Is FebRovery the Best Month of the Year?

Best of BrickNerd - Article originally published February 27, 2021.

The short and simple answer article is… YES! FebRovrey is clearly the best month of the year, and let me tell you why. Now before you go crazy and start making arguments for SHIPtember (yes Simon, it’s awesome as well) or NoVVember (that is actually a pretty awesome month too, by the way), let me explain why I love FebRovery so much that I decided to build an army of rovers and write an article about it.

Origins of FebRovery

The legend of FebRovery can be traced back to sometime in 2011 where the person behind this whole thing, Crimso Giger, first wrote this on Flickr: “I've created a new group called ‘LEGO Classic Space Rovers,’ dedicated to... well, Classic Space Rovers! You know, those silly little ground vehicles which were so common in the ‘80s to mid-’90s Space themes. The purpose of the group is to have fun!”

2011 seems to have been the official starting point, meaning that we are over a decade into marking this magnificent theme-month—which makes it even more fitting to write this article now! However, in 2011 the group was still called “LEGO Classic Space Rovers” so we need to jump forward a year before the first mention of the term FebRovery appears. That was the first year people started inviting other builders to join the group and share in the fun that is now synonymous with FebRovery. Since then, the number of rovers in that group has reached some seriously impressive proportions with around 3,500 photos!

When I first got into the AFOL community, I was pretty quickly fascinated with all the different theme-months. (Come on, slightly changing the name of the month to match it with a specific LEGO challenge? That’s pure comedy gold right there!) Like most “new” AFOLs, my collection was fairly limited at that time, and FebRovery was the perfect “gateway drug” to really get into the community as it doesn’t require a large number of pieces. Another aspect is that it has never really been a contest. Don’t get me wrong, contests are a lot of fun (I mean, did you see all the fun stuff submitted to Nerdly Strikes Back!?) and a great way to sharpen your skills as a builder, but sometimes you just want to kick back and build a silly little rover. In 2021, in honor of the 10th anniversary of FebRovery, I built more than ten rovers.

It’s All About the Wheels

So what the heck is FebRovery? Well, if you’ve read this far I assume you want some more insight. So let’s get into it. To me, the most important aspect of FebRovery is having a lot of fun (a very controversial stand, I know). Aside from that, FebRovery is all about the wheels! LEGO has produced a lot of wheels over the years so there’s no shortage of options to choose from. However, what’s become sort of a hallmark of this challenge is to make brick-built wheels (or tracks if that’s more your thing).

After going through some of the pictures in the group, it is truly mind-blowing how many ways there are to build wheels out of LEGO. This year, I built quite a few rovers and I decided early on that I wanted to focus on that particular aspect when building them. I did “cheat” a few times as I found some cool older wheels that I just had to use, but I have to admit that making brick-built wheels are a lot more fun.

Fair warning, making a round shape out of LEGO is not for the faint of heart… There is a really good chance that you may experience some slight frustration when you build with illegal connections… or so I’ve heard from other people…. not me… ok, it was me.

The Original Rover

So let’s jump back a bit and have a deeper look at the history of FebRovery as we celebrate the month! I reached out to some of the more prolific contributors in the FebRovery group on Flickr and got a lot of great responses. So let’s start with Crimso Giger, aka the man, the myth, the legend.

“Well first off, thanks for this great project! I'm not sure I'm the mastermind of FebRovery, I've just started the thing in a really improvised and simple way. And if people didn't follow so brilliantly it wouldn't have gone very far. Today, it's mostly builders like you, or Frost, or David Roberts (amongst others) that make the show, and it's quite cool for me as I don't have to run everywhere like I used to do some years ago with my big production.

What I really want to emphasize, and what brings me a lot of joy, is that 2021 can already be called a great FebRovery... with this real-life crown achievement that is Perseverance! And I'm happy to be a part of this army of artists that contributes to a certain sense of dream that is FebRovery!”

Here are just a few of Crimso’s rovers from over the years.

Some of Crimso’s rovers

The Spirit of FebRovery

In an interview with David Alexander Smith from 2017, Crimso gave some additional insight to the spirit of FebRovery:

“To be perfectly honest, the whole thing happened as a kind of accident. I’d uploaded some classic space style rovers on Flickr, saying humorously in the description, ‘I could build these all day long.’ People seemed amused by the idea and someone proposed it could be a theme for a month-long challenge, another that a cool name for it would be FebRovery… So from that simple beginning, it became a collective effort.

That said, I think I’ve provided the true impulse for the process, through the numerous creations I’ve made for that event over the years. I also put the emphasis on fun, where other month-long building challenges choose a more serious tone. The main point was not to create a contest; more a kind of party, with a theme that didn’t require too much time or parts to produce cool creations. I also avoided too precise guidelines, in order to give builders more freedom.

