Earlier this month, a few hundred AFOLs gathered in Vancouver, Canada for BrickCan’s 10th convention. This article combines two perspectives on the event: one from long-time attendee Melissa Rekve and one from a first-time participant Marshall Payne.
Special thanks to Aly Saar and Geoff Vlcek for sharing their photography of the event with BrickNerd.
Adjusting to a New BrickCan
Melissa: I have to admit, when I first heard BrickCan was moving to a new location and would be a private event for the first time ever in 2025, I was disappointed. LEGO conventions are like gardens—AFOLs spend hours tending to their MOCs, and it feels good to share the fruits of that labor. If no one sees it, it can feel pointless to some. Plus, BrickCan is my home convention right in my own backyard.
The decision to close the doors to the public sparked a wave of emotion (and intense discussion) online. LEGO is supposed to bring people together, not divide them. And being mean is just not the Canadian way, so I begrudgingly signed up, figuring I would give it a chance. Despite not being overly excited that BrickCan had gone private and moved to a new location, it was impossible not to start to feel the excitement when it came to what the notorious B Boys had in store. They are unequivocally a huge part of the spirit and soul of BrickCan, which gave me something to look forward to.
I decided to go into the convention with an open mind and tried to set my judgment aside. Maybe with no public there would be less pressure on the show runners, and they would be able to give more focus on “fun” and maybe they would be far less exhausted.
Marshall: I’ve been collecting and building LEGO for 28 years. But for 27 of those, LEGO for me existed solely at home and online. Last year, I took a step and attended my first LEGO show and had my first introduction to the physical community that had been building around everyone’s favourite toy. I attended my first show locally, and another within the province. I was introduced to LUG members hosting shows, and soon found myself invited to my first major convention: BrickCan 2025. It would be my first major convention—and the show’s 10th anniversary. I signed up immediately.
Nothing could have prepared me for the sheer lore, depth, and community that swirled around this event. From my first moments, I was inundated with welcoming conversation from BrickCan staff, and even found myself helping to pack the swag bags for the weekend! I immediately felt like I was walking in step with everyone, despite having only known most of them for five minutes.
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Finding the Fun
Melissa: Even with my reservations, it was hard not to get caught up in the hype when the BrickCan B Boys started posting teasers. “The biggest, baddest year yet,” they promised—and they delivered. I was honored when they asked me to be their social media expert for their final year.
I brought my newest mosaic, Use Your Illusion, inspired by the Evolution of STEM model, and displayed Herachio the LEGO Rubber Chicken—a beloved piece made by by Miles Finlay. Once the schedule dropped and the excitement kicked in, I (almost) forgot there wouldn’t be a public crowd to see it.
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Marshall: I had no idea what to expect from the B Boys, but wow. Stephen Joo and Miles Finlay created the wonderfully chaotic AFOB—a yearly theme beginning with the letter “B,” filled with brick badge kits, interactive games, and pure mayhem. This year? Speed-building in a gorilla suit. It was chaotic, joyful, and unforgettable. That shared absurdity? That’s everything the LEGO community is about. I know AFOB grew with BrickCan over the past 10 years. Over that time, they’ve created an incredibly unique experience that I cannot fully replicate without taking you there.
What’s Old is New
Melissa: To be quite honest, I realized I was focused on something that really did not matter to me personally. I run for the hills for most conventions when the public comes in because I don’t like big crowds. And that is exactly what I did during friends and family sessions at BrickCan this year. And the AFOL games, sessions and activities really were able to shine since many of the people who volunteer during public hours were around to have fun and build bonds instead.
I do miss the River Rock though. I mean, you can’t beat that hot tub and pool I so enjoyed there over the years. The after hours events at the River Rock in 2024 will go down in history as some of the greatest. But we managed to make some epic memories at the new Sheraton Wall Center too. As in the Guns n’ Roses song, Nothing Lasts Forever, even cold November Rain.
Marshall: Throughout the event, one thought that stuck with me constantly was the fact that, despite having known most of these folks only a few days, everyone embraced me as though I’d been there since the start. Surely, part of that was our shared love for construction toys, but a lot of that came purely from the joy of community that resonates through these events.
Everyone seeks to inspire, to share, and to learn. People trade parts, swap figures and sets, and give away amazing gifts like exclusive prints, tokens on builds. Everywhere you look, there is a positivity and sense of encouragement that oozes through every orifice of the event; it’s a feeling that you can only get from a LEGO convention.
