by CNNGo staff
When you’ve got the year’s most anticipated movie premiering in your backyard, you may as well give yourself a makeover.
Wellington, New Zealand’s capital and named last year by Lonely Planet as the “coolest little capital in the world,” will be shedding its traditional identity to become “The Middle of Middle-earth” for three weeks around November 28, the date of the film’s first showing.
“Wellington … has been integral in bringing the fantasy world of J.R.R. Tolkien to life on the big screen so it was only natural to be called the Middle of Middle-earth,” said the city’s Mayor, Celia Wade-Brown.
The whole city is being encouraged to join in on the Hobbit fever.
Hobbit logos, markets and passport stamps
The Hobbiton film set -- now open for tours. “The city will be decked out in flags and banners with the Middle of Middle-earth logo,” added Mayor Wade-Brown. “The city's businesses and retailers will be asked to get into the spirit of things and dress their shop fronts like something from Middle-earth.”