I really hope that this month-long challenge will remain popular in years to come! It’s probably this month that gives me the most fun and pleasure; sharing my models with such a creative and friendly community.”

I think it’s safe to say that Crimso’s wish came true as FebRovery is still attracting new builders and is still—more than 10 years into it—one of the most popular theme-months we have in the LEGO community. And more importantly, as Crimso himself was eager to emphasize when I chatted with him, the main focus of FebRovery remains having fun and promoting whimsical creativity. Something illustrated perfectly by Walter Whiteside Jr. and his radio rover.

Nostalgia and Invention

Moving further into the FebRovery lore, we find the above-mentioned David Alexander Smith, an avid rover-builder that was kind enough to share his thoughts about this magnificent month.

“FebRovery has always been the most joyous occasion for me, pulling together so many things that are great about the LEGO community. It’s a heady mixture of nostalgia and innovation all wrapped up in a fun, unpretentious community event. For a few weeks each year, it gets me on my knees building like a child again. There is little planning, but is mostly just the scattering of bricks and the serendipity involved in discovering crazy new ways to build. Finding a familiar element and suddenly seeing how it can be adapted to rover design is the thrill that keeps me feverishly building through the month.

For those of us who have children, it also gives us a chance to build together with our kids, explore the nature of construction conventions with them as well as sharing the unparalleled wonder of the Classic Space theme. And when the community gets behind an idea like this, it brings out the best in us AFOLs. Checking the FebRovery feed during this period is like watching a fireworks display of childhood magic and unrestricted imagination.”

Here are a few of David Alexander Smith’s rovers from over the years:

A few of the rovers David Alexander Smith has built over the years

Classic Space Makes You Smile

Another guy synonymous with small rovers, often accompanied by a smiling classic space figure, is David Roberts who had this to say on the topic.

“I enjoy how the first Classic Space sets were small and simple and had a very limited palette, yet the variations which can be built in that style are huge. I also like how the Classic Spacemen were always smiling, always busy, always purposeful, yet we never found out what kept them so busy.

FebRovery is fun because it's not a competition, so there's no pressure. You just build a LEGO space or sci-fi vehicle and that's it. The world is your oyster! You can build whatever happens to inspire you that month: sensible or silly, big or small. There's a lot of freedom and friendliness. You don't need loads of bricks to build something SHIP-sized or even the latest colours or parts. I've discovered several builders to follow this year and do every year and it's often folk who've done something creative with just a handful of bricks.

Regarding the most important feature on rovers, the Vehicle Design Department of Llwyngwril Systems would probably tell you it’s something that makes the vehicle impractical or just downright dangerous (if a lot of the rovers I've made over the years are anything to go by, haha!). Aside from that, wheels!”

Here are a few of David Robert’s rovers from over the years:

Some of David Roberts favourite rovers

Building a Story

Last, but by no means least, I got a hold of Frost. One of the most prolific rover builders that roam Flickr these days and someone that often tells a story with his builds.

“I have such fond memories of the LEGO Space sets of the late '80s and early '90s. I was always so excited to see the new catalog and find a new faction being introduced. Wheeled space vehicles have always appealed to me. Something about trundling around and exploring the surface of some strange alien world.

FebRovery is about that same child-like excitement and boundless imagination. It is not a contest, and there are no strict constraints on form or features. This is a place for me to build what I enjoy building and an opportunity to share it with others who appreciate the same things. In 2015, and every year since, I have challenged myself to publish a new rover for each day in February. I guess the best word to describe my motivation to build a rover-a-day is compulsion, haha!

I enjoy the silly storytelling, creating new characters and have lately moved into building one continuous story for FebRovery. I start off with a basic outline of the plot in my mind, but I like to improvise along the way and see where it takes me. I often start with a character, or a color scheme or an idea for some new strange wheel combination, and the build begins there. Sometimes the whole rover is built to illustrate a joke or a pun. “

Here are five of Frost’s favorite features:

Five favourites from Frost

Why FebRovery Is the Best

I’ll try and wrap this thing up as most of you are probably tired of hearing me go on about FebRovery, and would much rather just sit down and build a silly rover! At least I hope you do, because it’s a really great way to relax and find some joy in an otherwise really stressful time. But I think it is clear why FebRovery is still going strong. FebRovery brings out the creativity and wonder in each of us. It gives us an excuse to play, to build with unconventional parts, to be inspired by our fellow LEGO fans, and have fun in a non-competitive atmosphere.

I feel very honored to have been able to write this article as a tribute to all the wonderful people in our community that contribute to making February into FebRovery—the best month of the year!

And that’s why FebRovery is the best month of the year!

What’s your favourite theme-month in the LEGO community? Do you agree that FebRovery is the most fun and have you built any rovers yourself? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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