We went to the BrickFest Live event in Las Vegas this last weekend and had an opportunity to wander around and visit the sites and exhibits. The morning did not start off that well as when we showed up we were directed to stand in a line that we were told was for VIP ticket holders. Unfortunately, when the doors opened, we were told that we were not in the proper line and chaos ensued. The event staff was very helpful and the issue was eventually resolved before the crowd became out of control.
Once inside the event everything was a bit underwhelming. The venue was huge with a lot of space between the exhibits but there were not that many exhibits to view. There were a lot of interactive exhibits with a focus toward children and those were very busy. There was a large exhibit of LEGO statues and these were interesting. The statues appeared a bit dated and after reviewing past BrickFest events online these statues have been around for a while. Probably the best part of the exhibits was the Southern Nevada LUG (LEGO user’s group). There was an excellent and extensive collection of my-own-creations from the members.
There was a meet-and-greet with LEGO masters Manny and Nestor from season one of Brick Masters. The line was a bit long and there a small fee for autographs. Rather than a meet-and-greet we would have rather had Manny and Nestor talk about their experience on the show and how they were chosen. This would have been a much more enjoyable event.
We purchased VIP tickets and the benefits of the VIP ticket were disappointing. We did have the opportunity to enter a VIP exhibit where we could build a BrickFest robot mascot. Other than the robot and a pin it was not clear as to any other perks available for VIP ticket holders.
In reviewing BrickFest events in other cities it appears there were many vendors and other activities. The Las Vegas event had a single vendor selling backpacks and balloons, along with the BrickFest sponsored LEGO store. Unfortunately there was nothing special about the BrickFest sponsored LEGO store. The prices were standard retail and our VIP tickets did not provide any type of discount.
As we said earlier the event was a bit underwhelming. Hopefully in the coming years the Las Vegas show will improve with speakers and more vendors.
