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PREVIEW: When LEGOs Go To War: World War Brick (June 9-11)

by Twin Cities Arts Reader -

A LEGO®-built model of the USS Makin Island (LHD-8), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, at a past World War Brick event. The combination tradeshow and public exhibition comes to Minneapolis June 9-11.

Bare weeks before lockdowns descended around the globe in 2020, the Reputation Institute announced that the world’s most reputable company was not a tech firm, biotech research outfit, or conglomerate – but none other than the maker of LEGO® bricks. Then, as the pandemic set in, the perennial popular LEGOs and puzzles became more popular than ever.

Today, LEGO sets are larger and more elaborate than ever, with custom tie-ins to literary and movie franchises flying off the shelf and trading in a vigorous after-market. With the World Health Organization having declared the COVID-19 emergency to be over, there are still new LEGO model frontiers to conquer – and so World War Brick is coming to Brickmania in Minneapolis from June 9-11. (Public exhibition: June 10-11)

World War…Brick? This gathering of hobbyists, LEGO, and military history aficionados has a very particular gimmick: modeling historical and military-related scenes, vehicles, and weaponry using LEGO® brand bricks. Advertised as the world’s largest collection of LEGO military models and dioramas ever assembled, World War Brick features model-making activities, displays, and LEGO kits for sale from Brickmania, BrickArms, BrickStuff, and other vendors who take LEGOs an artillery volley further.

A pair of attendees pose with LEGO brick-based models of helicopters in the livery of the U.S. Navy’s Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron FOUR (HS-4).

The first World War Brick took place outside of Chicago, IL during the Summer of 2012, organized by Brickmania. Brickmania’s stock and trade is creating historically accurate model sets from LEGO bricks; the first exhibition included more than 200 military models from designers across North America, drawing two thousand visitors. June’s event takes place at the Brickmania Toyworks World Head Quarters in Minneapolis, MN from June 9-10.

When: June 9-11 (public exhibition tickets: June 10-11)
Where: Brickmania Toyworks, 1620 Central Avenue NE, Suite 170, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Price: $10 (before May 31), $15 (before June 9), Door ($20). Children 4 and under free with paid adult.
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