RAILFest is back on Ministers Island for its second year of train-centric Lego building.
The festival has a working model train that people can interact with, including sending it around the tracks with the push of a button.
Patrick Bourgoin, the president of The Maritime Lego Users Group (MariLUG), said that his favourite part of the full display is his rendition of the McAdam Railway Station – an iconic New Brunswick landmark.
“Because it’s local and it was a big effort to design and order the parts,” said Bourgoin. “There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that went into it so far, if Lego has such a thing.”
The McAdam Railway Station is just one stop in N.B. along the Canadian-Pacific Railway (CPR), of which Sir William Van Horne of Ministers Island supervised the construction.
“Ministers Island is the appropriate location for the event because it links the model railway with the man who was the pioneer of railway-going in Canada,” said John Kelly, who is a member of the Ministers Island board.
While Bourgoin works on his model, there will also be a chance for kids, or kids-at-heart, to take part in a Lego building competition to win Lego sets.
“There will be two big bins of brick so you can come and use that and build something yourself,” said Bourgoin. “There’s going to be a public area for adding to the layout, so you can come build your own thing that will become part of it.”
At the end of every day during the festival, the creations from the public will be judged by the members of MariLUG. The individuals who put the most effort and creativity into their creations will get the prize.
MariLUG is a Lego-recognized hobbyist group with many members across the Maritimes.
The organization will also have an art station in the lower level of the bath house where people can draw or colour if they don’t feel like building Lego.
This year, the island will also have a special exhibit in the museum featuring rare historic timepieces from the train workers who were running the railway across Canada.
Brian MacDonald of Macklem House will also be presenting about the history of the artifacts.
Kelly said that the festival has proven to be a “record-breaking day” with the island getting over 1,200 visitors each day last year.
He said that this is because it provides an opportunity for adults and kids to get involved with the history of the island.
“Adults get to see the heritage of the mansion, and their children get to … play with the model train display,” said Kelly.
For Ministers Island’s opening hours during the festival and more information, visit RAILFest | Ministers Island. RAILFest continues from Aug. 2 to Aug. 10. Several presentations from Brian MacDonald will take place from Aug. 2 to Aug. 4.
