Home › Forums › All Things LEGO! › Brickfair VA 2024 AUG 3-4
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January 21, 2024 at 11:39 am #56965Pamela SParticipant
I would definitely like to display a MOC or 2 this year. It will be on the ‘smaller’ side for sure. I’m thinking of a LEGO Art mosaic and possibly a small diorama from a favorite movie, video game or something. However, I would also like to be a part of a larger MOC with someone else displaying at the event. Would anybody be interested in taking me under their wing so I can help with their MOC while learning at the same time? … Let me know if anyone needs some extra hands and doesn’t mind ‘teaching’ a bit in the process.
Thanks!
February 6, 2024 at 6:52 pm #57416Will McDineParticipantSo Alexis and I are both registered and paid for, I have also put in a place holder for a hotel room at the Holiday inn, but have not received a call from their staff like the website said. @bengood921 do they not engrave the 3rd brick on the brick badges at this show? I Noticed when I registered it wouldn’t let me add anything. I’m assuming it is just due to the size of the show but also wanna make sure I’m not doing anything wrong
February 8, 2024 at 1:58 am #57440Benjamin C GoodParticipant>> I have also put in a place holder for a hotel room at the Holiday inn, but have not received a call from their staff like the website said.
Let me get back to you on that one. In the past, they were good about calling within a week or two. But I remember last year they waited until the last week, and I was getting nervous and was just a day away from contacting them or Todd. I can’t remember if that was Fredericksburg or Chantilly or both. I have been less than impressed with how the Chantilly HI has been run for years. I haven’t registered for this year yet, so I’ll have to see what they’re saying on this website this time around, I seem to remember there was some sort of issue last year, although I did get my room just fine.
>> do they not engrave the 3rd brick on the brick badges at this show?
As I recall, they ditched the 3rd brick last year to do the album tiles instead. (For those not familiar, each goodie bag had eight (I think, I already forget) printed 2×2 tiles, and if you put four of them together, they formed the cover a famous rock/pop/rap album. But the tiles are randomly distributed, so you have to go around asking people to trade. At Fredericksburg it was insanely popular. At Chantilly it was less so, which makes me think the novelty is already wearing off, so I don’t know how many years Todd is going to run it before abandoning it, and I don’t know if it’s happening this year.)
I found the 3rd bricks to be not useful, and I have all kinds of unused ones laying around my house. Like the other BrickFair bricks, at some point they shrunk to 1×6 (BrickFair remains the only convention I’ve seen do this). But most importantly, you never know what colors you’re going to get, and Todd’s picked some awful combinations. Also, the colors are guaranteed to change every year, for security reasons, so it doesn’t work to do long-term planning to combine them into a single sign or something later on.
You should still be able to upload an image for an avatar tile. I saw that Fredericksburg increased from 1×2 to 2×2 this year (it’s hard to do much with a 1×2), but I doubt Chantilly will increase also, so I’m expecting 2×2.
February 8, 2024 at 5:06 pm #57456TimModeratorYou should still be able to upload an image for an avatar tile. I saw that Fredericksburg increased from 1×2 to 2×2 this year (it’s hard to do much with a 1×2), but I doubt Chantilly will increase also, so I’m expecting 2×2.
In 2017, the custom tile was 2×4 which was awesome. That is the only time I saw 2×4; otherwise it has been 2×2. Interesting that Fredericksburg used a 1×2. As you said, not much you can do with that small of a print surface.
February 8, 2024 at 10:41 pm #57460Logan CParticipantI have several 2x4s from Brickfairs past, so I think they were doing that for a while. Then they were 2x3s, and now 2x2s. I’ve never seen them do 1×2 though, that’s pretty unique and I think I might actually prefer that over another 2×2.
February 8, 2024 at 11:21 pm #57461Benjamin C GoodParticipantI have four 2x4s (visible in my Space Computer Station, link below, if Word Press allows it). I can no longer remember what years I got them, or if I got them all at Chantilly events, or if I also picked some up at New England or New Jersey (which I only attended in 2016 and 2017), and there’s no way for me to check that. I’m also pretty sure there were years where I didn’t upload anything.
The computer panel design is by Chris Giddens, I got it off of his Flickr stream. Once they shrunk it to 2×3, I put a comment on Flickr asking him to come up with a new design, but I didn’t get a response, so I ended up with the default image, which was the BrickFair logo. When they shrunk it again to 2×2, I decided to take matters into my own hands and come up with my own designs.
At 2×2, I had an easy time coming up with a design I thought worked. At 1×2, I did not. A lot of people put photos on their tiles, I’m having a hard time imagining a photo that would be recognizable on a 1×2 tile.
