ESTEVAN — Come indulge in the magnificent world of Lego creations.
Brickery: A Gallery of Lego Creations is coming back to Estevan after almost three years of a break.
Dozens of one-of-a-kind creations made from Lego, crafted by several adult builders and members of the Saskatchewan Lego Users Group (SLUG), will be on display on Oct. 15 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Over-60 Club, located down the hall from the Estevan Public Library, at the Estevan Leisure Centre.
Jillian Ursu, who is one of the builders, a member of SLUG and an organizer of Brickery alongside her husband Christopher, said they were really excited to be able to bring the event back.
"We had to cancel our shows for 2020 and 2021 due to COVID, as a lot of people did, so it's really nice to get back and be ready to go here next Saturday," Ursu said.
The Ursu family, along with a few other SLUG members, started the Estevan event in 2016, and they had four successful years, being able to bring hobbyists together to demonstrate their builds, but also talk about their passion, techniques, ideas and stories behind their creations.
"The idea to have something in the southeast came from us often joining other shows, where Lego is not the only attraction … We are trying to do more shows where we are one of the main exhibits," Ursu explained.
In SLUG, there are just over 50 members, and 12 of them will be coming to Estevan to be a part of the local Brickery this year. The Ursus will be the only current Estevan residents participating in the event. Another couple joining the show this year used to live in the Energy City but they are still a part of the group and will be coming back to join the event. The rest of the builders will be coming from different places in Saskatchewan.
While Lego is a widespread hobby, everything that people will see on display this weekend will be absolutely unique.
"A lot of people believe that the creations that are displayed at these Lego shows are from the Lego bags, but that is not the case. They're what we call MOCs, and they are my own creations. They come from the imagination and talents of the builders who come up with the ideas. Some of the ideas are built by a single builder, others are built in collaboration with other builders," Ursu explained.
The exhibition will offer a variety of builds, and everyone will be able to find something interesting for themselves. Ursu noted that the event appeals to all ages.
"There's a huge variety of builds and build types from vehicles to towns, to mosaics, to real life things, and lots of different ideas coming into play," she said.
This year they are also going to have a SLUG craft challenge. The members of their group were given a task to build a tower on 16x16 base plates. The towers were to be themed after their chosen mini-figure. They will have their towers on display during the Brickery show, and the organizers will be seeking the public's help with that challenge by having people vote and helping them decide who the winner is.
"The builder who wins will receive the 2022 SLUG craft trophy, which is made out of Lego and their name will be put on the SLUG craft plaque," Ursu said.
Admission is free, and people are invited to come and enjoy the show for as long as they want.
