New Lego Brick Convention comes to Suffolk Credit Union Arena in Brentwood

The Suffolk Credit Union Arena in Brentwood is set to become a Brick. House. Mighty, mighty, just Lego’in all throughout, as the traveling Brick Convention comes to Long Island for the first time Oct. 19-20.

"There is a huge Lego community on Long Island and it is a very diverse population," says Greenlawn’s Rachel Joffee, 54, owner of the franchised Bricks & Minifigs store in West Babylon. "You have your collectors, you have your kids that adore it as a project and you have people using it because it helps them relax."

Brick Convention founder Greyson Riley says the convention, which hits three other cities in October and another in November, showcases not only professional Lego artists and "Lego superstars and influencers," as other shows do, "but also local fan builders." And like other cons, it offers the expected "specialized merchants, exclusive items and incredible Lego creations."

What are some of the highlights? Let’s build on that.

"Lego Masters" contestants and Lego guest stars

Confirmed to appear are Maryland-based Mel Brownfrom season 1 of Fox’s reality-TV competition "Lego Masters" and Lego artist Amado Canlas Pinlac (ACPin), of East Brunswick, New Jersey, who has displayed and won awards worldwide. There will be photo ops and chances to chat and get tips.

Fan display area

If you have a particularly great Lego creation or a collection of rare Lego sets to display, you can fill out an online form to be considered. Preferences are given to what in Lego lingo are MOCs (My Own Creations) — custom-made, original concepts. Accepted fan-builders attend the show for free and get an additional day at the con for setup before it officially opens.

'Star Wars' creations

George Lucas’ Lucasfilm, says John Klesh, an executive director of the local LUG (Lego User Group) ILUGNY, "was ingenious in that they early on partnered with Lego, and they continue to refresh" with new products. Riley calls it "the bestselling Lego franchise," adding, "While there will be plenty for fans of other franchises, we really do have dozens of features for Lego ‘Star Wars’ fans."

Brick pits and Big Brick Pile

Attendees can go to brick pits — heaping piles of Lego bricks and other parts — to build creations. The Big Brick Pile isn’t a bigger pile, but has bigger bricks — Lego’s oversize Duplo lines for smaller children to grasp, in both senses of the term.

Architecture Build Zone and Lego City

Among the other Lego lines on display are Lego Architecture and Lego City. With the former, attendees help build models of "specific buildings around the world," says Lego aficionado Tyler Losasso, 28, of Babylon. "So you have the New York City skyline, you have some European buildings like Notre Dame" and many others. Lego City, meanwhile, consists of mostly fictional villages, like bigger and more colorful versions of model-train landscapes.

Retired Lego sets

Lego — a Danish company whose name is based on the words "leg godt" ("play well") — was founded in 1932 and introduced what we know today as Lego bricks in 1958, bringing them to the U.S. in 1961. Not surprisingly, many boxed sets have since come and gone.

And so from online auction sites to flea markets, "Everyone's always looking for the retired sets they had as kids," observes Losasso. He gets it. "For me, as a Lego fan, it's nostalgic. It’s what I played with as a kid and wish I had to this day."