I actually don’t know what they’re doing for FXBG this year. I thought I recently was on the My Account tab for FXBG and it was asking me to upload a 2×2 image, but I can’t get that to come up now, as I am not registered for FXBG and I’m not going to be. I’ll have to remember to ask somebody when I get a chance.
February 8, 2024 at 11:31 pm #57462Benjamin C GoodParticipantBtw, my registration payment went through, and I was able to reserve a hotel room. The website is not giving any time frame on when I should get an email from the HI about contacting them with a credit card (I’m pretty sure in the past it has actually said “within two weeks”). It’s definitely telling me I have a reservation, and that I don’t need to contact them, so I’m not going to worry about it.
If we still haven’t heard anything by the beginning of July, people might start to bring it up on Yak. So we’ll see how it goes. There’s no reason to bring it up now, when it’s half a year out and Todd’s attention is on Fredericksburg.
After I thought about it more, I remembered that a year or two ago was when I got instructions to call them from BrickFair, and then when I called they didn’t know what I was talking about and what they told me was the exact opposite of the BF instructions. It sounded to me like somebody at the HI had dropped the ball on that one, I had to contact Todd directly, and he got it all sorted out. So I’m hoping nothing like that will happen again.
February 9, 2024 at 6:53 pm #57494Will McDineParticipantThe website is not giving any time frame on when I should get an email from the HI about contacting them with a credit card (I’m pretty sure in the past it has actually said “within two weeks”). It’s definitely telling me I have a reservation, and that I don’t need to contact them, so I’m not going to worry about it.
Yeah, I had the same thing, It just in general said someone would be in contact with me. I’m perfectly fine with that. Its showing on the site that I reserved a room and that’s all I really care about.
As I recall, they ditched the 3rd brick last year to do the album tiles instead
Oh yes, now that you bring it up I do remember seeing something on social media about that. I wasn’t sure off hand and just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing anything or messing it up.
February 14, 2024 at 9:49 am #57580Jonathan WagnerParticipantI’m hoping/planning to go to this as well and display something, not sure what yet. Maybe I’ll convince @timf for us to take Hoth. Still have things to finish up for it and expand on.
Is the LUG planning on being in a group we much as possible?
March 2, 2024 at 12:59 am #57877Jonathan WagnerParticipantRegistered myself and Kristin and got our hotel room blocked off at the Holiday Inn. Excited to go to this one and see everything and everyone.
March 20, 2024 at 10:59 pm #58329Will McDineParticipantI just went through and attempted to register my MOCs for this and it appears that Steel City LUG is not listed under the LUG option yet. That said I did not go through and register anything at this time
March 28, 2024 at 3:34 pm #58450JRParticipantI just wanted to rekindle this discussion since I’m neurotic and like having things planned way out in advance. Also so I know when I’m moving into my apartment for graduate school.
Brickfair Chantilly tickets are out and they’re allowing people to register. Have any plans been moved forward for the LUG space? I mostly hang out on Discord and frequently miss updates here, so if I’ve missed something and am asking redundant questions I apologize.
March 28, 2024 at 9:04 pm #58455Krista KModerator@bengood921 or @willmcdine could one of you take the lead on coordinating with Todd? I don’t mind staying in the loop, but my schedule is insane right now and I want to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
March 29, 2024 at 12:03 am #58456Benjamin C GoodParticipantWhaaaaaaaaat? I thought your life was going to get way easier once Zander was in school all day. Parenting sounds hard.
It had actually already occurred to me that maybe I should volunteer for this. Todd knows who I am and I’ve been to 17 (CORRECTION: 18) BrickFair events, so I have a pretty good idea of how they go. I’ll plan on sending Todd an email over the weekend or sooner.
- This reply was modified 8 months, 4 weeks ago by Benjamin C Good.
March 29, 2024 at 6:02 pm #58467Will McDineParticipantIt had actually already occurred to me that maybe I should volunteer for this.
Ben, Thank you for volunteering. I was willing to but having only been to one other brickfair event I wasn’t sure I was the best fit. I am more than willing to help, but I appreciate you starting the conversation
March 31, 2024 at 10:35 pm #58483Pamela SParticipantAs it stands now, I’m going to have to jump ship. My friend is not going and therefore I’m out of luck for transportation. Not sure if someone else is going and has room for me, (my stuff, and some Logan’s stuff .. not much really), I’d be more than happy to pay some of the gas. I’m going to try to swing a rental as well, but don’t this.. as it might just be a bit too much for this year.
Let me know if there is any interest in having a tag a log for the show this year. Thanks!April 1, 2024 at 9:06 am #58484Krista KModeratorWhaaaaaaaaat? I thought your life was going to get way easier once Zander was in school all day. Parenting sounds hard.
It’s so weird! They didn’t mention anything about parental commitments in the manual. 😉
On a more serious note, thanks @bengood921 for stepping up. I really appreciate it. Life has really gotten in the way of LEGO lately.