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A Convention Without Crowds
Melissa: With the public not in attendance, I noticed I was more reflective than usual. I realized I don’t love crowds and usually avoid public hours anyway. And yet, I still mourned the loss of that public joy—the families, the kids who won’t get to be inspired by our creations this year. I am thankful to have a convention in my city in any capacity it comes in, but at the same time, I cannot shake the feeling of loss of joy being spread.
I work at an elementary school, where many students enjoy attending BrickCan each year. This opportunity, sadly, came to an abrupt and unexpected end for the public. It was no surprise to me when there were disappointed kids at school when they found out they could not attend the LEGO event they looked forward to year after year. It’s a loss for the broader community, even if the private event was still deeply fulfilling for AFOLs.
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Marshall: For me, the private format didn’t matter. I was introduced to so many talented builders and fans from all walks of life. From a senior couple who had gotten into MOC building through attending BrickCan a previous year on a whim, to well-established online creators such as Kate Hunter (@brickhuntress), all the way to the amazing Artist Paul Hetherington and legendary LEGO Certified Professional Robin Sather; there was a niche here for everone.
Saying Goodbye to the B Boys
Melissa: I found myself doing a lot of reflecting and having a lot of deep conversations during this particular convention. I am not sure why, because I am usually too distracted to contemplate during a convention. It was almost like I could feel deep down inside that the change at BrickCan was more than the venue. So when the B Boys announced their retirement after 10 epic years, my reflective feelings made sense. It was my sixth sense warning me that something big was about to happen. The B Boys are such an integral part of BrickCan, it will never be the same without them.
I asked the B Boys for one last quote. Here’s what Miffy and Yo-Yo had to say: “Well, phew! After 10 years of B’s we can only hope that we might have inspired others to jump into the con culture with both feet and to live for the moment! Having AFOLs readily become AFOBs made our ‘jobs’ so much easier, so as much as we put effort in, everyone else reciprocated with equal vigour. We’ll miss the 12 months of planning, orchestrating, packing, folding, stapling, conniving, drinking, scheming, secret-keeping (we don’t think anyone ever guessed our theme in advance! (Shhh! Dave Schefcik!), and general BrickCan mayhem that ensued, but we have more great memories than you can Beat Bongos to! And please let us again thank Ryan McNaught for greenlighting our dreams and the BrickCan committee for stepping to one side so we could Barrel in like a Bull in a China shop!”
Marshall: I had a brief chat with Stephen yesterday, thanking him for providing such a welcoming and wonderful experience for a new attendee. In our chat, I had a revelation. I told Stephen, “After the event is over, we’ll all go home to our build spaces and our lives, but the few hundred people who attended BrickCan that weekend will all have a collective memory of you roasting in a convention hall trying to speed build in a gorilla suit.” And to me, that shared absurdity is everything the LEGO community is about.
New Connections and Beginnings
Melissa: Personally, At BrickCan this year, I strengthened bonds, met a lot of great new people, and quite honestly had the best time! Honestly, I think both types of convention have a place. I say give the private ones a try, you might find you do like them. Just like me.
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Marshall: All in all, the weekend spent at my first major LEGO event showed me the real potential of LEGO conventions: a collective of people, with deep passion for a shared hobby, coming together to create a one-of-a-kind experience that brings LEGO builders together under a common umbrella. And as someone who spent 27 years of my LEGO life building alone in my basement, that elevation of our hobby to this tangible experience of shared memories is awe-inspiring, and proof why LEGO is my favourite community in the world.
Cons in Canada
For anyone reading this in Canada, did you know we’ve got quite a few LEGO conventions beyond BrickCan? Check these out:
Expo Briques – Bécancour, QC (March 22 – 23)
Brick Expo – Ottawa, ON (April 12-13)
Northern Bricks 2 – Edmonton, AB (May 24-25)
Brickspo – Moose Jaw, SK (July 26-27)
Brickomanie – Laval, QC (August 15-17)
Brick Roundup – Calgary, AB (September 26 -28)
Le Sommet De La Brique – Saint-Hyacinthe, QC (October 2-5)
Bricksplosion – Halifax, NS (October 25 – 26)
Bricks in the Six – Mississauga, ON (November 13-16)
There’s a lot of brick magic happening across the country—go find your people!
What did you think of BrickCan’s 10th year? Do you go to LEGO conventions for the people or the public hours? Let us know in the comments below!
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