A Guide to the LEGO Festival at LEGOLAND New York

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting a LEGOLAND theme park, you know the feeling of stepping into a world built entirely from LEGO, where every turn offers something to see, do, and build. The rides, Miniland, and food all come together for an experience that any LEGO fan has to have at least once in their lives (if not more).

But going beyond the basic LEGOLAND experience, these parks become even more alive during seasonal events like Red, White and Boom in the summer (in the US), Brick-or-Treat in the fall, and the Holiday Bricktacular in the winter. These overlays take an already exciting day and take it to the next level, adding themed entertainment, exclusive activities, and some exclusive sweet treats.

This year, I was lucky enough to experience LEGOLAND’s newest seasonal addition: the LEGO Festival, taking place on weekends through June 8th. This new overlay for the late spring and early summer months is a colorful, immersive experience that adds five interactive zones, exclusive food and merch, and live performances. For longtime visitors like myself, it’s something new to entice people back to the parks. For first-timers, it’s an extra layer of LEGO fun added to an already jam-packed day.

Taking advantage of the invitation to go on behalf of LEGO and LEGOLAND, I visited the park on a sunny Saturday and brought with me some friends and their kids who had never been to LEGOLAND NY together before, including their energetic 9-year-old and a joyfully chaotic 2-year-old. I gave the family some of the swag that was sent as well as a few of my minifigures so they could trade them throughout the day. Watching the park unfold through their eyes was exciting, and the LEGO Festival added new color, literally and figuratively, to the overall experience.

Before we even got to the park, the kids had already traded minifigures with one of the helpful employees directing foot traffic from the upper parking lot to the park’s entrance. The day was off to a great start.

Getting Started: Lanyards and Play Pacts

The LEGO Festival begins at the top of the park with an opening ceremony and a booth where guests can pick up park maps and a lanyard for the kids, complete with a series of informational cards. (I had to make my case that I was a kid at heart just to get one—and it worked.) The park was absolutely decked out in LEGO Festival theming: flags, banners, employees in purple shirts, and booths at nearly every turn. The branding is robust. There’s no missing that the Festival is happening, and my first impression was simply, “Whoa—they’ve really done this properly.”

The lanyards came with nine attached cards, each one introducing the new Festival characters, explaining the five themed zones and their activities, and showing where to go for more information. You’ll also receive a stamp card. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to visit all five zones, complete the featured activities, and collect a unique stamp at each one. Once your card is fully stamped, you can head back to the main booth to take the “Play Pact” pledge, promising to keep the creative fun going. If you do all that, you’ll receive an exclusive LEGO Festival sticker as your reward.

It’s a cute idea, but let’s be honest. It’s a lot to absorb in the moment, especially if you’ve never been to the park before. The printed materials are dense, and the festival-specific signage, while vibrant and themed, sometimes blends into the already-busy landscape of the park. A simplified version for kids or a visual “trail” might help make things clearer in future years. And if you’re juggling kids and a stroller, you’re not stopping to read that much.

That said, stamp collecting gives kids a clear sense of purpose and something they can visually track as they move through the park. I saw some kids absolutely determined to collect every stamp, while others treated it as a fun bonus along the way. With our lanyards hanging around our necks, we set off into the park, swinging by the Creative Workshop where the Master Model Builders were hard at work. One of them stepped out to build some creations with the kids while we chatted with other builders about what they were working on and the behind-the-scenes effort it takes to pull off something as expansive as the LEGO Festival.

After a short visit, we headed to the Dragon Coaster to try and beat the lines before continuing on to our first LEGO Festival zone. Along the way, the dad who came with us shared how impressed he was with one of the model builders: “Dave was amazing. He came over, built some simple creations, and showed my son a few cool tricks. It was a small moment, but it made a big impression.” Moments like that are where LEGOLAND New York really shines. By making their model shop so accessible, they create opportunities to both impress and inspire kids through the creativity and craftsmanship on display.

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Gaming Zone: Dancing Bananas & LEGO Sushi

After riding the Dragon Coaster a few times (no line!), our first LEGO Festival stop was the Gaming Zone, tucked between the Castle and City areas on the far side of the park.

Clearly inspired by Fortnite, the area was bursting with bright colors, digital displays, bean bag chairs, and yes, Peely the Banana, who dances with kids at scheduled times throughout the day. At first, the crowd was a bit shy, but once one brave kid jumped in to dance with Peely, it quickly turned into a full group activity. The Peely costume looked fantastic, perfectly resembling an upscaled minifigure. His human handler, however, nearly stole the show with moonwalks and dance-offs that had both kids and adults laughing.

