Charlotte Varcoe
CREATIVE displays will be showcased at the Mount Gambier Showgrounds this long weekend with Brickgambier receiving the green light once again.
Despite adhering to density requirements due to Covid-19 restrictions, thousands of visitors are expected to filter through the exhibition while marvelling at 30 creative Lego designs and displays.
Event organiser Emma Robinson said committee members were thrilled to be able to host the event once again following its cancellation last year.
“We will need to abide by density requirements which means we will be counting people as they come through the door and we have also released tickets online which results in 200 people per session,” Ms Robinson said.
“Regardless of this, we are over the moon to be able to host the event once again.”
After she experienced exhibitions and events in both Melbourne and Adelaide, Ms Robinson soon banded together fellow Lego enthusiasts to kick start the annual event in 2017.
“I believed there was scope for the event to come here to Mount Gambier because we have a lot of people here that build Lego, including sets, but also of their own creations,” she said.
She said Lego provided benefits for children and adults with the process of building displays leading to positive mental health and fine motor skills while also enticing imagination and critical thinking.
“Building Lego can help people in all sorts of ways, whether it be with their mental health or connecting with other generations in the family,” she said.
Alongside creativity, Ms Robinson said the event would also provide a positive outing for families across the region following a tough 18-months.
“We as a community are at the stage now where we have not been out and about as much as what we would have been normally,”she said.
“Although we have been pretty lucky here in South Australia we still had exhibitors needing to cancel because they were from Victoria.
“Just having the opportunity to get out and do stuff as a family will be fantastic for the town and region overall.
“We do so much prep work beforehand and we may be exhausted on the day it is all worth it when a child walks in and their jaw drops at the possibilities.”
Mount Gambier youths and Brickgambier competition entrants Sienna and Jake expressed their excitement for the up-and-coming exhibition and said they looked forward to building their displays.
Sienna – aged 11 and a previous Brickgambier competition winner – said she enjoyed the creativity of Lego building with her ‘Kidspot’ display, her number one recent build.
“We are able to create whatever we want through Lego building and even though Dad helps us a lot we still have a lot of fun,” Sienna said.
“My Lego display is a space for kids only with no adults or parents there and it is an area where kids can just have fun.”
Jake said even with their dad’s help, he enjoys making planes out of Lego with the added benefits of taking it apart and rebuilding it.
“My favourite thing about Lego is building things like ambulances and fire trucks but then taking it apart and building other things,” Jake said.
“I really like going to the Brickgambier event because there are lots of different things built out of Lego and it is really cool.”
The event will be hosted across Sunday and Monday at the Mount Gambier Showgrounds, with tickets available online where patrons will also be able to choose specific showing times.
