OC Brick Convention builds for charity

The OC Brick Convention is building up to its third annual event in Costa Mesa and raising money for charity.

Billed as the largest Lego fan event in California, the convention will take place at the OC Fair & Events Center on Jan. 11 and 12. Lego lovers of all ages are expected to turn out for the event, which will expand on last year’s convention.

“We are pulling out all the stops for the 2025 event with twice as many Lego creations as the inaugural event,” Brick Convention founder Greyson J. Riley said in a statement.

The 24-year-old Riley is the author of “Medieval LEGO,” a book that teaches medieval history through Lego illustrations. He began organizing Lego conventions at the age of 14, and his events now take place across the country in major cities like Memphis, Orlando and New Orleans.

Since the Denmark-based Lego company first began producing its colorful plastic building blocks in 1949, the children’s toy has grown in to a worldwide brand with movies, games and amusement parks, like the nearby Legoland California Resort in Carlsbad. The toy has also developed a strong adult fan base and many of the sets have become collectibles.

“Lego is so much more than a toy,” Riley said. “The OC Brick Convention will show attendees that all of the possibilities with Lego are endless.”

Professional Lego artists will be on hand, building creations and mingling with other Lego enthusiasts. The event will also have a section dubbed the Construction Zone, with thousands of bricks for attendees to build themselves. The Castle Build Zone will give fans a chance to participate in the building of a medieval Lego creation while the Star Wars Zone will feature builds inspired by the Star Wars galaxy. Multiple vendors will be on site selling new and retired Lego sets. Fans can also look forward to meet-and-greets with Lego celebrities, like Lego social media influencer Madison Rice and Baltimore-based professional Lego artist, Mel Brown. Brown has been feature on reality competition shows like “LEGO MASTERS” on Fox (season 1) and the Food Network’s limited series, “Buddy vs. Christmas.” Amado Canlas Pinlac, known in the Lego world as ACPin, will also have a full gallery of his award winning Lego Star Wars and botanical displays.

The OC Brick Convention is building up to it’s third annual convention at the OC Fair & Events Center.

(Eric Paparatto)

Since launching in 2023, OC Brick Convention has raised over $24,000 for charity. This year a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards Creations for Charity, an online-based nonprofit that buys new Lego sets for underprivileged children around the world during the holidays. The volunteer-run organization distributes the sets to shelters, orphanages, hospitals and schools in undeserved areas.

Tickets to the OC Brick Convention are priced at $14.99 online and $20 at the door. Parking is $12. Two sessions are scheduled each day, the first from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the second from 2 to 5 p.m. Both sessions on both days offer the same exhibits and activities.

Riley said fans of all ages will find something to help build their love of Legos. “We look forward to putting on one of the largest Lego fan events in the world here in Costa Mesa in January,” he said.