This weekend, April 27-29, the Colorado Convention Center comes alive with LEGO ingenuity and child-like creativity. The giant traveling LEGO expo, LEGO KidsFEST has arrived in Denver!

LEGO KidsFest! It’s a hands-on, educational experience cleverly disguised as a whole bunch of fun! There are millions upon billions of LEGO bricks spread across three acres. Let’s get real here, there’s a bazillion LEGO bricks, my 8-year-old daughter confirmed it.

There is something for every member of the family at LEGO KidsFEST. The allure of building anything your mind can conjure is timeless and thriving.

Younger kids can fuel their imagination and build their motor skills at the LEGO DUPLO build area.

Families can compete together in speed tower builds and other cool activities in the LEGO Challenge Zone. Flex your fingers and find your inner builder! 

What can you build with bricks of a single color and of the same size? Three monochromatic build stations challenge you to creatively think outside the LEGO brick color wheel. Enjoy a taste of Honest Kids organic drink after you’ve created a Lime Green Monochrome Build.

Racers! Start your engines! First, you have to build the engine and the car. Then prepare to challenge your neighbor to a racing duel. Find out who can build the fastest, funnest LEGO car then go head to head on the LEGO race ramp – or maybe just climb all over the ramp, that’s fun too!

Help build a LEGO Nation at the Creation Nation Station. Create your own building, vehicle, landmark, or something totally new and different then chose where your architectural marvel live on the giant map of the United States. My daughter’s “Trilding” and my gazebo are sitting in the general area of Colorado on the map. What a thrill to think our creations will be there all weekend while the LEGO nation grows around it. Visit www.LEGOKidsFest.com next week to see the collective creative genius on the completed map.

 The shapely ladies of LEGO Friends, the newest LEGO line launch, are causing a stir with some parents who believe they are just too curvy. Judging by the smiles and squeals of delights in the LEGO Friends cottage section, the new design resonates with girls. Imagine placing bows and ribbons on female LEGO characters in skirts. The Friends can ride horses to a garden party or visit the malt shop. These aren’t your brothers yellow, red, and blue LEGO bricks.

What’s a convention without some instruction? Attend a lecture at the LEGO Master Builder Academy then lay your hands on some bricks and put that new knowledge to work. Be sure to get your raffle tickets at the Academy for a chance to win brand new LEGO kits not yet available in stores.

It’s every child’s dream and the nightmare of every parent whose tender feet have trampled LEGO bricks in the dead of night: The BIG Brick Pile, sponsored by The Denver Post, inspires the most amazing creative results. Crawl on it, sit on it, stomp over it, even lay down on the largest pile of LEGO you’ve ever seen. And don’t you know it, when I knelt down to take the picture, you guessed it, LEGO brick to the knee.

Next to the BIG Brick Pile, Bissell is showing off their Perfect Sweep Turbo, a battery-operated sweeper that conveniently picks up small LEGO bricks.

Kait, you missed a few bricks behind you.

 LEGO KidsFEST is the quintessential LEGO experience outside of LEGOLand. Our neighbors at Creation Nation said LEGO KidsFEST is just like LEGOLand without the rides but just as much fun.

 If you have your tickets for the sold-out event, get ready to walk! Parents, you may notice the volume of thousands of kids sorting through bins of LEGO, you know that sound. Be sure to check out the Marketplace for amazing sets and super deals that you won’t find in toy stores. I didn’t know you could satisfy your inner Frank Lloyd Wright via LEGO Architecture!

 Be sure to oogle and marvel at the life-sized LEGO Models displayed throughout the Center. The countours and the colors and the detail of the models is astounding. Hagrid is massive, R2-D2 looks like he’s ready to roll, and Indiana Jones is so life-like. I nearly complimented Batman on his rippling leg muscles!

Kids you’re going to have a blast using bricks of every size and color in different formats from timed challenges to freestyle. Parents, jump right in there and build your own masterpiece along side your kids – you may find you have as much fun as the kids!

Both Saturday and Sunday are sold out and no tickets will be available at the door but stay-up-to date on future LEGO KidsFEST events by signing up for their newsletter at www.LEGOkidsfest.com and be sure to give their Facebook page a LIKE!