Brickvention 2024 Information Manual
Welcome to Brickvention 2024! Thanks for joining us and helping to make this great event possible. This page contains most of the information you need to know about Brickvention. Please read all of the General Information as well as the section specific to you. Even if you have attended before, there is new and updated information for this year.
First time exhibitor? Check our Glossary for some frequently used terms.
Still have questions? Exhibitors – visit the Facebook group. Vendors and Volunteers – please email your Brickventures contact person.
Last updated: 15 Jan 2024
– General / Visitor Support (new section!)
– Exhibitors / Display Placement
– General / Food and Drink, Program of Events, The MAP!
Jump to section: General, Exhibitors, Vendors, Volunteers/Cosplayers
General Information
Brickvention 2024 will be held at the Royal Exhibition Building, 9 Nicholson St, Carlton.
Bump In: Thursday 18th January, 11am – 9pm
Convention Day: Friday 19th January, 9am – 5pm (exhibitor/vendor access from 8am, ticket holder registration from 8.30am)
Public Expo Days: Saturday 20th January, 9am – 5pm and Sunday 21st January, 9am – 4pm (exhibitor/vendor access from 8:30am)
Bump Out: Sunday from 4.30pm subject to announcements that bump out may commence. Read more below.
There will be no parking available at the Royal Exhibition Building for any participants or visitors, including disabled parking. There will be no parking for trailers or vans, please pre arrange alternate parking if you are bringing large vehicles or trailers.
The closest event parking is at the Melbourne Museum. Please see their website for details and bookings.
Parking during the event is not provided by Brickventures Inc.
Public Transport options include:
Tram route 86 or tram route 96 to corner of Nicholson and Gertrude Streets
Free City Circle Tram to Victoria Parade
City loop train to Parliament Station
Bus routes 250, 251 and 402 to Rathdowne Street
Making a trip to the city? Take a V/Line train
Plan your trip using PTV’s Journey Planner.
All participants must have completed the Royal Exhibition Building Online Induction package prior to commencing bump in. You must be able to provide a current certificate of completion to REB staff at any time across the weekend. If you are unable, you will be required to leave the venue until it is completed. Certificates are valid for 18 months, if yours has expired you must complete the induction again and obtain a new certificate of completion.
Click here to access the Museums Victoria Induction Platform
When you sign up, select “Event Exhibitor & Event Contractor Induction – Museum Spaces:
On the next screen, select “Royal Exhibition Building – Exhibitor Induction (Events) and click the Start button.
Once you have successfully completed the induction, you can download or take a screen shot of the completion certificate. It will also be emailed to the email address you registered with. You must keep a copy of the certificate with you at all times while exhibiting in the REB.
Note that if you have completed the induction in previous years and still remember your login, you can use this and you will be prompted to renew your induction.
There will be no food vendors inside the REB again in 2024.
Thursday and Friday you can visit the Garden View Cafe on Nicholson St as you head towards Victoria Pde. Here’s a Google Map search for other cafe’s in the area too.
On Friday (Convention Day) there will be a 1 hour lunch break with no convention programming to allow you to go out for food.
Saturday and Sunday there will be a take away coffee station available inside the REB (see map) and food trucks in the eastern forecourt of the REB. The tasty options this year are:
– Kaiser Sausages.
– Greek Wraps (vegetarian option) and hot chips.
– Baked Potatoes (gluten free/vegan/vegetarian options).
– Pretzel Station offering donut pretzels.
– Ice Cream and bagged fairy floss
Food bricks are able to be used at all food vendors however change can’t be given.
Your MOC and anything else you need for the weekend! In addition:
– If you have a Brickvention lanyard from a previous year, please bring it along. You will receive a new ID card for Brickvention 2024.
– If you need a trolley or similar to move equipment please bring one along as we can’t guarantee availability of such items at the venue.
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE REB DURING BUMP IN AND BUMP OUT.
This is a requirement of the Royal Exhibition Building that we are unable to change. You will need to make arrangements to ensure children are not present at the REB at any time on Thursday and after 4pm on Sunday.
Safety vests and closed toe shoes must be worn at all times during bump in and out. Safety vests are not supplied by Brickvention, you must provide your own. Anyone not wearing appropriate safety gear during bump in and bump out will be required to leave the building.
Bump in commences on Thursday morning and must be completed by 9pm Thursday night. See specific information in sections below regarding when you can commence bump in.
