Royal Oak Resident Hosts Lego Game Show at Maker Faire Detroit

Lego lovers listen up.

The Brick Challenge, a Lego-themed game show, is as close to being on a real TV game show as you can get. Real contestant podiums with buzzers, digital scoring, plenty of trivia questions, and a hammy game show host will keep the action going this weekend in the Anderson Theater at Maker Faire Detroit 2012.

Royal Oak resident and Lego-collector-extraordinaire Nick Britsky, 31, is not only the host of the Brick Challenge, he's also the producer of the show and he built the set, too.

"We'll be doing four shows each day at Maker Faire," Britsky said. "We'll pick four people from the audience to be contestants for each show. We have some prizes lined up and everyone that competes gets a T-shirt."

Britsky will ask contestants trivia questions about the colorful plastic bricks and there is an Iron Chef type challenge where contestants get a secret piece that they have to create something with. The audience will choose the winner.

The game show takes place Saturday and Sunday at Maker Faire at the in Dearborn.

Maker Faire is where more than 400 makers will bring their MacGyver-like Do-It-Yourself wonders to the Midwest’s largest two-day festival dedicated to those that build, tinker and create. More than 20,000 visitors attended the show last year.

Featuring demonstrations and hands-on activities, Maker Faire offers a little bit of everything–from robots, flame shooters and animatronics to solar-powered mechanical sculptures, fashionable finds and musical performances. You can even witness a knife fight between two robots, Britsky said.

"It's a place for inventors, people who like to experiment, and guys that just do something to do it," Britsky said.

Britsky has been creating things out of Lego since he was 8 years old. Last year he attended Maker Faire with some of his Lego creations and this year he's upping it a notch by doing the game show with the help of more than a dozen staff members.

If you go

Where: The Henry Ford, 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn

When: Brick Challenge shows are Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 a.m.; 12:15 p.m.; 1 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. each day

Who: Any age can play but contestants should be prepared to answer basic questions about Lego.

Tickets: The show is free with admission to Maker Faire. Ticket prices for Maker Faire are $30 for adults (13-61), $20.50 for youth (5-12), and $27 for seniors (62+) can be purchased now. Children 4 and under are free. Prices for a two-day pass are $54 for adults, $38 for youth, and $48.50 for seniors. Members of The Henry Ford receive free admission to Henry Ford Museum and can purchase Maker Faire tickets at a discounted price.

Along with entertainment, guests will also have a variety of culinary delights to choose from including a selection from The Henry Ford’s award-winning culinary team. 

For more information, call 313-982-6001, or visit www.thehenryford.org/makerfaire.