History of BrickCon
About BrickCon
BrickCon (formerly known as NorthWest BrickCon) is a LEGO convention and exhibition in North America. It is the longest running exhibition of LEGO bricks in the world. BrickCon is held annually for adult fans of LEGO and hobbyists, currently at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, Washington.
BrickCon runs about four days, generally Thursday through Sunday, and is held the weekend after Labor Day. The event brings together the fan community that has evolved as a result of the Internet and helps them explore and develop their LEGO hobby. BrickCon is not affiliated with the LEGO company and is organized by BrickCon Foundation.
Two Parts of BrickCon
Private Convention
The private convention’s main focus is to provide a venue for adult fans of LEGO to come together as a community and bring and display their own LEGO creations (known as MOCs - My Own Creations). Activities at the convention include presentations, seminars, round-table discussions, contests, games, door prizes and many experiences unique to a LEGO Fan Convention.
Public Exhibition
The public exhibition invites LEGO fans of all ages to view hundreds of hobbyist-built creations and meet their creators. Visitors may watch Mindstorms robot battles or Brickfilms (LEGO-themed films), browse and shop at various LEGO vendors, or have their kids build something in the building zone. Themes on display include castles, space ships, trains, Great Ball Contraptions (GBC), pop culture and many more.
Event History
| Year | Event Details |
|---|---|
| 2002 | The First NWBrickCon – “Be There, Be Square” — Location: Center House at Seattle Center. 48 adult builders displaying. 3,000–5,000 public guests. The inaugural all-exhibit event. |
| 2003 | First Convention with Attendees – “Be There, Be Square” — Location: Snoqualmie Room at Seattle Center. 47 attendees, 2,000+ guests. First event with paid attendees, presentations, Brick Bazaar, and Special Guest Brad Justus from LEGO Group. |
| 2004 | Halloween! — Location: Dan Parker’s Studio, The Commons, Federal Way. ~45 attendees, ~2,000 guests. |
| 2005 | Ghostly! — Location: Rainier Room at Seattle Center. 65 attendees, 2,000+ guests. |
| 2006 | Heroes! — Location: Seattle Center Pavilion A + B. 85 attendees, 3,500 guests. Event began to show definite signs of growth. |
| 2007 | Pirates! — Location: Seattle Center Pavilion A + B. ~145 attendees, ~3,700 guests. |
| 2008 | Be Part of the Adventure! — Location: The Exhibition Hall (half) at Seattle Center. ~235 attendees, ~6,900 guests. |
| 2009 | Imagination in Motion! — Location: The (whole) Exhibition Hall at Seattle Center. ~375 attendees, ~9,300 guests. |
| 2010 | Tales of the Brick! — Added the Rainier Room for convention activities. ~475 attendees, ~11,000 guests. |
| 2011 | Building a Community! — Used all Northwest Rooms (51,000 sq.ft. total). 535 attendees, 11,000 guests. |
| 2012 | 10th Anniversary BrickCon — 470 attendees, 12,000+ guests. |
| 2013 | Pigs vs. Cows! — 445 attendees, 12,000+ guests. |
| 2014 | Invasion! — First event at the Cornish Playhouse. 435 attendees, 13,100+ guests. |
| 2015 | MOCking History! — 470 attendees, 13,600 guests. |
| 2016 | Madness — Added Friends and Family Night to Friday schedule. 450 attendees, 10,600 guests. |
| 2017 | Brick To Old School — First ever sold-out event. 470 attendees, 13,600 guests. |
| 2018 | Hidden Worlds — 475 attendees, 13,600 guests. |
| 2019 | Just BUILD It! — 443 attendees, 12,200 guests. |
| 2020 | Hindsight — Virtual only due to COVID-19. 521 attendees, 1,139 guests. |
| 2021 | TBD: Two Brickcon Decades — Hybrid event (in-person and virtual). 317 attendees (216 in-person, 101 virtual), 3,342 guests. |
| 2022 | 21, Time for Fun — Hybrid event at Seattle Center. |
| 2023 | Journeys — Location: Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue. 541 attendees (489 in-person, 52 virtual), 12,592 guests. BrickCon moved to Bellevue after 16 years at Seattle Center. Both public days sold out. |
| 2024 | Foundations — Location: Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue. First year run by BrickCon Foundation. |
| 2025 | Full STEAM Ahead — Location: Meydenbauer Center. |
BrickCon Today
Today, BrickCon continues to be organized by BrickCon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting STEAM education and the artistic possibilities of LEGO bricks. The event remains the longest running exhibition of LEGO bricks in the world, bringing together thousands of builders and fans each year.
Learn more and register for the next BrickCon at brickcon.org.
Source: Wikipedia - BrickCon