Once bump in is completed, we recommend keeping your safety vest under your table, so it is available when the exhibition closes and bump out commences.
Bump Out commences after 4.30pm on Sunday once the exhibition is closed. Safety vests and closed toe shoes are required in the REB from this time. No Brickvention participants may commence packing up at any time prior to the conclusion of the event (an announcement is made when the event is closed)
NOTE: Bump out will not commence until the food trucks have vacated the Eastern Forecourt. Do not attempt to take builds out or bring your car into the REB until announcement is made.
More details around logistics are in the sections below.
You are not permitted to move displays or equipment outside of official bump in or out times. This is to ensure the health and safety of all Brickvention staff, volunteers and participants.
All stalls and displays and must be installed by close of Bump In on Thursday night. No stalls or displays may be packed up or moved out prior to bump out on Sunday afternoon.
You are permitted to bring in and out items you can carry on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but this can only be done prior to the start of the days activities at 9.00am. Under no circumstances are you permitted to park and load or unload at the REB outside of bump in / out times
Participants are expected to act in a manner that will not negatively impact on the reputation of Brickventures Inc or Brickvention. This includes that you:
• will act in a professional manner at all times.
• will not, by act or omission, act in a way that places the health, safety and welfare at risk of any Brickvention organiser, volunteer, participant, contractor or patron.
• will act in a manner that is respectful regardless of patrons age, gender, disability and/or impairment, sexual orientation, religious belief or activity, etc.
• will not use foul language.
• will not abuse or use bullying type behaviours towards others.
• will not purposefully damage the venue or provided equipment.
• will leave the venue in a reasonable and tidy condition.
Security guards staff the entrance and exit and they roam the event to minimise risk. Participants are responsible for the security of their displays, equipment and any personal belongings. The venue has security outside of event hours to minimise risk.
The participant lounge is in the same location as last year, next to the kiosk in the northern transept (see map).
Power will be made available for charging phones but please bring your own charger and ONLY plug in to designated power boards.
Please leave the area clean and tidy for all to use.
During the Brickvention weekend, weather conditions can be unpredictable. Please ensure you take care of your body over the Brickvention weekend. This includes staying hydrated, taking regular breaks, maintaining high standards of personal hygiene commensurate with a public facing role and showing off your fabulous smiles.
All exhibitors, vendors, volunteers and attendees are encouraged to share Brickvention with their friends, families and networks in the lead up to the event, and during the event via social media. Share your updates and Brickvention adventures using the #Brickvention and #Brickvention2024 hashtags on Facebook and Instagram.
Brickvention 2024 Facebook Event
Brickvention 2024 has an official event on Facebook for you to RSVP to and share amongst your friends. Please do!
Brickvention on Instagram
Brickvention is on Instagram too! Tag us, @brickvention in your stories and posts about Brickvention.
Brickvention Posters and Flyers
A Brickvention poster is available for you to print and share with your local community. Perhaps there is a cafe you love, or a library close by that you feel would love to know about Brickvention. Print a poster and share it with them!
Sensory Session
Sunday 21st January 2024 at 9.00am
Brickventures is very excited to highlight the Sensory Session which will be operated at Brickvention 2024.
This session is designed for people with special needs including those impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorders. The session environment includes low volume and less frequent announcements and fewer people. The session is also longer at 40 minutes.
Please note that 20 minute entry times recommence at 9:40am. The number of people and noise will increase steadily from that time.
In 2024 we are pleased to have Vision Australia involved in Brickvention. Vision Australia’s mission is to support people who are blind or have low vision to live the life they choose. They have provided us with the following information regarding supporting visitors with low vision or blindness. Please take a few minutes to review them.
Dos and don’ts: Guiding someone who is blind or has low vision.
Tips to improve the theatre experience.
All exhibitors, convention attendees, and volunteers are invited to attend special events over the course of the Brickvention weekend.
These include:
MUGs Trivia Night – Friday night from 6pm
A fun and fabulous event for all on Friday night. Join Quiz Master Travis for a LEGO inspired evening of challenges, laughter and prizes! Bring a team of 4 or find a team when you arrive! Registration is at the start of the event. This event is run by MUGs, entry cost is a gold coin donation which also enters you into their raffle.
Convention Dinner – Saturday night 7pm at the State Library of Victoria
You are invited to the Brickvention 2024 Convention Dinner, 7pm at the State Library of Victoria. Download the flyer for full details.
