Bricktastic Manchester August 15th & 16th

SirKevbags

You may have read about this on Facebook yesterday but if not, here are the major details!

Held at the iconic Manchester Central (formally the GMEX) on August 15th and 16th it will be two days dedicated to the plastic brick loved by millions of children and adults. Highlights will include:

 

Models created by the UK’s only LEGO Certified Professional Company, Bright Bricks

Displays created by members of the Brickish Association, Northern Brickworks and Brickshire.

An exclusive first look at the 2015 model being created by the Brick To The Past team.

A chance to meet LEGO designers Carl Greatrix and Tom Poulson.

A new 120,000 part LEGO mosaic.

Interactive sessions with Master Builders to learn just how they create such stunning work.

Brick Pits and play tables to create LEGO master pieces.

Demonstrations by Awesome Engineers of their interactive LEGO Workshops.

A variety of shopping opportunities including lots of personalised items.

 

Tickets will be on sale Saturday 2nd of May via the event website www.bricktastic.org  priced at £11.50 for adults and £8.50 for children. Infants under 3 are free.

 

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the charity Fairy Bricks. Fairy Bricks donates LEGO to children in hospital throughout the UK and following the event will pay particular attention to Manchester and the wider North West.

 

For all enquiries please see the website www.bricktastic.org or get in touch via email to [email protected]

So that is the press release. Any questions Brickset members have then get them up on this thread. People have been asking for a big event further north so here it is :-)

Obviously I am going to say this but I would recommend getting your tickets early. The space is big but not unlimited and will cost considerably more on the door with no reductions for children.

Kevin_Hyatt

Looks like a great show. Really looking forward to this one.

SirKevbags

Tickets are selling (phew!)

cheekymunk3y

Ticket bought.  I live in the building next door so very convenient!  :D

SirKevbags

@cheekymunk3y was the check out process convenient enough?

cheekymunk3y

Yep very simple. Straightforward and quick process.

Paperballpark

Really looking forward to exhibiting at this one. Unbelievably, with the demise of YORBRIX and not being able to be at the Yorkshire Brick Show, this one will be the first show I exhibit at this year :open_mouth:

LostInTranslation

I will be exhibiting.

I need to build some things. :o

SirKevbags

http://www.bricktastic.org/

This is fast approaching now with the layout pretty much sorted. 40+ AFOL's displaying, Bright Bricks, 130,000 part mosaic, retail, brick pits, famous faces like @Huw ;-) so get your tickets now :-)

CoraHarrison

Really looking forward to this event & begin putting names to faces! :D 

legonut80

The Saturday is my son's 9th birthday so we had the idea of letting him bring a friend. With it being me and my husband and 5 children I'm just wondering @SirKevbags if there will be those phone number band things available. I'd like to think that we wouldn't lose one but having someone else's child with us in a place full of Lego it's best to be prepared :)

SirKevbags

@legonut80 I know the type of thing you mean. The best solution I've seen is very old fashioned but just as effective. I was on the Victoria Line around 8:30pm on a weekday, probably as busy as it gets. The kids were in the standard hi vis vests but they all had a phone number on their forearm written in marker pen.

Shib

@legonut80 - if you particularly wanted the wristbands you can get them fairly cheap, just do a search for phone number wristbands, couple of £ should get you more than enough.

legonut80

Thanks I might have a look, actually I think I have a few from when we went to Legoland. We would only need 4 as the littlest isn't walking yet and would eat it anyway :) 

SirKevbags

Here is an example of the type of thing you will see in Manchester......

Built by @ame_uwagi and for those not local to the area it is Manchester Central Library which is a stones throw from the venue. I can't remember who suggested it was built, probably @cheshirecat but Robert has done a stunning job with a tricky building. I'll take credit for supplying a bit of the tan ;-)

theLEGOman

Looking good.

BooTheMightyHamster

@SirKevbags
I may be free that weekend, in which case I shall be coming!

I've not been to a major Lego show before - what's the 'done thing' regarding photography?  Is it just a case of 'ask the exhibitor', or is it a bit frowned upon?  I know some exhibitions ban cameras entirely.

Cheers!

SirKevbags

Just get your tickets and then you're committed ;-)

Snap away at will and don't be afraid to speak to the builders :-)

pricey73

@BooTheMightyHamster we don't bite, honestly!

Huw

I've never known photography to be a problem, exhibitors expect it and it's pretty much impossible to stop now anyway.

Shib

It is a fair question from Boo though, while in the LEGO Brick Show world it's expected that people will take photos without permission a lot of other convention/show types restrict it.
Normally there are good reasons for those that do, but it's always better to ask the question than risk annoying someone/getting chucked out :-)

SirKevbags

Well as I'll be doing the chucking out I won't do it if Boo is snap happy :-) Just to be on the safe side though grow a beard. Always more tolerant of chaps with beards. Same goes for all male visitors and exhibitors ;-)

Shib

So of course the stall that will make the most money will be the one selling fake beards.

