A Weekend of LEGOs, Builds, and Community in Solvang

The Inaugural Brick & Builds Festival Debuts April 5 and 6

Solvang Danish Days Brick Creation| Photo: Deborah Chadsey

Whether a builder yourself or just appreciative of the art of the beloved toy bricks, the inaugural “Solvang Brick & Builds” festival has something to offer for everyone this weekend, April 5 and 6. Builders and fans alike will come together to appreciate friendly Lego competition, view visionary brick displays, listen to panels of the nation’s favorite builders, and even a chance to meet-and-greet with master builders.

Solvang is a fitting location for this festival with the Danish-inspired backdrop setting the scene for the iconic Danish building-block brand Lego. The two-day, town-wide building competition will pit some of the top brick builders against each other as they construct their own takes on Hans Christian Andersen’s famous tales, chasing after a grand prize.

Solvang Brick Builder Contest in 2022 | Photo: Allyson Gail, Bricks.com

The weekend kicks off on Saturday, April 5, at 10 a.m. as the town-wide builders begin their projects, a storybook with their assigned Hans Christian Andersen themes popping off of the pages. Saturday’s build will run through 4 p.m. in five competitor locations scattered about the town. The public is invited to spectate and vote as the pros work their magic and tell stories with their bricks.

There will be a scavenger hunt held at the same time as the building contest, accessible to ticketed expo attendees. Maps will direct ticket-holders to varied locations around the town where participants will receive stamps confirming when they’ve found each spot. Once scavenger hunters have visited all of the mapped locations, they make their way to the Solvang Visitor Center for a special keepsake.

The ticketed expo will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday in the Solvang Veterans Memorial Building. There will be a BrickLink panel at 1 p.m., a Master Builders Panel at 3 p.m., a vendor area, and a “VIB” Lounge for ticketed Very Important Builders with games and prizes.

Master Builder Brian Firks shared the creations he will have in tow for the weekend, including a 3D map of Middle-earth from The Lord of the Rings; a build from the TV show Dune: Prophecy, which he works on the production side of; and a build based on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.

“To have something that’s California-based is really exciting for me because there hasn’t been anything like this for a while in the state,” said Firks. “This is a great way to bring the Lego community back together in California, which I’m excited about.”

Solvang Danish Days Brick Creation| Photo: Deborah Chadsey
Solvang Danish Days Brick Creation| Photo: Deborah Chadsey
Solvang Brick Building Contest in 2022 | Photo: SolvangUSA.com
Solvang Brick Building Contest in 2022 | Photo: SolvangUSA.com

Firks will be standing by his display and is excited to meet eventgoers to talk about all things Lego and even has some Middle-earth trivia ready for Lord of the Rings fans.

“I’m really looking forward to talking to people about the builds that they’ve been seeing around the space and sharing more about my builds that I’m bringing,” Firks said.

Solvang Brick Building Contest in 2022 | Photo: SolvangUSA.com

Simultaneous to the Master Builder displays, Solvang Park will host entertainment and activities, including festivities for kids and brick-associated vendors, with live music performances from noon to 2 p.m. by Unfinished Business on Saturday and The Soul Cats on Sunday.

The expo at the Veterans Memorial Building will continue on Sunday and the town-wide competition will continue from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In the expo hall, Sunday ticket-holders will have access to meet-and-greets with the Master Builders at noon, followed by presentations and judging of town-wide contest builds.

The winners of the competition and expo display will be announced and prizes will be awarded at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 6.

The weekend will feature esteemed builders organized by Allyson Gail, whose works have been featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Brothers Brick, and Season 4 of Lego Masters. In addition to Firks, Melanie Hernandez, Zack Macaset, and Samuel Hatmaker will join her as the Master Builders of the weekend.

“Lego building has its own form of storytelling. I love to capture an emotion with the bricks and be able to convey something with every build that I make. I want to tell a story,” Firks said.

Visit solvangusa.com/solvang-brick-builds-2025 to purchase tickets for a fun weekend full of bricks, builds, and community on the Central Coast and to learn more about the event.

Kids ages 5 and under are free. Tickets for ages 6-17 are $10 in advance for a day ticket or $15 for the weekend. At the door $15 daily. Tickets for adults ages 18 and up are $15 in advance for a day ticket or $25 for the weekend. At-the-door tickets are $20 daily.