Next to the dance-off area were two build activities. We started by building LEGO sushi using sample instructions, then moved on to creating banana trees on a pre-designed base with a pile of themed pieces. Following the inspiration photos to complete the builds proved a bit challenging for the kids—after all, not many kids are passionate about sushi. Plus, it suffered from the classic “I built it, now I want to keep it” effect. The staff member had to gently repeat, over and over, that the builds couldn’t be taken home, but always did so with a smile.

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For the adults, this zone offered a chance to sit down while watching their kids play, build, and dance. (I even spotted one dad sneaking in a quick nap.) There was also a brick-built Fortnite sculpture in the space, surrounded by walls absolutely packed with printed content about the game. Honestly, the sheer amount of information was a bit overwhelming—there was a lot to read, and not a lot of time to take it all in. Still, the Gaming Zone made for a fun and energetic first stop on our LEGO Festival journey.

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One note to add, we didn’t actually know where all the Festival Zones were when we first set out. Thankfully, Kristen, one of the ever-helpful employees in a bright purple festival-themed shirt, pointed us in the right direction and patiently answered every question we had. LEGOLAND NY has small guest services booths scattered throughout the park, so you’re never too far from help, whether you need directions, medical assistance, or just a friendly face. I’ve been visiting the park since it opened, and I’ve run into Kristen on many occasions. It’s always a pleasure to see her and catch up. She embodies the kind of consistent, thoughtful presence that makes repeat visits so enjoyable.

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Dance Zone: Songs & Sweet Treats

Next up was the Dance Zone, located near the 4D Theater, right on top of where the large brick-built Statue of Liberty minifigure sculpture normally stands. In its place, a new costumed character, Eber Riff, took center stage alongside a few energetic cast performers ready to dance the day away. The main activity was a playful freeze dance game, with instructions that changed depending on whether you were a kid, an adult, or even what color you were wearing.

For those not inclined to dance, there was a mosaic-building activity set up behind the stage. Kids received an 8x8 plate printed with a color guide and had access to bins of 1x1 bricks sorted by color to complete one square of a larger collaborative mural. Both the 9-year-old and I completed a section and happily collected our stamps.

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Mosaic building is a great activity, especially for those who need a bit more of a guided building activity, though it is a bit more challenging early in the day since you can’t yet see how your piece fits into the final picture. The dad in our group later mentioned that they never got to see the completed mural, so if you’re a completionist or just curious, it’s worth swinging back at the end of the day to see how far it got.

Here’s a photo of a completed section, courtesy of Brickset. Also, kudos to whoever takes the mosaic apart and re-sorts all those tiny bricks by color every day! It’s a small detail, but it speaks to the overall dedication of the cast members, performers, and Model Citizens working at LEGOLAND.

The performers in the Dance Zone worked hard to keep kids engaged, dancing non-stop in heavy costumes under the sun, waving and clapping enthusiastically, even if a handful of families joined in initially. But their energy never dropped. The same could be said for the staff in the Gaming Zone. It was clear they were doing everything they could to make the experience fun, not just for the kids participating, but also for those just watching from the sidelines.

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This area was also the first to have LEGO Festival-themed treats! (Keep an eye out for a purple rolling cart and umbrella because it can be a little hard to spot without signage.) First, the Disco Lemonade ($8.99)—a sweet and slightly creamy lemonade drink with edible glitter and a light-up coaster. The drink was fine and essentially a fancy Minute Maid, but in the bright sun and wind, the light-up element was barely visible, and the cream melted fast. Napkins are a must.

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Far better was the Tune’ghulu ($9.99), a trio of fresh fruit skewers dipped in a crunchy sugar-glass coating. Sticky but delicious, it was easily the most photogenic treat of the festival. Don’t skip it, just be ready to wipe a few fingers (and faces) afterward. The mandarin orange slices were our group’s favorite, though some kids may struggle with the larger strawberries, which were tricky to bite through thanks to their size and the hard candy shell. (Though as an aside, my favorite LEGOLAND treat will always and forever be the Granny Apple Fries. Yum!)

Chill-Out Zone: Storytime & Flowers

At the heart of the park sits the Chill-Out Zone, cleverly built into LEGOLAND NY’s central hub. Ivy-covered archways framed the space as guests were invited to build their own LEGO flowers using a curated set of botanical parts. This area felt like a breather—a place to enjoy the sunshine without a screen, a stage, or an impending ride. It was honestly the best use I’ve seen of that space in the park to date—quiet but active, and calming without being dull. Just be aware that getting there involves a set of stairs unless you’re coming from the Castle area or Miniland, which offer more accessible routes.

