For those of us in central North Carolina, LEGO-Palooza has been an annual event since 2005.  Put on by the North Carolina Lego Users Group (NCLUG) and hosted by the Morehead Planetarium at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

As a new member of the NCLUG, this will be my first time participating as an exhibitor at this grand event. It brings me to an interesting conundrum – LEGO has always been somewhat a solitary hobby and passion for me.  The idea of taking my models, displaying them in public and  – God forbid – someone touching them kind of freaks me out.

LEGO Expert Carousel 10257

Since I am a novice with the NCLUG group, I wasn’t quite prepared for this year’s Palooza. A number of the more seasoned members have been thinking about and preparing for the weekend for a number of months. In addition, I am the king of half finished projects so I don’t have many models ready for their public debut.

So… A call went out across the LUG. “Does anyone have any of the motorized Amusement Park sets?” I raised my hand and volunteered myself and my collection of sets. So now I’m in the process of dusting, checking and changing the batteries in my Roller Coaster, Merry-go-round/Carousel and  Ferris wheel.

If you have an opportunity to come and experience the LEGO-Palooza this year, and you happen to notice the Amusement Park sets at the entrance to the event by the ticket table, just remember – PLEASE DON’T TOUCH MY LEGO! Actually, please don’t touch anyone’s LEGO. I am certain all of us exhibiting have a certain level of anxiety about handling and potential damage to our prized collections, but as a first time Palooza-xibitor (it’s a real word) my concern is a little closer to the surface.

So come join us, enjoy the displays, the food trucks and the vendors.