The World's Columbian Exposition was a world's fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The centerpiece of the Fair, held in Jackson Park, was a large water pool representing the voyage Columbus took to the New World. Chicago had won the right to host the fair over several other cities, including New York City, Washington, D.C., and St. Louis. The exposition was an influential social and cultural event and had a profound effect on American architecture, the arts, American industrial optimism, and Chicago's image.
Schaumburg is a village located mostly in Cook County and partly in DuPage County in northeastern Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 78,723, making Schaumburg the most populous incorporated village in the United States. Schaumburg is around 28 miles (45 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop and 10 miles (16 km) northwest of O'Hare International Airport. It is part of the Golden Corridor.
A brickfilm is a film or Internet video made by either shooting stop motion animation using construction set bricks like Lego bricks or using computer-generated imagery or traditional animation to imitate the look. They can sometimes also be live action films featuring plastic construction toys. Since the 2000s The Lego Group has released various films and TV series and brickfilms have also become popular on (social-) media websites. The term “brick film” was coined by Jason Rowoldt, founder of the website brickfilms.com.
Woodfield Mall is a shopping mall located in the northwest Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Illinois, United States, at the intersection of Golf Road and Interstate 290. The mall is the largest shopping mall in the state of Illinois, the second largest being Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook. It is also one of the largest shopping malls in the United States. The mall features the traditional retailers JCPenney, Macy's, Nordstrom, and Primark.
BrickFest was the first convention for adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs) in the United States. The focus was to have fans bring their creations, often referred to as MOCs, to display and share with fellow enthusiasts.
A furry convention is a formal gathering of members of the furry fandom – people who are interested in the concept of fictional non-human animal characters with human characteristics. These conventions provide a place for fans to meet, exchange ideas, transact business and engage in entertainment and recreation centered on this concept. Originating in California, United States, during the mid-1980s, as of 2016 there are over 50 furry conventions worldwide each year.
Midwest FurFest (MFF) is a furry convention that takes place in Rosemont, Illinois, usually on the second weekend after Thanksgiving. MFF is presented by Midwest Furry Fandom Inc, an Illinois Educational Not-For-Profit Corporation that exists primarily for the purpose of holding an annual convention to facilitate education in anthropomorphic literature and art. It also facilitates the donation of funds to non-profit institutions, mainly of which promote the well-being of humans and/or animals. The convention was first held in 2000 and has grown to draw 13,641 attendees in 2022. As of July 2023, the 2022 event is the second most attended convention in fandom history.
Creation Entertainment is an American for-profit entertainment company located in Glendale, California, which produces fan conventions for fans of various films and television series, mainly in the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres. Creation Entertainment hosts about 20 conventions annually in various locations such as Chicago, Illinois; and Burbank, California. Creation was founded in 1971 by comic book fans Gary Berman and Adam Malin in New York City. Since then, it has organized over 2,300 conventions.
The Schaumburg Township District Library (STDL), located in Schaumburg, Illinois, is the second largest public library in Illinois. It serves the Schaumburg Township area, covering sections of Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Hanover Park, Roselle, and Elk Grove Village. Both Hoffman Estates and Hanover Park have branch libraries located in the villages. Annual circulation of materials totals approximately two million items, while nearly one million people visit the library each year.
BrickCon is a LEGO convention and exhibition in North America. It is held annually for adult fans of LEGO and hobbyists in Seattle, Washington. BrickCon runs 2–4 days, generally Thursday through Sunday, and is usually held the first weekend in October. The event brings together the fan community that has evolved as a result of the Internet and helps them explore and develop their LEGO hobby. BrickCon is not affiliated to the LEGO company. BrickCon is made up of two parts: the private convention and the public exhibition.
Lego Ninjago is a Lego theme that was created in 2011 and a flagship brand of The Lego Group. It is the first theme to be based on ninja since the discontinuation of the Lego Ninja theme in 2000. It was produced to coincide with the computer-animated television series Ninjago, which was superseded in 2023 by a new series titled Ninjago: Dragons Rising.
The Art of the Brick is a traveling exposition of sculptures made by Nathan Sawaya using Lego building bricks. It premiered in 2007 and as of 4 April 2022 continues to hold exhibitions around the world.
BrickFair is a Lego convention and exhibition held annually in the Eastern United States. It was first held in 2008 at Tysons Corner, Virginia by Todd Webb, and in subsequent years, the flagship Virginia convention has been held in Chantilly, typically during the first weekend of August. BrickFair is a four-day event, operating generally Thursday through Sunday. The convention displays Lego models, displays and trains, most often covering more than 100,000 square feet of convention space. BrickFair conventions are also held in New England and the Southeastern United States, with the advent of BrickFair Alabama in 2012 and BrickFair New England in 2013. BrickFair operates in every season and in four East Coast states. BrickFair is believed to be the largest Lego convention in the United States and one of the largest in the world. The Virginia convention has had up to 22,500 attendees in its public hours.
Brick Fiesta or BrickFiesta is a Lego convention and exhibition held yearly in Texas, United States. It was first held in 2011 at Austin, Texas. It is a four-day event, operating generally Thursday through Sunday, and is typically held during the late June or early July. The convention displays LEGO models, displays and trains covering up to 35,000 square feet of convention space. In 2011, several thousand attendees filled the convention throughout its public hours.
Brickfête is a Lego fan convention held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It became the first Canadian Lego convention for adult fans of Lego at its inaugural event in 2011. It was created by volunteers and organized by the Ontario Brick Builders (OBB). The main focus of the convention is for Lego fans and hobbyists bring their creations to display and share with fellow enthusiasts. Brickfête's mandate is to offer any fan, regardless of skill level or size of collection, a place to display their creations and to promote their revered hobby to new potential fans. Like other fan conventions, it offers workshops, presentations, special events, contests and challenges.
DashCon was a fan convention catering primarily to users of the blogging service Tumblr, with a particular emphasis on fandoms. Held over the weekend of July 11, 2014, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, Illinois, the inaugural convention quickly became infamous for allegations of mismanagement and corruption among organizers, an alleged abrupt demand by the hotel for an upfront payment of cash for use of its facilities, and celebrity guests being forced to drop out of the convention after they were informed by the hotel that they would be responsible for paying for their rooms. A small ball pit placed in one of the halls became a meme after organizers offered attendees an "extra hour" in the pit as reimbursement for a canceled panel.
Legoland Discovery Center Chicago is an indoor family entertainment center located in The Streets of Woodfield shopping center in Schaumburg, Illinois. The attraction includes Lego-themed rides, a soft play area, a 4D cinema, and a gift shop. Legoland Discovery Center Chicago is owned and operated by British leisure group Merlin Entertainments.
A comic book convention or comic con is a fan convention with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels, or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels, with a larger number of attendees participating in cosplay than most other types of fan conventions. Comic book conventions are also used as a vehicle for industry, in which publishers, distributors, and retailers represent their comic-related releases. Comic book conventions may be considered derivatives of science-fiction conventions, which began in the late 1930s.
The American Negro Exposition, also known as the Black World's Fair and the Diamond Jubilee Exposition, was a world's fair held in Chicago from July until September in 1940, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States at the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865.
Lego fandom is the fan community that exists around the Lego toys.
