BrickMagic LEGO festival coming to Raleigh, NC May 8-9, 2010 [News]

BrickMagicBrickJournal and their publishers TwoMorrows are hosting a LEGO event May 8-9, 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Here’s the event’s description:

  • Meet professional LEGO builder NATHAN SAWAYA, and help him assemble an incredible LEGO structure!
  • See a huge hall filled with custom LEGO creations by top AFOLs (“Adult Fans of LEGO”) from around the country!
  • Participate in workshops on building techniques and making custom minifigures!
  • View animated LEGO films running continuously both days!
  • Watch a robotics competition by First® LEGO® League teams from area schools!
  • Build a special LEGO Mother’s Day rose for your mom!
  • Cheer for the Great LEGO Boat Race, and see presentations on Mindstorms, creating LEGO Mosaics, and more!

For exact times and prices, check out the BrickMagic website.

10 comments on “BrickMagic LEGO festival coming to Raleigh, NC May 8-9, 2010 [News]

  1. Marc Nelson Jr.

    I still don’t understand why exhibitors should be expected to pay to display at these conventions that make money for someone else. At what other events is the talent expected to pay more for admission than the ticket buyers?

  2. NTXCoog

    @Marc Nelson: I think all conventions charge for exhibitors. That’s probably how the organizers make a large portion of their money.

    For example look at the National Sports Collectors Convention. A 10’x10′ booth will cost you $1050. A 10’x15′ booth costs $1295. Of course that is a massive event since it is the largest sports trading card convention there is. Exhibitors wouldn’t pay that amount unless they thought they would make it back either directly in immediate sales or indirectly through the advertising at the convention.

  3. Andrew Post author

    Without commenting on this event specifically, Marc does have a point.

    Unlike the non-LEGO examples NTXCoog cited, most LEGO fans aren’t exhibiting their creations to make money. There’s also a distinction between LEGO events that focus almost exclusively on public displays versus those that balance a private convention for the adult fans with “public hours”. Another distinction is LEGO events geared toward income for the organizers (who do need to make a living) versus those run by volunteers as a not-for-profit.

    Having never attended BrickMagic, I don’t know which of these categories the event falls into.

  4. NTXCoog

    @Andrew: So there is a difference… Those other events call the people “exhibitors” when everyone knows they are dealers. In this case maybe an exhibitor is really an exhibitor.

  5. Brickwares

    Like Andrew, I can’t speak specifically for this event, but the $50 I paid for BrickCon was well worth the opportunity to get tons of pick-a-brick at a highly reduced price, as well as bulk bins of minifigs/parts, and a trip to the Lego store for huge discounts on everything.

    Money well spent.

  6. Marc Nelson Jr.

    Right, by ‘exhibitor’, I mean an AFOL who is bringing his MOCs to display, not a dealer.

    The situation with AFOL exhibitors seems to be similar to exhibitors at train shows. The ticket-buying general public is paying to see the MOCs/train layouts that hobbyists display. The difference is that exhibitors at train shows are paid an honorarium to display, while exhibitors at LEGO events are expected to pay for the privilege of displaying.

    I would have less of a problem doing that at a convention where the goal is to break even and just provide a space for AFOLs to get together. But I would have a hard time paying for the right to display if the money is just going into someone’s pocket.

  7. Josh

    This is a very good conversation. Marc, I feel much the same way as you. I am much more critical of the events that are put on for profit, than I am of the ones that aren’t. Like Andrew, I have no idea which one BrickMagic is going to be, but I much prefer events where the organizers are on record as saying that any and all profits will be put back into making the next year’s event bigger and better.

  8. Nabii

    I guess as the event is organized by Brick Journal even if it is for profit rather then just next year it goes to the continued existence of the magazine – I know it’s not a perfect solution, but at least it is a part of the community – and the only publication I’m allowed to put development of LEGO set articles in!
    Anyway – reason for reawakening comments on this post is because I’m going to be there at Brick Magic, my first US event. The sad new of Nnenn’s passing made me think I should meet some of the US fans and an opportunity from LEGO Community to attend means I will be there!
    Hope to meet many of you.

  9. Andrew Post author

    ^ Why don’t you try contacting the event organizers or BrickForge themselves. We only posted the announcement, so we have no possible way of knowing.

    EDIT: Or better yet, check BrickForge.com instead of asking a question about BrickForge on Brothers-Brick.com. ;-)

Comments are closed.