Tickets can only be accessed through this link. Each registered exhibitor may purchase one discounted ticket using their email address as the promo code. Tickets close Dec 24th.
Dirty Brickster – Friday (during Convention Day)
Dirty Brickster is a kind of white elephant gift exchange game and is somewhat similar to how some people do Kris Kringle. Dirty Brickster is a game for Exhibitors and Convention Attendees only. More information and signup details will be provided with the convention schedule which is expected early January.
The Convention Day Overview contains details of the events that happen on Friday, and the Convention Day Schedule contains the run sheet for Friday.
Exhibitor Information
It is a requirement of your acceptance to exhibit at Brickvention that you comply with the following terms and conditions:
Exhibitors must be at least 18 years of age to exhibit at Brickvention. Builds must belong to / have been created by the named exhibitor/s.
Where exhibits were designed by someone else (including, but not limited to, instructions obtained or purchased from sites like Rebrickable) they can only be displayed with the designer’s consent and appropriate credit must be given.
All exhibitors, both new and returning, must read the Participant Manual and be familiar with its contents prior to arriving at Brickvention. Note that last minute changes may be made, you can check the “last updated” date at the top of the page.
Advertising by exhibitors is not permitted at Brickvention unless permission is granted by Brickventures Inc prior to the event in writing.
Live audio / video recording and broadcasting is not permitted unless permission is granted by Brickventures Inc prior to the event in writing.
Exhibitors are only permitted to operate within the bounds of their allocated table space and must seek the permission of Brickventures Inc if wishing to operate outside of those boundaries. This includes Technic, Power Functions, and Boost vehicles / builds.
Any failure to comply with the above terms and conditions may result in exclusion from participation in future Brickventures Inc events.
Brickventures Inc reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time.
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE REB DURING BUMP IN AND BUMP OUT.
This is a requirement of the Royal Exhibition Building that we are unable to change.
Safety vests and closed toe shoes must be worn at all times during bump in and out. Please ensure you have these.
PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE PRIOR TO YOUR LISTED BUMP IN TIME. Access to the building is staggered to avoid traffic congestion.
9am: MLTC group only, via Nicholson St Entrance to Door 1 on Southern Drive
11am: Other Exhibitors via Nicholson St Entrance to Door 3.
THERE IS NO ACCESS VIA RATHDOWNE ST / DOOR 8 AT BRICKVENTION 2024.
Please do not use an entrance other than designated. Once you have unloaded, you must park your car before returning to the building. The exhibitor registration desk will be open from 11am – 7pm Thursday. You don’t need to register before starting to bump in, just visit the registration desk during this time frame to collect your exhibitor bag and ID. Please ensure you do register on Thursday though as you’ll need your exhibitor ID for access on Friday and everything is packed away at the end of bump in.
Bump in finishes at 9pm sharp (we need our sleep!)
ALL EXHIBITS MUST BE COMPLETELY SET UP ON THURSDAY.
Convention Day on Friday is open to the public and it is expected that displays are complete and, where possible, displays with movement/light are operating on Friday.
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE REB DURING BUMP IN AND BUMP OUT.
This is a requirement of the Royal Exhibition Building that we are unable to change.
Safety vests and closed toe shoes must be worn at all times during bump in and out. Please ensure you have these available at the close of the exhibition on Sunday afternoon as the building immediately becomes a work site.
No display or equipment may be packed up prior to 4.30pm on Sunday.
Exhibitors may not start bumping out and no cars may enter REB grounds until the food trucks have packed up and vacated the Eastern Forecourt. Do not bring your vehicle onto the REB grounds, or exit via door 3 until announcements are made that this door is available for exit. We understand everyone is keen to pack up and leave but for safety reasons please do not attempt to drive in or bump out through door 3 until we announce that bump out can commence.
Exhibits must be packed up prior to moving your vehicle to the designated loading area.
Power can only be provided for displays, and only if listed on your application. We are unable to add power to your display if it was not requested in the initial application. Power provided may not be used for charging phones/laptops or other purposes.
All electrical equipment including leads, transformers, lights, etc must be tested and have a current electrical test tag on it.
We encourage you to have your electrical equipment tested and tagged prior to the event. However, Brickventures Inc. will provide a testing station during Bump In on Thursday. Announcements will be made when testing is available.
All electrical work is completed by a Brickventures Inc. contracted qualified electrician.
The electrician is responsible for all electrical connections to power points. Only the electrician can plug anything into any power point at the venue.
