Blocks on the Rock exhibit in St. John’s draws Lego fans of all ages
An exhibit showcasing the work of Newfoundland and Labrador master Lego designers drew crowds in St. John’s over the weekend.
The two-day Blocks on the Rock event drew hundreds of people to Johnson Geo Center to see over 100 constructions from 30 exhibitors, which represented everything from castles and cityscapes to superheroes and Star Wars characters. .
A number of local landmarks were also displayed in Lego form, most notably the Cabot Tower.
Stephen Churchill, president of NewfoundLUG, an organization made up of members of Lego enthusiasts, said the weekend was a chance to show off what club members had been up to over the past two years.
Of the 700 or so Lego fans who walked through the doors on Saturday, some were in strollers, Churchill said, while others were on the verge of retirement.
“It’s encouraging for us as builders that people are interested and want to come and see what we’ve done,” he said. “Most of the people here who put on exhibitions would consider building Lego as an art form. And it’s great that people appreciate it and want to see more of it.”
The largest build on display – and the biggest draw at the event, Churchill said – was a 100,000-piece, three-meter replica of the Oceanex Connaigra container ship, a two-year project by builder John Murphy.
“It’s just something he always wanted to build,” Churchill said. “By profession, he’s a welder, so he works on ships for a living. And he translates that into his hobby, which is building with Lego.”
It’s also a hobby for Chase Connolly who, along with his sister Faith and mother Jessica Strapp, was among the hundreds who braved the long line on Sunday.
A self-proclaimed “Lego addict,” Chase said he has built three Technic Lego sets in the past five months.
“I hope there will be Technic sets,” he said. “I hope there are some advanced Legos that I’ve never seen… I’ve been in love with Lego since I was a toddler.”
Churchill, 49, can understand.
He was a builder when he was a child. Then he entered what is known in the Lego world as “the dark ages”: the period when enthusiasts decide they are too ripe to build.
But, like many before him, Churchill rekindled his passion in his 30s, joining a global network known as AFOL: Adult Fans of Lego.
The toy’s timeless appeal is something Churchill attributes to variety.
“It’s something that you can continually reinvent,” he said. “You can build a set, you can take it apart and you can build whatever you want with it. And that just keeps being a challenge. It never stops being creative. And that’s why I still enjoy it. until adulthood. “
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