Still enduring as the most popular toy requested at Christmas, there is no doubting the appeal of LEGO. It’s popularity is so great that the Excel Arena in London is the venue chosen to exhibit all the very best that LEGO has to offer.
With models ranging from Minifigures to a life-sized Woolly Mammoth, and “LEGO pits” containing millions of the world famous bricks, there is, quite literally, something for everyone at this LEGO lovers paradise.
It is the mammoth, together with a Sabre-Toothed Tiger and a full size caveman who greet the thousands of eager visitors to the arena and, almost immediately, we are all immersed into the world of LEGO.
There are opportunities to join in with Guinness World Record attempts, to create the largest LEGO mosaic or the largest LEGO snowman, and, at the far end of the arena, there is a large stage where the latest LEGO sets and the newly released LEGO Dimensions computer game are showcased to a very eager and enthusiastic audience.
All around the arena there are a number of LEGO models, like Batman, Hagrid, the Ninja Turtles, Scooby Doo and creatures from Lego Chima, who provide endless photo opportunities.
Toys R Us have a huge area where all things LEGO are available for sale and together with various other stands selling clothing, and also some vitage LEGO sets as well, a full market place is created.
There are also a number of festively decorated concession cabins featuring a variety of charities and retailers who have items that are of interest to both adults and children, including some very tasty LEGO brick shaped lollipops.
Food is readily available, which is a very good thing as, with so much to see, do and buy at the event and a full programme of events each day, this is very much a “full day out” for all of those who attend.
On a personal note, the LEGO model highlights were the absolutely stunning models of Hogwarts, which has some of the walls deliberately removed so that the room interiors, featuring many of the iconic scenes from the films faithfully recreated, can be seen and a model of Her Majesty’s Theatre, London (pictured) which, as with the Hogwarts model, has the interior, featuring an audience watching a performance of Phantom of the Opera, on view.
After a full day of looking at the models, listening to the LEGO experts showing off their latest creations and spending as much time as we can playing with all the LEGO available we head off home, totally exhausted but vowing to come back next year because, as we all know, you’re never too old to play with LEGO.