The electrician will be onsite on Thursday bump in between 12 – 4pm. He will also be present during bump out on Sunday night. Please note, we cannot give exact times of when power will be switched on or items will be tested and tagged. Please listen for announcements and be patient so that the electrician can complete all power access in this time.
Exhibitors are allocated a location in the venue, in line with requested requirements and final event layout requirements. Your location can be found on the online map which is distributed just prior to bump in. The position allocated to your display is final and in line with building safety requirements.
There is no guarantee that there is space with exhibits for seating, and there is no option for seating behind exhibits. Sometimes there is enough space beside an exhibit for a chair. But this really depends on the size of the build, its orientation, and where it is in the building. Please bear in mind that this is a large exhibition that attracts significant numbers of visitors and for safety reasons chairs cannot be placed in walkways or other locations that may cause a hazard. There will be a small number of REB-supplied chairs available at 8.30am on Saturday morning before the exhibition opens to the public that exhibitors can use. Exhibitors may not take chairs from the centre stage area on Friday (Convention Day).
No general displays will have bollards. These are used only to manage high crowd areas and will be supplied and installed by Brickventures Inc.
All Brickvention tables are 240cm x 75cm and are covered by a Brickventures supplied tablecloth that covers the entire table to the floor. All boxes and excess packaging must be stored under the tables and the cloths have a part in them to accommodate this.
No items (posters, banners, etc) are allowed to be stuck to the tablecloths, walls, floors or any part of the venue. No tape is to be stuck to the floor without prior discussion and consent of Brickventures Inc. Where permission is granted the specified tape must be used.
At the conclusion of the event, Brickventures Inc will be charged for any damage sustained to the venue during the event (eg. scratches or chips on walls, floors, etc). Therefore, we require all due care to be taken by you and your representatives across your participation in the event. Where deemed appropriate, costs may be passed to the person responsible for the damage made.
Each exhibitor is issued with one exhibitor tshirt which is recommended attire for at least one day of the public exhibition. Often individuals choose to wear these shirts for both days of the public expo. To ensure your shirt is presentable and of a high standard, we recommend caring for your tshirt overnight.
A limited number of additional shirts will be available for purchase at the event should you wish to have a clean shirt to change into. These can be purchased from the Brickvention Merchandise Stand.
In 2023 we introduced the Brickvention LEGO MOC Card Holder. In 2024, every exhibitor will receive a kit to build their own MOC card holder. You can come prepared if you like to decorate it any way you’d like, or just leave it in classic white. An example is pictured below. If you need more than one we have the link here for you to build out of parts from home before the event. The kit you receive in the exhibitor bag is yours to keep.
Link to MOC Card Holder Instructions
Feel free to decorate your MOC card holder to suit your build, or leave it plain.
Click here to download the Brickvention 2024 MOC Card template. You can open the PDF, click under the MOC name and Exhibitor name to type in your details. When you print, be sure to set your printer to scale the print at 100%
Always ensure your display is labelled with a MOC (My Own Creation) Card (otherwise known as a Model Info Card) so people know who is responsible for the build. Printing for MOC Cards will not be available during Brickvention so please have it printed and with you when you arrive.
If you have a group or collection of models that make a scene or display, only use one card for the whole layout/display and not for every single item. For example: a group of spaceships by the same person could be called “The Galactic Armada” rather than naming each ship. This is to prevent your display looking cluttered with Exhibit Info Cards.
Stage your display
Try not to put too much on your display. If possible, link items together in a diorama rather than it just being a display of models. Make sure there is plenty of space between each model/diorama. Don’t try to fill every bit of your table with lots of models. If you put too much on your display, it will be difficult to focus on the detail of each model.
Build UP not out
If possible, give your display some height so it is visually appealing. This might be via a mountain side if building a landscape or via some form of small plinth or stand if displaying individual models. There are many ways this can be achieved and it will make your display stand out and draw the attention away from those that are all the same height.
Ditch the dust
Make sure your exhibit is clean dust free. People will notice dust. A paint brush or make up brush are good dusting tools. Try to do this before you get to the venue.
Display Code
Ensure your display looks tidy throughout the weekend. Food, Water bottles, coffee cups and drink cans should not be placed on display tables. Check your display every few hours to see if anything has fallen over or needs repairing etc. Although most patrons are usually pretty good, it is easy to bump a table and disrupt a display.
Sticky fingers
If you are worried about a particular minifig being on your display because it is valuable, please don’t display it without correct supervision. You are responsible for your models at all times.
