FACTS 2015 convention report

The past weekend, it was the annual FACTS convention in Ghent, Belgium.  This is about the biggest convention (we now have 3 since this year), and the first year under `new management`.

So as part of the BeLUG expedition to the fair, I had to get up on saturday on an hour most kids these days turn housewards, and yeah, we where amongst the first ones present.

The BeLUG life at the fair

In those early hours, we of course had to start with the build up as so many others did.  Now, while my companion might be a bit more punctual in opening and break up hours, or even minutes, as someone who has attended a lot of events (professionally, or with wargames the 20 years pre-BeLUG), my honest opinion is that it all ran just that tat more professionally and there was a big improvement on a LOT of things this year.  For example, the catering was just awesome, a BBQ`d dish containing a big sausage, a sate and potatoes, together with a pot of raw veggies for 9.50 euro.  That`s a fair venue plate if you ask me!

With about an hour to go before the early birds came in, our stand was in full swing to get all set up.  And then I went to wait for 1.5 hours at the artist signing line, being the very first attendee to get a signature from John Rhys-Davies.  he just loved the fact I brought a Lego minifig along  for signing, thinking it `just bloody brilliant`.

It where two very, VERY busy days, as a lot of people passed by, so here are some `on the scene` pictures before and after the crowd streamed in...

Cosplay

Of course, the blood and sweat of all these conventions is the cosplayers.  A lot of cool things are seen there, like the awesome Alien cosplayer that was waiting first in line for Summer Glau.  That huge line was for Christopher Lloyd.

Most popular if you ask me where on the one hand Harry Potter (my Burrows had a lot of giggling for it) and that black robed bloke from Naruto.

 Awesome Harry Potter build hat

 The class of 2015, they gave me free candy :-)

 Little Spidey is watching those Ewoks

 Olaf was also present

 The Super Skrull

 Sparta isn`t what it used to be

 Dwalin and Balin, at your service

 My godess Athena was present, as my Cosmo burned intense

 Gurren Lagann, that`s a big gun

 So these days the Imperial Guard is just around to carry Blood Angel material

 Bumblebee

 Trying to knock some sense into my BeLUG compatriot

 The real, and the minifigure versions

 Hey look, I hang there under that cycle!

 Dr Quinzel came around to evaluate my medical condition

 While my compatriot gets his medicine

Guests, Props and Scenery

Like any convention, there was a lot of activity to do, like actual Light saber duelling and a stand of the Belgian Quidditch Federation.  And I must say, our national team jerseys are bloody awesome, I`m really considering to go and do this as sports once the legs are back to normal.

The guest stars included illumini like Rhys-Davies, Christopher Lloyd, Summer Glau, Peter Mayhem (Chewbacca from Star Wars), William Sadler (who is way shorter then I expected), Casper Van Dien, Alfie Allen and Ernie Hudson.  Pity Sylvester McCoy had to cancel though.

And of course, there was a lot of other `picture moment possibilities` and cool stuff to see

BrickArms from Holland was there with some awesome diplays as well, including one using magentisation to have a shuttle hover in that Imperial bay

 Cultural centre of Japan was present

 Yu-Gi-Oh tournament in full swing

 Don`t Dead, Open Inside??????

 I really love these build scenes of Saint Seiya

 Barbie has hobbies we didn`t know

The Loot

Well, of course there is first and foremost my now signed case with Gimli, by John Rhys-Davies.

Another small addition to the Lego collection, this Lone Ranger set, wasn`t actually bought there, but Cathy who would be at our stand also borught it along after I bought it of her through Facebook.

I also got the new book by S.J. Paul (well, she was also at our stand as she is also a BeLUG member) and she personalized it for me.  It`s in the style of Lost, so once I get along to reading Het Eiland, i`ll be surely putting down some notes here.

And then there was some Harry Potter material, being the Funko Pop of Lord Voldemort for the kiddo when he comes home with a good score or something, but then at least we`re sure we have it around in the house.

And some little thingy for me, as I went under the Sorting Hat and was included into Hufflepuff ;-)

But of course, there is also the Convention Brick for our Lego badges that was earned :-)

And now...

The stand is broken down, the lights are going out, and it is the countdown to BrickMania Antwerp in only SIX weeks...