Portsmouth Brick Festival returns to the Guildhall

If you have a house full of Lego, the Portsmouth Brick Festival is the sort of thing that is easy to build around. It comes back to Portsmouth Guildhall on Sunday 15 November, running from 10am to 4pm, and it is aimed squarely at collectors, builders and fans of all ages. The event has been running since 2018 and is put on by Brick Festival Events, so it is a fixture rather than a one-off.

The building itself is worth a look. Portsmouth Guildhall sits in Guildhall Square, a pedestrianised spot near both the Portsmouth and Southsea stations, and it has a fair bit of history behind it. It was designed in a neoclassical style by Leeds architect William Hill, with a main facade of 17 bays separated by Corinthian columns and a large portico topped by a pediment carved by sculptor Henry Thomas Margetson. The Prince and Princess of Wales opened it on 9 August 1890, and the site had previously been the home of the Commanding Officer of Artillery. It was not without its scars, either: enemy incendiary bombs hit the building on 10 January 1941 during the Second World War, gutting the interior and the roof, before it was rebuilt and reopened by HM The Queen on 8 June 1959. Today it is Grade II listed, and the Guildhall Trust that runs it has been a registered charity since 2011, with the main hall holding up to 2,500 people standing.

Inside, the day is built around doing rather than just looking. There are speed-building competitions, challenges led by master builders, scavenger hunts, gaming zones and a dedicated area where you can build your own models, plus a Lego remote-controlled car zone and a separate building area. A new set of displays is put together by experienced builders from across the UK, and you can meet them and pick up tips. Past years have turned up a large-scale Mos Eisley Spaceport diorama from Star Wars and a Great Ball Contraption running over 30 feet long, so there is no real clue what this year will land on.

For anyone who likes to hunt for parts, the trader stalls are a big part of the appeal. They sell loose bricks, new and retired sets, minifigures and accessories across a range of budgets, and you can fill a large Pick-&-Build Cup with loose bricks from £8.

Tickets are worth sorting in advance, because that is how you secure a preferred entry time. Early Bird tickets are £13 and get you in from 10am with a free Lego gift on arrival. Standard adult tickets are £8, children aged 5 to 12 are £6 and a family ticket for two adults and two children is £20, all with entry from 11am. Under-fives go free with a paying adult, and carers get in free with a ticket holder who needs assistance. It is a straightforward day out for anyone who would rather spend their Sunday building than doing much else.