Don’t get too close to the edge
Where possible, avoid placing items close to the edge of your display. Models too close to the edge of tables are at risk of being bumped and or broken by passing patrons.
Display tables
Display tables are there for your MOCs. They are not to be used for building, sorting or working during the Public Expo days.
Transportation of MOCs
When transporting exhibits, make sure they are securely packed in a strong box. Custom made boxes often work best with large exhibits. We recommend the use of plastic wrap (glad wrap or specialised postal/pallet wrap) to hold the model together and bubblewrap to avoid bumps in transit. It also helps to place smaller models in individual ziplock bags. Do not trust that a model will survive in the back seat of your car or an ordinary suitcase.
For larger exhibits, we recommend modularising the build so it is easier to transport.
Voting
There will be no public or peer voting at Brickvention 2024.
Vendor Information
It is expected that you comply with the terms and conditions you agreed to in your agreement with Brickventures Inc. This includes the following:
Only LEGO and LEGO related merchandise is to be sold/displayed at Brickvention unless permission is granted by Brickventures Inc.
Vendors do not obtain any right or title to any intellectual property of Brickventures (including Brickvention). Any use, reproduction and/or storage of any Brickventures’ intellectual property, including its name and logo, requires prior written agreement of Brickventures.
Advertising by Vendors is not permitted at Brickvention unless prior written permission is granted by Brickventures Inc. The only exclusion to this is the contact details of your business including name, address, phone, website and email address and business logo.
Vendors are only permitted to operate within the bounds of their allocated space and must seek the permission of Brickventures Inc if wishing to operate outside of those boundaries.
Banners, visuals and the use of sound must not invade the space of fellow Vendors. Promotional materials displayed may only be those of the vendor listed on the application.
Vendors are not entitled to the convention show bag or to participate in any convention activities unless otherwise specified. If you wish to exhibit or be a convention participant, you will need to register as an exhibitor or purchase a convention day ticket.
Vendors must be present and have enough stock during the allocated times on the convention day and for the duration of the public event days. Vendors are required to pay any additional cost that Brickventures Inc may incur due to damage (eg. scratches to flooring, chips in the wall) as a result of the Vendor conducting their business.
The Vendor understands that if products or services not detailed on the original application are sold or provided through trading at Brickvention, that Brickventures Inc reserves the right to close trading and request you leave the site.
Any failure to comply with the above terms and conditions may result in exclusion from participation in future Brickventures Inc events.
Brickventures Inc reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time.
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE REB DURING BUMP IN AND BUMP OUT.
This is a requirement of the Royal Exhibition Building that we are unable to change.
PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE PRIOR TO YOUR LISTED BUMP IN TIME. Access to the building is staggered to avoid traffic congestion.
Vendors bump in via the Nicholson St entrance, using Southern Drive to access Door 1.
Large vendors may bump in from 9am Thursday 19th January.
Small vendors may bump in from 11am Thursday 19th January.
Once you have unloaded, you must park your car before returning to the building. Enter through the main entrance to complete check in and registration.
Bump Out may not commence prior to 4.30pm Sunday. Vendors may not start bumping out and no cars may enter REB grounds until the food trucks have packed up and vacated the Eastern Forecourt. Do not bring your vehicle onto the REB grounds, or attempt to exit via doors 1 or 3 until announcements are made. We understand everyone is keen to pack up and leave but for safety reasons please do not attempt to drive in to the REB grounds or bump out through doors 1 or 3 until we announce that bump out can commence.
Volunteer Information
Thanks for volunteering at Brickvention 2024 – our event is 100% organised and run by volunteers and we couldn’t do it without you!
Enter via the main Brickvention entrance. When you arrive, please notify door staff who will direct you to the sign in location. For all times attending you will need to sign in and out and collect / return your lanyard.
T-shirts
Please wear neat, casual clothes. Volunteers will be provided a lightweight vest to wear highlighting that they are volunteers.
Volunteer Lounge
All Volunteers may access the Exhibitor Lounge (check the location on the map) on Saturday and Sunday. Please ensure that you leave all areas in a clean and tidy state at all times.
Thank you again for volunteering at Brickvention!
Cosplayer Lounge
The cosplayer lounge is located in the board room. Bottled water will be provided for convenience.
Raising Money
By participating in Brickvention you are helping run a spectacular event. Your contribution at Brickvention not only brings joy to thousands of families, but you also help raise funds for the nominated charity.