You might remember from previous announcements that LEGO convention Brickworld went virtual this year due to the current social distancing rules, and they already held a couple of very successful online events (you can find their schedule for the rest of the year here). Following their example, BrickCon also announced that they are going to hold their annual convention virtually. Below is the press-release with all the details you need to know about the event.
In case you’re not familiar with the event, BrickCon is the longest running fan-organized convention for LEGO builders, collectors and enthusiasts from around the world. Typically held annually at the Seattle Center the first weekend of October, the convention brings together some of the best LEGO builders to showcase thousands of creations in a public exhibition. LEGO builders can share their experiences, talents and techniques with other builders throughout the attendee convention, and LEGO fans can attend the exhibition to see LEGO creations both big and small and vote for their favorite. In addition, their Brick Bazaar hosts a large variety of LEGO-related vendors offering current and retired LEGO sets, minifigures, apparel, memorabilia, books, custom artwork, lighting, jewelry, and more. BrickCon is an official LEGO Recognized AFOL Networking Event. You can visit BrickCon.org for more information.
For this year, BrickCon has announced that its annual LEGO fan convention and public exhibition is going online. BrickCon 2020 will be held October 2–4 and will offer adult LEGO builders a full online convention, featuring awards, classes, workshops, prizes, vendors, and more. The convention will be organized using several online platforms including the BrickCon YouTube channel with specific details to be announced soon.
“Based on the current status of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. and to help protect people’s health, we have decided to change course with BrickCon 2020 and shift the convention to being fully online”, said Steven Walker, Director of BrickCon. “This means we are actually scaling up the convention to be the biggest simultaneous gathering of LEGO fans ever assembled online. We are translating the entire in-person BrickCon experience to a digital format.”
For BrickCon 2020, adult LEGO builders can expect an online version of the MOC exhibition featuring photos and video submissions. Awards will be given for LEGO creations in each theme like BrickCon Classic Space, Town, and Castle among others, as well as the Best of Show award voted on by fellow builders. The People’s Choice award will be voted on by the general public who will be able to purchase tickets to the online exhibition portion presenting the LEGO creations. The theme of BrickCon 2020 is “Hindsight” which offers builders poignant inspiration for their creations this year. The online convention will also accept digital creation submissions, allowing photorealistic renders from 3D modeling software.
For adult convention attendees, BrickCon 2020 will also offer its annual keynote, several new games, building challenges, an awards ceremony, two days of LEGO-related classes and workshops as well as numerous social events to meet and catch up with the AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) community. If you are interested in either speaking at BrickCon 2020, organizing a workshop, or coordinating a group meetup online, please submit your request by using the BrickCon Idea Submission Form by September 1st.
BrickCon 2020 will also gather the largest number of LEGO-related vendors that have ever been simultaneously featured at the convention, creating a virtual Brick Bazaar. The marketplace will offer both convention attendees and the general public access to BrickCon swag and exclusive items, current and retired LEGO sets, minifigures, apparel, memorabilia, books, custom artwork, lighting, jewelry, and more.
“Because you can’t come to us this year, we are bringing BrickCon 2020 to you”, said Walker. “We are offering a variety of ‘BrickCon Bundle’ convention packages that will be mailed ahead of time which will include our traditional engraved bricks, an exclusive t-shirt, access to prizes, and other surprises. We will also ship a limited number of our exclusive ‘Con Model’ LEGO kits which will be available for purchase and are appropriately themed for an online convention in this day and age.”
BrickCon 2020 adult builder registration will be available for $50.00 USD per person, which includes full access to the convention and a “BrickCon Bundle” with custom engraved badge bricks, exclusive BrickCon t-shirt, and other surprises (limited bundle availability, shipping not included). A less expensive $35.00 USD per person registration includes access to the convention and an exclusive BrickCon t-shirt (shipping not included). A $25.00 USD per person registration-only option with no mailed materials will also be available. Online builder registration for BrickCon 2020 attendees begins August 1st starting at 9:00 AM PT at AFOL.BrickCon.org.
Public access tickets to the BrickCon 2020 Online Exhibition will go on sale September 1st at BrickCon.org. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for more details coming soon. For questions about the convention or if you would like to become a vendor or sponsor of BrickCon 2020, please contact info@BrickCon.org.
If you have any questions, comments about BrickCon, or you would like to share your experience with other recent LEGO events that went virtual, feel free to share below!
And you might also like to check out the following related posts:
- More Brickworld Virtual Expo Dates Coming Up!
- List of LEGO Events Around the World ( link to LAN.LEGO.com)