SirKevbags

Could be the way forward. Fairy Beards :D 

cheshirecat

Now theres an idea - Hairy Fairy dress up kits. They'll sell like hot cakes.

SirKevbags

We could probably get them out for Halloween. 

Paperballpark

pricey73 said:

@BooTheMightyHamster we don't bite, honestly!

Unless she asks nicely! ;)

SirKevbags

I heard that @Mrs_Wobblehead is the biter ;-)

pricey73

@SirKevbags that reminds me, I'll need a beard for her!
and yes, you probably heard right :smile: 

andhe

When you say tickets will cost considerably more on the door, how much more are we talking? Or is it a case of waiting to see how many tickets you have left?

CapnRex101

Out of interest, how many visitors are you expecting @SirKevbags?

SirKevbags

@andhe That would depend on which side of the coffin I get out of, the more side or the way more side ;-)

Seriously though the costs associated are higher dealing with pay on the day entry. Plus it's more hassle and will slow your entry. Buy in advance so you save a bit of money and get in quicker after a simple scan of your print at home ticket. As a bonus all advance tickets have the chance of winning a prize. Buy on the day and no prize chances.

@CapnRex101 Think STEAM type of numbers. Capacity wise there would be room for more but we will cap it to provide a nicer experience. 

Shib

I'd advise anyone on the fence about buying a ticket to just get on and buy one.
I attend a lot of different conventions and expos and complaints about queuing to get in or tickets having sold out are the most common complaint, but the reality is that even the best organised events cannot accurately predict just how many people will show up on the day, if everyone pre booked tickets then the organisers can make the best provisions for the numbers.

bendybadger

I have been sitting on the fence waiting to pull the trigger and now I know I can make the event. 

What is the best day to go? Is there a difference between the days with different events or are both the same?

i do wish I could pay with PayPal though but I suppose fees would rule that out. 

SirKevbags

It will be the same on both days. Perhaps exhibitors might be a little more bleary eyed first thing Sunday morning but that will pass by 10:30 :-)

andhe

Yes my decision isn't whether I'd like to go, but whether circumstances will allow for it. So I wouldn't want to book and waste the ticket.

I appreciate that pre-booked tickets help give the event numbers and make things easier.

Paperballpark

SirKevbags said:

It will be the same on both days. Perhaps exhibitors might be a little more bleary eyed first thing Sunday morning but that will pass by 10:30 :-)

Is that 10:30pm in your case? I think I still have a certain photo from last year's Yorkshire Brick Show ;)

SirKevbags

^ Early starts in Yorkshire. Didn't we open before 9am? And the pic must have been taken at say 8:30. That is to early to be folding tickets. 

Mojoest

Gutted I'm going to be missing this one. I was disappointed that Yorbrix didn't happen again this year after enjoying it last year. Then when I saw this i thought great! Especially as I live just south of Manchester. Unfortunately I've already got tickets for a folk festival that weekend so wont make it :( . I guess its wait until Brick at the NEC for this year's show fix.

BooTheMightyHamster

\o/
As I'll be able to drop Mrs Boo off at her Mum's for the day, Bricktastic has been officially sanctioned!  

To the interwebz for my ticket!!

Ian_S

Well, despite @SirKevbags warning that I'd be committed if bought tickets I took the plunge anyway.  I hope they let me out in time to go! :)

Shib

Had a bit of blue vinyl leftover at work so decided to make some Classic Space style logos with it...



Since I'm going to be helping at Bricktastic if anyone would like one I'll give them out to the first dozen people who ask for one...they are about 20cm by 11cm, vehicle grade vinyl but can also be applied to walls/cupboards/storage boxes etc so might work well for anyone with a LEGO room ;-)

cheshirecat

Can I jump the queue?

Shib

@cheshirecat I think you'll probably be at quite an advantage :-)

SirKevbags

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Get em in the auction on Saturday night!

Shib

Not to worry kev, I've sorted some special edition ones for the auction ;-)

bendybadger

Saturday night auction?  What time? Any details of what is up for Auction?

CapnRex101

So who is going to be there next weekend? It seems as though there will be a lot of us!

bendybadger

I will be there on Saturday setting up the Bricksets entry for the public vote on best model from here. http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/comment/365335/. Come along and give us a vote as we do not want to be "null pointes" 

looking forward to the day and look forward to meeting other Bricksetters and putting faces to usernames. Do we have a special Brickset secret handshake so we know each other.

promises to be a great day and I am sure it will be a success for Fairybricks

BooTheMightyHamster

\o/

Got my ticket for Saturday.
Can someone tell me what's going on in the evening?  I heard talk of an auction.  I'm not staying over, but it might make a difference to which train ticket I book for the return to London.

Cheers!

SirKevbags

If Yoda is coming then it must be good? ;-)