LAC LA BICHE - For the past decade, LEGO enthusiasts in the Lac La Biche area have had the opportunity to showcase their creations and win prizes at the annual LEGO competition hosted by Lac La Biche County Libraries.
Once again, people of all ages will be building interesting and unique LEGO innovations to be put on display and judged at the competition, which is set to take place on Feb. 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Stuart MacPherson Public Library branch in Lac La Biche.
Yes, there are rules
While putting together houses, spaceships, and castles out of LEGO blocks may be a lot of fun, according to Carly Moller of Lac La Biche County Libraries, those entering builds into the competition are required to follow certain guidelines.
“All creations must be made using authentic LEGO bricks, no off brands,” she told Lakeland This Week. “And all creations must be original ideas of the maker, as LEGO kits will not be judged.”
Moller said people who are placing their LEGO builds into the 2025 competition must drop them off between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Feb. 1. She added that there is an online registration form on the public library system’s website to be filled out prior to entries being dropped off. All entries, she added, need to be picked up between 4-5 p.m. by their makers.
“People can stop in and use our onsite LEGO to create and enter a creation if they wish to do so, allowing everyone to have a chance to enter,” she stated.
Categories
This year’s race to determine who has the best LEGO creations, Moller explained, includes six different categories: 0-6 years, 7-11 years, 12–17-years, 18+ years, as well as Best Onsite Build and Viewer’s Choice. Judging will be based on creativity, aesthetic, complexity, and presentation.
Judging for five of the six categories, she said, will be done by staff and volunteers during the day of the competition, while the Viewer’s Choice award will see images of projects uploaded online to the library system’s social media page to allow the public to choose the best creation.
The winners of the 2025 LEGO competition will be announced between Feb. 10-14. Prizes range from LEGO themed goodie bags, to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) kits and of course LEGO kits.
Something for everyone
The LEGO competition will feature various onsite activities for all to participate in, including a LEGO figurine scavenger hunt, LEGO building challenges, and a chance to do artwork with Perler Beads - plastic fusible beads that are often used in making necklaces, woven into keychains, and other items.
“Along with those activities, people will be able to enjoy viewing the competition entries,” said Moller.
The competition continues to add engagement and traffic to local resources and allows people to not only participate and possibly win prizes but also become more familiar with what the library has to offer.
Moller stated that last year’s competition went very well. It featured 35 entries and around 150 people who stopped into the library to enjoy the day.
“Our annual LEGO competition is a program that allows us to promote community building, socialization, creativity and fun for all ages, abilities, and incomes,” she said.