Links and Frequently Asked Questions
Links
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is BrickFest?
- Where is BrickFest this year?
- When will BrickFest be held?
- Will BrickFest always be held in Portland and Washington, DC?
- Who can come?
- Where can I stay?
- How much does BrickFest admission cost?
- I'd just like to see the cool creations! What do I do?
- What's the difference between the "Convention" and "Expo"?
- What's the convention registration deadline?
- Do you have to preregister to visit the Expo?
- Can I register for the convention now and pay later?
- What types of payment do you accept?
- Do you offer discounts on Expo or Convention attendance?
- Can I bring a LEGO creation to show?
- Can I ship a MOC to display at the fest?
- Where is the schedule for the event?
- Is there Internet connectivity at the event?
- How can I volunteer or otherwise join in?
- Where can I find out more about the LEGO community?
- 1. What is it?
- BrickFest is a 3-day convention including a 1-day public expo where Adult Fans of LEGO (AFoLs) can congregate and display their creations. It has been going on since 2000, and has been held in the Washington, DC area and Portland, Oregon. LEGO enthusiasts from around the world attend, as do LEGO company guests.
- 2. Where will BrickFest be held this year?
- will be held in beautiful Portland, Oregon, at the Oregon Convention Center. This is the same venue as the BrickFest PDX '04 and '07 event.
- 3. When will BrickFest be held?
- will start on Friday, March 27 and wrap up on Sunday, March 29. Setup will begin on Thursday, March 26 for convention attendees. Registered convention attendees will receive an email with a link to the schedule before it begins, so they can plan their stay.
- 4. Will BrickFest always be held in Portland and Washington, DC?
- Those two regions are where BrickFest has been held to date, but that's not to say there won't be other areas to hold a BrickFest in the future.
- 5. Who can come?
- The convention welcomes Adult Fans of LEGO (AFoLs) 18 years of age or older. Younger convention attendees are welcome to come with a registered adult, but keep in mind many of the activities outside the Expo are targeted toward adults. Everyone who attends must pay the full registration fee. For those who would like to view the LEGO creations (MOCs) brought by the convention attendees, the public Expo will be held on Sunday, March 29. Expo admission will charge a nominal entrance fee.
- 6. Where can I stay?
- recommends the Red Lion Hotel Portland Convention Center for this event, due to its proximity to the Oregon Convention Center, as well as its attractively-priced event rate of $99 per night. You can find information about this and other hotels on our hotels page.
- 7. How much does BrickFest admission cost?
- Admission to the 3-day convention is $65. Admission to the public expo is $7 per person, or $25 for a family.
- 8. I'd just like to see the cool creations! What do I do?
- You should visit during the public expo time, which is 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 1. Feel free to show up at any point during the Expo time, there is no preregistration necessary.
- 9. What's the difference between the "Convention" and "Expo"?
- BrickFest is meant for two audiences. The "Convention" portion is three days long, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday, and includes events and sessions targeted toward adult LEGO enthusiasts. Admission to the three-day event is $65. The second audience consists of more casual visitors to the public "Expo," which will be open on Sunday, March 29 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Expo will showcase the amazing creations brought by the convention attendees, and in many cases the builders are available to discuss their creations with Expo attendees.
- 10. What's the convention registration deadline?
- The 3-day convention registration deadline is March 13th. There is no deadline for the public Expo.
- 11. Do you have to preregister to visit the Expo?
- No, simply show up and pay the nominal Expo attendance fee.
- 12. Can I register for the convention now and pay later?
- Yes. In fact, payments will not be accepted until January 1, 2009.
- 13. What types of payment do you accept?
- For the 3-day convention, Paypal is preferred, but personal checks are also accepted. BrickFest.com does not accept credit card registrations outside of PayPal at this time. Expo attendees pay at door and can use cash, credit cards, and debit cards.
- 14. Do you offer discounts on Expo or Convention attendance?
- All convention attendees pay the same rate - staff and volunteers included. Expo attendees may use discount coupons that will be distributed prior to the event.
- 15. Can I bring a MOC (LEGO creation) to show?
- Yes, any registered convention attendee may bring LEGO related items to display. We merely ask that you complete the MOC Display registration form. You must be logged into the registration system to complete this form.
- 16. Can I ship a MOC to display at the fest?
- We ask that you find a registered attendee to take responsibility for any shipped MOC. You are responsible for all shipping arangements and costs. Finally, if a MOC is awarded a commendation and the builder is not in attendance, the commendation will be noted and the runner-up will receive the award instead. Basically, you must be present to win a prize.
- 17. Where is the schedule for the event?
- You can find the schedule via the Event schedule "blue brick" link on the main page. The schedule is subject to change. Currently the 2007 schedule is available which will be similar to the 2009 schedule. It starts to take shape as the participants register and complete the presenter application forms.
- 18. Is there Internet connectivity at the event?
- Yes, for a connection fee you can connect to the Internet through WiFi at the Oregon Convention Center. See the Oregon Convention Center's WiFi page for more information and rates.
- 19. How can I volunteer or otherwise join in?
- There are many ways to become involved with BrickFest. The best method is to start at our getting involved page, and going from there.
- 20. Where can I find out more about the LEGO community?
- Many LEGO-related online communities and resources exist. Here are a few that we recommend:
BrickShelf (View custom creations)
BrickLink (Buy/Sell)
LEGOFan.org (Online community)
LUGNET (Online community)
FBTB.net (Star Wars themed community)
BZPower.com (Bionicle themed community)
Peeron (Set and part reference)
BrickSet (Set and part reference)