April 2, 2024 at 12:28 pm #58525John SParticipantCouple questions since I’ve never been to this (or any larger show).
Do the lugs typically stay together to display and individual exhibitors get bunched into the separate themes? Or would lugs get separated as well?
@greg are you still considering displaying? I’m assuming your North Pole / winter builds? Any interest in having a double sided walk-around display with my city on one and your North Pole on the other? Not sure if that’s even possible, or if it would work with your build.
@knb112 family logistical question. What day did you head down in the past and did you have Zander with you the whole time? Trying to figure out if this is a bring the family the whole time trip or if they should come for the weekend only.Thanks in advance. Still trying to figure out if this would work this year or not.
April 2, 2024 at 1:56 pm #58527TimModeratorDo the lugs typically stay together to display and individual exhibitors get bunched into the separate themes? Or would lugs get separated as well?
It is your choice. You can choose to display as a LUG or you can ask to be placed within a theme area. Since there were several of us attending last year, we chose to display as a LUG, although Logan did both and had separate exhibits within other theme areas as well as including some stuff in the LUG area as well. And while we did not really coordinate a display as a LUG (other than space requirements), we could do that if people are interested (i.e a town, train, space, etc. display).
April 2, 2024 at 4:24 pm #58528Greg SchubertParticipant@greg are you still considering displaying?
Yes, but as the time gets closer and I have still not registered, it gets more unlikely, so don’t plan for me being there.
April 2, 2024 at 7:20 pm #58531Krista KModeratorfamily logistical question. What day did you head down in the past and did you have Zander with you the whole time? Trying to figure out if this is a bring the family the whole time trip or if they should come for the weekend only.
Last year I think we went down on Thursday. This year we’re planning on Wednesday. Last year was also the last year Zander could get in free, so since we’re paying for him this year we thought we’d maximize the time a little more. He had a blast playing mini golf and some of the games. We stayed at the Holiday Inn which was walking distance so we could take him back if he needed a break. There were also some kid friendly things in the area that Will and Zander explored when he needed a change of scenery during public hours. Otherwise he liked having the run of the place.
April 2, 2024 at 9:57 pm #58533Jonathan WagnerParticipantLast year I think we went down on Thursday. This year we’re planning on Wednesday. Last year was also the last year Zander could get in free, so since we’re paying for him this year we thought we’d maximize the time a little more. He had a blast playing mini golf and some of the games. We stayed at the Holiday Inn which was walking distance so we could take him back if he needed a break. There were also some kid friendly things in the area that Will and Zander explored when he needed a change of scenery during public hours. Otherwise he liked having the run of the place.
Kristin and I are planning on going down Wednesday then staying Thursday thru Sunday, probably head home Monday or Sunday night just depends.
@timf and I are going to look at the Hoth stuff next weekend and then start planning so we can display down there. I register he Hoth MOC but it did not have Steel City LUG as one of the ones we could choose to be with. How do we make it known that the LUG will be represented there?April 2, 2024 at 10:35 pm #58535Benjamin C GoodParticipant>> I really appreciate it. Life has really gotten in the way of LEGO lately.
No worries, I’ll see what I can do. After my last post I thought “Crap, maybe I shouldn’t’ve posted that, what if there’s something really serious going on? I’ll look like even more of a jerk than usual.” I hope everything is going well with the Kay family.
>> I register he Hoth MOC but it did not have Steel City LUG as one of the ones we could choose to be with. How do we make it known that the LUG will be represented there?
I’ve contacted Todd. This past weekend was also busier than I’d expected (family visited from out of town), so I didn’t get the message sent off until this week. Todd is usually fast when it comes to replying, but there is a notice on Yak that his laptop is out for repair for two weeks, so that might slow certain things down. I’ll let everybody know when I hear from him.
April 2, 2024 at 11:27 pm #58536Benjamin C GoodParticipantPS – the BrickFair rooms at the HI are all reserved. There’s a waiting list. But most likely, if you haven’t made a reservation at the HI already, you will have to find something else. There’s plenty of options, but none are as convenient.
April 3, 2024 at 6:02 pm #58542Benjamin C GoodParticipantTodd replied this evening. Steel City LUG is now an option to select as a collab when you register your MOC.
I’ll have more to post about this event, but it will probably have to wait several days, since I’m leaving town tomorrow. In the meantime, I’m going to emphasize that we need to be as precise as possible when declaring how much space we need for each MOC. Last year, for the first time ever, there was a shortage of space (and the same thing happened at BWC, also for the first time ever), so we don’t want to be asking for more than we need. But you definitely want to ask for the minimum necessary, if you come up short at the event and ask for more, it’s unlikely to be available.
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