- Video shows the first Bakersfield Brick Convention, gathering Lego-enthusiasts.
- The convention was held February 10-11, 2024 and has plans to come back next year.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
At the Bakersfield Brick Convention, creators build a whole world, one brick at a time.
Greyson Riley, event coordinator for the Brick Convention, says the Bakersfield community is especially passionate about all things Lego.
“This is a Lego lovers’ paradise, it’s the Bakersfield Brick convention,” said Riley. “This is Bakersfield’s very first Lego convention. It’s a celebration of all things Lego.”
Riley says that the Brick Convention organization received multiple emails from Lego fans in Bakersfield, requesting they make a pitstop here in Kern county.
And piece by piece, the community trickled into the fairgrounds. Riley estimates thousands of visitors.
He said he especially values, “the general excitement of all the Lego fans makes us feel. There are so many people who come up to us, thank us for coming, and want us to make sure we come back next year. And we will be back next year.”
And while fun to look at, each build brings so much more to the table.
Amado Pinlac, or AC Pin in the Lego community, is one of the featured artists on the Brick Convention tour.
“It doesn’t discriminate, all ages are welcome, whatever your preferences might be,” said Pinlac. “It actually started with our three sons, so when they were very young, their favorite toy was Lego, so I learned how to build with them.”
One of AC Pin’s Star Wars-themed pieces was built back in 2012.
“Little did I know that it had its own history,” said Pinlac. “Because one of the things that made it stand out was during that time period, there were no builders that had built this much detail and this much size.”
And the Lego company picked up on that.
Pinlac said, “It caught the attention of Lego Group, and they sent me asking my permission to actually put it in the book. And it is actually in the Lego Star Wars Visual Dictionary book.”
Over time, AC Pin’s creations continued to blossom as he started his botanical designs. He even took his creations to Denmark, the birthplace of Legos.
Not only does the Brick Convention showcase talented artists, but a portion of the proceeds made during the convention goes to Creations for Charity.
“Creations for Charity is an all-volunteer organization that gives Lego sets to underprivileged and hospitalized kids during the holidays, all over the world,” said Riley.
Although the Brick Convention has already passed in Bakersfield, the next event will be held in Orlando, Florida in March. The Brick Convention plans to host another Bakersfield convention next year.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