I also have to say this is where the BrickNerd mascot Nerdly and I parted. I brought it along for photos, but put it down to place my flower on a wall and didn’t notice that a nearby kid quickly “adopted” it and ran off. Farewell Nerdly, I’m sure your next adventure will be a fun one! (Plus, I can just build another small one, unlike our Mega Nerdly from a few years ago.)

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I built my flower and placed it on a large display wall covered in leaves, then collected my third stamp—more than halfway done! Nearby, I watched a parent really getting into building a flower, only to have their kid tug at their sleeve and say, “Come on, let’s go!” It was a sweet reversal of the usual dynamic and an example of how the festival invites everyone to play, not just the little ones.

The area was again staffed by some amazing people manning the flower wall and parts (again, who takes them all apart and sorts them overnight!?) Of all the LEGO Festival zones, this one felt the most “permanent” in design and atmosphere, and the vibe was just right.

On the other side of the flower wall, Hopsy the Duplo mascot arrived for pictures while a nearby performer read stories with theatrical flair. Bean bags and umbrellas offered some comfort and shade, and bins of DUPLO bricks encouraged kids to build along with the story, like creating a bridge for Hopsy and his friends to cross a river.

Behind them, I noticed a DJ tapping away at a tablet, subtly orchestrating the music, microphones, and mood. It made me realize and appreciate how many people it takes to run a theme park and how many more people something like the LEGO Festival requires on top of the usual LEGOLAND experience.

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Creative Zone: Master Building & Creative Cookies

On the opposite side of the central hub was the Creative Zone with two building activities. The first was another large bin of parts where guests could build landscapes on white bases with an existing white city. We built a bit and got a quick stamp. But the main focus of the area was a relaxed, classroom-style setup with picnic tables and curated pieces for timed building challenges, which changed every hour to keep things fresh and engaging.

Another performer kicked off a build session and introduced a special guest, Master Builder Alec from LEGOLAND Discovery Centers and social media fame. A vertical screen played pre-recorded segments of a conversation with Alec, giving building challenges, tips and ideas. The whole illusion was pulled off surprisingly well and the “conversation” flowed naturally. I was genuinely impressed by whoever scripted and coordinated it because it felt so seamless and engaging.

I looked around and at the back was the roaming DJ, quietly controlling all the experiences from her tablet again, making the whole experience feel as magical as possible.

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These classes certainly took a bit more time and are more for kids who excel in a structured environment rather than a creative free-for-all. Consider it more of an advanced building workshop, though the topic changes throughout the day, so do the parts they bring out to teach techniques.

The Creative Zone also has two LEGO Festival-themed treats. First up was a Bouncing Boba drink ($12.99), which was flavored milk and colorful boba with some dramatic smokey bubbles on top. You could choose the flavor of milk and boba pearls (which were the exploding kind with flavor inside—much easier for kids to drink). Because of the wind, it was a little hard to get the smoke-filled bubbles to stick. Anwar, the server, deserves special praise for selling the magic of it with charm and energy, even when the wind tried to sabotage his bubble tricks.

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The other treat was a bit more creative and possibly the most on-brand of them all. It was a blank LEGO Minifigure Head Cookie ($12.99), served with edible markers so you could draw your own minifig face… before devouring it. I thought this was one of the best LEGO Festival food offerings: interactive, portable, and substantial enough to feel worth the price. I drew a minifigure with glasses in memory of my dearly departed Nerdly, while a friend recreated the classic LEGO smile—it looked amazing. The cookie itself was tasty, though I’d recommend not waiting too long to eat it. I saved one for photos and it went a little stale after a few days. As a bonus, the box includes a removable LEGO Festival sticker exclusive to the event.

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Music Zone: Battle of the Bands

The final stamp came at the Music Zone, located in the amphitheater area where they do all the shows. At select times throughout the day, they have a live stage show featuring four new costumed LEGO characters in a musical battle of the bands along with a slew of other energetic performers. The show is tightly choreographed, with live vocals, dancing, and character interactions, as two bands compete, then join forces to headline the LEGO Festival.

The songs were surprisingly catchy and written specifically for the LEGO Festival. The music felt vaguely familiar, and I was genuinely impressed when the lyrics managed to rhyme “decibel” with “festival.” (A week later, I even caught myself humming the tune—much to my own surprise!) Once again, the performers gave it their all, even with a smaller crowd for our specific show. Afterward, kids had the chance to meet some of the band members and take photos. Up close, I was especially impressed with the new minifigure costume characters—they looked fantastic, and I couldn’t help but wonder how the performers see out of them.

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We collected our final stamp as we exited the show. This might be the trickiest one to get, since the performance only runs at specific times throughout the day. That said, I did notice some bins of LEGO pieces off to the side—possibly a backup activity for when the show isn’t running, giving guests another way to complete their stamp card. Everything about the show felt thoughtfully executed. Yes, it’s a kid’s show, but the stage, the costumes, the music—every element felt polished and special.

