If nothing else, the lockdowns brought on by the pandemic have taught us just how much many of us value the opportunity to get to live, face to face events. I have attended a few events over the last couple of years, all using different variations of online event. While parts of the world are opening up, international travel is still but a dream to many of us. BrickCon 2020 was one of the first international online events that I attended last year, and they are pleased to announce that this year they are running in person, as well as hybrid registrations. Read on for the full story, and registration details. Real life Registrations will be limited to 400, and open AUGUST 1st. Hybrid/online registrations open September 1

BrickCon has announced that its 20th annual LEGO fan convention and public exhibition is coming back to the Seattle Center. BrickCon 2021 will be held Oct. 1 – 3 and will offer adult LEGO builders a full convention featuring displays, awards, classes, workshops, prizes, vendors and more. BrickCon will also offer a limited hybrid virtual ticket for fans who can’t travel.

“Based on guidance from our local government about the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., we have decided that BrickCon 2021 will be back with an in-person event at the Seattle Center in October,” said Steven Walker, Director of BrickCon. “After last year’s successful online event, we are also going to offer a limited, simultaneous virtual event with access to presentations, interactive activities and games.”

For BrickCon 2021, adult LEGO hobbyists can expect to Travel, Build, and Display their LEGO creations for a public exhibition. Different from past years, in-person registration will be limited to only 400 participants and public tickets will be timed and limited to meet new occupancy regulations and help protect people’s health. The theme of BrickCon 2021 is TBD: “Two BrickCon Decades” to help celebrate the storied history of the longest-running fan-organized LEGO convention.

For adult in-person convention attendees, BrickCon 2021 will offer its annual keynote, general sessions,  a chance to display their creations, games, swag bags, t-shirts and commemorative models for purchase, building challenges, an awards ceremony, LEGO-related classes and workshops, as well as social events to meet with the AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) community. Builders who attend in-person will be required to show proof of vaccination and wear a mask in public areas.

“BrickCon 2021 will be three bustling days of LEGO fun whether you are in-person or online,” said Walker. “Though our online coordination will be scaled back from last year, we still felt it was important to offer a taste of the in-person convention to our global BrickCon family using what we learned from our virtual event during the pandemic.”

Builders who opt for the limited hybrid ticket will have access to presentation livestreams, a few online games, the private BrickCon Discord server, general merchandise for purchase, online social meet-ups, as well as virtual tours of the exhibition. Unfortunately, online builder hybrid registrations will not include mailed swag bags, the ability to display creations, or access to general sessions.

BrickCon 2021 adult builder registration (16+) will be available for $85.00 USD per person for full, in-person access starting August 1st at 9:00 AM PT at AFOL.BrickCon.org. Limited hybrid virtual tickets for adult builders will be available for $25.00 USD per person beginning on Sept. 1st.

Public access tickets to the BrickCon 2021 Exhibition will go on sale Sept. 1st at BrickCon.org. Follow us 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, sponsor or speaker at BrickCon 2021, please contact info@BrickCon.org.

It’s great to see events opening up again. As I write this, several states in Australia are still/back in lockdown, and even holding a face to face LUG meeting in our own town is impossible. Aaah…the future. I look forward to it. In the meantime, I’ll be looking for a hybrid registration. And until next time… Play well!