really fascinating story where Tolkien attempted to rewrite ‘The Hobbit’ later in life, and it’s terrible, and he gave it up,” Kuhner said. “It’s a very interesting case of a writer turning to a very successful work and not making it any better, in fact making it worse. … I’m very interested in the writing side of it and talking about other things that are remarkable about ‘The Hobbit’ and what authors can learn from it.”

A few paces up Fourth Street, Spyridon Studios will host a “Hobbiton Pottery Crafts” pipe carving and tankard painting event from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The cost is $30 per ticket or $50 for two. Both crafts will be available as time permits.

At 8:30 p.m., if weather permits, the party will descend onto Fourth Street, which will be closed to traffic beginning earlier in the evening. Faire May will play folk music, and Tolkien’s fictional wizard Gandalf the Grey will distribute sparklers to children.

Many hands are needed to put on an event this size, Kuhner noted, so individuals are encouraged to volunteer as help by emailing Info@BookMarxBooks.com.

“I tell people to come on out,” Kuhner said. “It’s a great time, and it’s a great chance to meet neighbors. Especially if someone is new in town or they don’t know Steubenville as well, we’d love to see them, and there’ll be plenty of friendly people who will be introducing themselves. … We’re hoping ti can be a community-building event as well as a fun event.”