ORLANDO, Fla. – From sprawling cities and towering castles to wearable Roman armor and optical illusions, LEGO builders from across the country are bringing their creations to Orlando this weekend for the LEGO Brick Convention.
The event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds features professional LEGO artists, local building clubs and vendors selling sets, minifigures and collectibles.
For LEGO Master Artist JC Pin, the convention is a chance to showcase creations decades in the making.
“Everything you see here are my own designs,” Pin said.
Pin said he first started building Star Wars LEGO sets with his children nearly 30 years ago. Eventually, he began creating his own designs.
“Once you build it based on the instructions, there’s nothing stopping you from changing a feature,” he said. “Maybe you want a different color. If you have the pieces, why not go for it?”
Today, his collection includes massive castles, wearable Roman armor and other elaborate creations built entirely from LEGO bricks.
But organizers and builders say the convention is about more than showing off impressive builds.
Local LEGO clubs are invited to display their work for free, giving builders a chance to connect with fellow enthusiasts and inspire future creators.
One of those groups is RENLUG, short for Renaissance LEGO User Group, based in Central Florida. Members filled dozens of tables with custom displays, including a sprawling LEGO city complete with a working train.
“Our whole reason for being here is to inspire others to do cool and creative things, even if it’s not LEGO,” said club member Denny Zahrt.
Zahrt said visitors often leave inspired, sharing photos of their own creations and ideas.
“It’s so inspiring even from behind the tables,” Zahrt said. “What the audience teaches us, it’s not just a one-way exchange of knowledge. It’s a give and take with everybody.”
The LEGO Brick Convention runs June 6-7 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, 4603 W. Colonial Drive in Orlando.
Tickets are $14.99 online and $20 at the door if not sold out. Organizers say the event includes professional LEGO artists from around the world, local builders, interactive activities and displays for LEGO fans of all ages.