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Finishing the Festival: Merch and Making a Play Pact

With our completed stamp cards in hand, we made our way back to the park entrance by strolling through Miniland, an area featuring many US cities built entirely of LEGO. We paused in the Las Vegas section to visit a special detail: a Minilander based on me which I won during a past LEGOLAND NY Adult Night event! (Sadly, it seems those events have been discontinued though nearby LEGOLAND Discovery Centers still host them regularly.) My Minilander is wearing red plaid and can be spotted near the stacked rainbow rocks reminiscent of the Seven Magic Mountains art installation in the Nevada desert.

In the Central Park section of New York in Miniland, we also spotted a brick-built LEGO Festival stage, perfectly modeled after the very show we had just watched. The miniature version really captured the spirit of the live event. I later found out it was created by Joey Klusnick, one of the talented Master Model Builders at the park. It’s that kind of thoughtful touch that really sets LEGOLAND apart. They didn’t just add a few festival booths—they went all in down to the tiniest detail.

Speaking of other LEGO Festival details, there was also exclusive event merchandise, including a hat, T-shirt, and tote bag. These could be purchased individually or bundled together at a dedicated kiosk near the Driving School, as well as in the Big Shop near the park entrance. There was also a themed LEGO Festival popcorn bucket with a cardboard insert for the popcorn. (Thanks to the LEGOLAND NY-Fans Facebook Group for the popcorn photo! It’s a great place to find out about everything happening in the park.)

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From the flags and banners flapping in the breeze to the carefully curated merch offerings, it was clear this wasn’t a half-hearted add-on. The scale of the effort suggests this is likely to become a regular seasonal offering—and honestly, it deserves to be. (Personally, I can’t help but wonder if calling it the “LEGO Festival” is also a subtle move to reclaim the word “fest” from third-party touring shows like Brick Fest Live, which are not affiliated with The LEGO Group.)

Heading to the big “Play Pact Hub” booth at the top of the park, we waited in line to show our completed stamp cards. The gentleman running the booth greeted us with a smile and instructed us to place our hands over our hearts. Then, with just the right mix of sincerity and whimsy, he led us through the Play Pact pledge, promising to never let our creativity run dry, to keep having fun, and to always celebrate the joy of building.

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After, we could push a giant red button that would add a number to the running total of people who had completed the LEGO Festival as well. It was a charming way to cap off the experience, and each of us walked away with an exclusive LEGO Festival sticker and a smile.

A Festival Worth the Trip

Having visited LEGOLAND New York dozens of times, this visit stood out. Despite the crowds, the heat, and a few closed rides, the park felt especially alive. The LEGO Festival brings with it a sense of discovery and creativity that builds on the park’s core offerings. You could easily spend an entire day just doing Festival activities without setting foot on a ride. In fact, an unexpected bonus was that the ride lines were noticeably shorter during our visit, likely thanks to so many guests opting to explore the event zones instead. Yes, it’s a bit pricey. Yes, reading the signage and materials can be overwhelming, especially at the entrance. And yes, some things could be smoothed out in future years. But its heart is unmistakably in the right place.

What truly makes the LEGO Festival special is the people. The staff, called Model Citizens, are the engine behind everything. From the performers giving it their all in the heat, to the DJ subtly orchestrating entire zones from a single tablet, to the booth workers gently explaining for the hundredth time that the sushi builds can’t go home, every employee we encountered was helpful, enthusiastic, and committed to making sure guests had fun.

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To me, the LEGO Festival isn’t just a seasonal overlay—it’s a proof of concept. Can a theme park create a fully realized event experience that doesn’t rely on holidays, intellectual property or nostalgia, but instead on shared creativity, hands-on play, and entertainment? At least at LEGOLAND, the answer is a resounding yes.

As one last surprise, as we made our way out of the park, we stopped by the Creative Workshop to thank the Master Model Builders one more time—and there was Nerdly! Apparently, a kid had dropped it in the Big Shop and an employee brought it to the model shop, thinking it was part of something official. I took it as fate. Nerdly now lives at LEGOLAND New York, watching over the creative chaos, so stop by and say hello if you are ever at the park!

If you’re interested in checking it out for yourself, the LEGO Festival continues at LEGOLAND parks on weekends through June 8th as well as Memorial Day. Visit each parks’ website for exact dates, showtimes, and activity schedules.

DISCLAIMER: Tickets were provided to BrickNerd by LEGO, and this article is a paid promotion in collaboration with LEGO and LEGOLAND. Any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.

What did you think of the LEGO Festival at LEGOLAND Parks? Let us know in the comments below!

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