Rick Sparks, a 53‑year‑old caregiver and former landscaping company owner, bought a 3½‑acre plot outside Connersville, Indiana, for $17,000 in 2018. He set up his first Hobbit‑inspired house that year, using reclaimed lumber and second‑hand materials to craft its rounded doors and turf roofs, a nod to his lifelong fascination with Tolkien.
The house quickly became a roadside curiosity, drawing locals and fans from as far as Pennsylvania. In 2021 he organized the first Hobbit Festival, which drew 3,000 guests over three days, and the event’s success prompted him to add two more structures in 2020 and expand the village further. The festival’s crowd‑control measures included a semicircular driveway to ease traffic and a handheld clicker to count admissions.
Sparks now plans to add 15 to 20 more buildings, including a bell tower and a central courtyard, turning the site into a permanent medieval town. He is developing overnight accommodations and a gaming store to attract Dungeons & Dragons groups, and has even discussed a nine‑hole fantasy‑themed miniature golf course. The next milestone is the third annual festival, set for Sept. 26‑27, 2024, which will feature vendors selling pottery, leatherwork, and medieval‑style clothing.
Local residents describe the village as a "living museum" that brings the magic of Middle‑Earth to everyday life. His daughter Kyla Robinson says the village gives her children a sense of wonder and a place to play. Volunteers have helped with construction and event planning, cementing the community’s role in the village’s growth.