Featured image: Fairmont Château Laurier, Ottawa, built by Lucie Filteau and Michael Gale, photographed at BITS 2025.
What you’ll see when you walk in
Picture a huge sports dome lined table to table with LEGO builds made by fans: towers, castles, and scenes packed with small details you only catch on a second lap. That’s Bricks in the Six (BITS), and you don’t need to know anything about LEGO conventions to enjoy it.
Most of what’s on display is MOCs, short for “My Own Creation.” These are original builds designed by fans, not sets built from the box instructions. This isn’t a show of boxed sets or rare collections. It’s what fans design and build themselves, and seeing hundreds of those creations under one roof is the whole point.
BITS 2026 runs Nov 13-15 at the Hilton Mississauga Meadowvale, 6750 Mississauga Road, Mississauga. Friday is a VIP evening, and Saturday and Sunday are the main public days, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking is free for attendees.
More than 6,000 people visit over the weekend, and tickets are sold by time slot, so the earlier you pick, the more choice you have. Everyone aged 3 and up needs one, and kids 2 and under get in free.
What’s on the show floor
The models. Hundreds of fan-built creations fill a big sports dome at the hotel. Getting there from the lobby is a bit of a walk, but it’s all indoors, well signed, and staffed with people to point the way. More than 300 builders exhibit, from across North America, Europe, and Australia, and many are happy to talk you through how they built what you’re looking at. The show’s unofficial theme this year is Castle, so expect towers, keeps, and probably a dragon or two. Displays are open in two windows each public day, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., with a break from noon to 1. Seeing everything takes longer than you’d think, so a morning lap, lunch, and an afternoon second pass works well.
The vendors. Vendors are set up in one of the hotel’s ballrooms, with hard-to-find sets, rare pieces, and unique gear, so you can bring something home along with the photos on your phone.
The play area. Kids get a family play area stocked with hundreds of thousands of LEGO pieces. Creations stay onsite, and children need an adult with them. LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Toronto is back this year with Master Model Builder Noel Straatsma, running LEGO build activities. You can also help build a community mosaic, take photos with LEGO sculptures, join building competitions like the tallest tower or fastest race car, or take a break in the Game Lounge.
A guest from LEGO. The LEGO Group will have an official presence this year, with Jordan Paxton from the LEGO Fan CoLab attending the show. BITS is organized by fans and is one of only 13 officially Recognized LEGO Fan Events worldwide.
Your ticket supports SickKids
BITS is partnering with SickKids Children’s Hospital again this year, and a portion of every ticket sold goes to the hospital.
There’s also a dedicated SickKids gallery, where you can learn about the hospital’s work and see art inspired by the hospital and its young patients.
If you’d like to give more, there’s a dedicated Bricks in the Six donation page, and Canadian residents get a tax receipt. Over the past two years, the show’s charity auction has raised more than $12,500 for SickKids.
Pick your pass
Each ticket is for a timed session and is valid only for the times printed on it. Prices run from $20 to $100 depending on the pass.
- Friday VIP Early Access: 7 to 9 p.m., Nov 13
- Saturday or Sunday morning: 9 a.m. to noon
- Saturday or Sunday afternoon: 1 to 4 p.m.
- Saturday or Sunday All-Day: both windows, with the noon to 1 p.m. break
- All Weekend Access: the Saturday and Sunday public sessions
Your session time only applies to the model displays. The play areas and vendor hall are open all day Saturday and Sunday, whatever ticket you have.
If you want the first look: Friday VIP gets you in before the weekend crowds. Tickets are limited and come with a gift bag full of LEGO brick swag. It’s evening only, so it doesn’t include Saturday or Sunday.
If you’re bringing kids: count heads first. Anyone 3 or older needs a ticket, and under-3s are free. Morning sessions tend to suit younger kids, and since the play area stays open all day, you can head there once your display window ends.
If you’re driving in for the day: an All-Day pass on Saturday or Sunday lets you see the whole floor. Plan lunch for the noon break. If you only want a quick browse, one session is plenty.
If you want all of it: All Weekend Access covers both public days. Add Friday VIP if you want the early-access night too.
Warm up with Brick’s Tower Climb
We made Brick’s Tower Climb as the official game of BITS 2026. It’s free, it runs in your browser, and it plays well on a phone, with nothing to install.
You play as Brick the Beaver, climbing a teetering stack of bricks and planks that his rival, Brack the Raccoon, keeps sending his way. Time your jumps, grab the keys, and see how high you can get. It’s a quick round, and it’s surprisingly hard to stop at one.
Win a prize pack
Four Bricks in the Six prize packs are up for grabs, each worth about $100. Entry is free.
- Top three scores. Play Brick’s Tower Climb and submit your runs with your name and email. Use the same email each time so your scores stay linked. The top three on the leaderboard when it closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on Nov 12 each win a pack.
- One random draw. Comment on the official BITS Instagram contest post and tag a friend for a chance at the fourth pack. The draw is on Nov 13.
Winners pick up their prize in person at the show entrance during public hours. Bring photo ID and the email or Instagram account you entered with. You don’t need to buy admission to collect. The contest is open to residents of Canada and the US who have reached the age of majority. Younger players are welcome to play, but a parent or guardian has to claim any prize. Full details are in the official contest rules.
See you there
I’ll be at the show. If you’ve been playing Tower Climb, come find me and tell me your best score.
Check bricksinthe6.ca for the latest schedule before you choose your day. If you’re on the East Coast instead, we also covered Bricksplosion 2026 in Halifax.
One thing to do first: post a Tower Climb score before the leaderboard closes on Nov 12.
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