Brickworld Chicago is only a few days away! We just want to take a couple minutes of your time and walk through the logistics of how load-in will work. Trust us, it’s okay, put the bricks down and take a short break, maybe get a drink, grab a few seconds of sunshine, and commit this info to memory so you’re prepped when you get to the convention center. Some of this information will be obvious, we know. But we want you to have everything in one place in case you have questions. So, without further ado…
Where:
Adventure, Discovery & Exploration Halls
Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel
1551 N. Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg, IL 60173
847.303.4100
When:
Main load-in for displays will be on Wednesday afternoon, June 15th from 1 PM – 5 PM and Thursday morning, June 16th from 8 AM through 12 PM (noon) CDT.
How to Load In (and more when):
Large Displays: If you are part of a LUG or LTC, or if you have a large display requiring a flatbed cart or hand truck, you will need to make sure you are at the convention hall to unload during the times above, as these are the only hours that the large 20ft wide/tall “elephant” doors will be accessible (since a dock warden must be present). If you are unable to be at the hall and unloaded during the times listed above, please contact us immediately so that we can make other arrangements. Weather permitting, you will be able to drive your vehicles into the display hall to drop off tables/displays. Access will be permitted on a first come, first served basis and requires explicit approval from Bryan, Kevin or Alison. The ramp to drive-in to the hall is at the northeast corner of the convention hall. Please line up in an orderly fashion, taking care not to block the roadway or parking areas. It will be up to our discretion whether or not your vehicle will be able to drive in, based on how many other vehicles are already in the hall, the size of the vehicle you have, what you need to unload, and whether or not you’ve been off-roading recently. So, ask BEFORE you wait in line.
Small Displays: Individuals with smaller displays will be allowed to hand-carry their displays in through the front doors of the halls anytime after 1 PM Wednesday afternoon. You do not need to be in before 5 PM unless your display will not fit through a standard 30 inch doorway.
Vendors: You may load in through the front doors of the halls anytime after 1 PM Wednesday afternoon. You do not need to be in before 5 PM unless your display will not fit through a standard 30 inch doorway. If you feel you need to drive in to unload, you need to follow the rules of Large Displays above. This includes getting approval from Bryan, Kevin, or Alison.
Individual & Group display spaces will be marked off on a poster which will be on display at the front of the hall. Once you have arrived, please consult the map before bringing in your displays. This will help you determine where to go without the struggle of a handful of displays. If you or your club have opted to bring your own tables, there will be tape marking off the corners of your area on the floor. If you do not see your name/club listed on the poster, please contact Kevin or Alison for assistance.
Alison and Kevin will be available on Wednesday 1 PM and 5 PM and Thursday 9 AM – 5 PM to answer questions and direct folks to their locations. For any questions prior to Wednesday, you can also reach out to us by email at brickworldlayout at gmail.com.
Friday: If you are not scheduled to arrive until Friday, you will be able to hand-carry your displays through the front doors of the display hall during the day and evening.
How to Load Out on Sunday: We will open the large doors on Sunday starting at 3:30 PM. The dock master controls how many cars are allowed in the room at once. Because of the number of people (especially kids) in the room, we require that any vehicle entering the room be escorted by 2 people walking with the vehicle. Do not bring your vehicle into the room until you are fully ready to put stuff in the vehicle and then exit the room. While your vehicle is in the room, there are other vehicles that will not be allowed to enter. Please follow direction given to you by a Brickworld coordinator, Brickworld staff, or the dock master. They are probably taking factors into consideration that you might not be aware of and it will just help keep things running smoothly. Remember that by Sunday afternoon we are all tired. Do not plan to drive in Sunday unless it is absolutely necessary. It just makes life simpler because there are so many people packing and leaving at the same time.
Other Info:
All displays are required to be set up by 10 AM Saturday morning, prior to beginning of public day hours, and must remain up until 3 PM Sunday afternoon at the close of public hours.
You may not have all sides viewable that you requested. There are simply too many displays and special requests each year to accomodate them all. At least one major side of each display is directly viewable from an aisle. Please be flexible and remember that attendees will have plenty of opportunity to see your display up close from any side.
Trailer parking is located on the West side of the South parking lot. Please do not put trailers in the parking spots closest to the building.
Power drops for displays will go to the general area of your tables, but are shared with multiple displayers. You may need to bring your own extension cords and/or power strips. Please plan accordingly.
If you requested table cloths and they are not at your tables upon arrival, please stop by the registration desk to get some.
Posts/crossbars for the crowd barriers will not be delivered to your tables until Friday afternoon/evening. Any help putting these up around your displays is very much appreciated.
A word of caution – while we make every attempt to keep the event space secure, the event hall is generally open for the entire day and well into the evening and early morning hours each night. Besides the attendees, hotel/convention staff and others may have access to the event space. It is unfortunate to mention, but we all need to be aware of the possibility of theft. Please do not leave valuables like purses, wallets, cameras, phones, notebook computers and the like out in the open and unattended. When you leave the hall, take them with you, or at the very least hide them. If you have pieces or minifigs on your displays that you cannot bear to lose, our suggestion is that you place them towards the center of your displays or towards the back of the tables, and take them with you when you leave, otherwise, you may find it better to simply leave them at home. If you spot anyone taking anything from another person’s display, please notify one of the coordinators immediately. We have a ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY when it comes to stealing. You will forfeit the rest of your event priviledges, and will not be allowed to attend future Brickworld events anywhere they may be held.
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Finally, we just want to say that we are excited to see all of you and the amazing things you’ve built! One of the best parts of the event is seeing old friends and making new ones. Make sure to step out from behind your display during the event to walk around and check out everyone else’s work, and spend some time talking with your fellow builders. Above all, have fun! Safe travels, and we’ll see you next week!
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