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Paul DaweÂ
I am the proud member of a very large, very active very diverse group of adult Lego enthusiasts called Newfoundlandlug centered in St. John's Newfoundland.
We have members from all over Newfoundland and beyond who contribute to the club as they feel comfortable. Some members observe our group from a distance while others are very active contributors. The thing that keeps us united is our love of Lego.
I personally am a builder and exhibitor. My preferred medium is technic sets but I think I am best known for my trains and my mils plates. You can find me at most of our shows, hiding from the camera, often with my group identification removed but always willing and in fact eager to discuss anything related to LEGO with anyone who asks.
Some of our members are collectors. I do have a large collection but I have never sold a block in my life, (I have given quite a few away) in fact I still regularly include in my builds, the very first block that I ever received over sixty years ago.
Please find on this page pictures from some of the shows that I participated in over the last few years. At all the shows I am just one of many contributors who use our talents under the guidance of our leadership board to make the most enjoyable experience possible for all concerned.  I am sorry that I don't have many pictures of the show in action and that is because as I'm sure anyone who has seen me at the shows will tell you, I am always very active interacting with guests of all ages trying my very best to share and spread my love of lego with others.
Blocks on the Rock 1 was our first major show and it took place in August of 2021. It was spearheaded by one of our younger members who has since graduated from University and moved to central Labrador to work. He like many others who are unable to be with us at many of our shows because of geography is still a very valued member whose continued contribution is greatly appreciated. Â
For this show many of our members stepped up. I don't have pictures of the many displays throughout the back rooms.  I personally displayed just out of camera range here. I was showing some of my many technic sets and I was almost always surrounded by large numbers of children of all ages, who were actively manipulating my technic sets.
The large arch with the blocks on the rock sign on it was made by me. I felt so bad when I found out that other members of the club particularly our then president had spent much of the show keeping visitors from knocking into the sign. In fact because of that the sign did not return the next year.
The lineups at this show were so bad that there was a food truck parked outside and the owners of the venue had to limit admission. It felt bad trying to encourage people to move along so others could enter.
Blocks on the Rock 2 , 2022
At this show, I did not bring in the sign for reasons I mentioned in Blocks on the Rock 1. Many of my red and white blocks from the sign were used to make the Historic Rural Retreat, a historic home that is still located in Carbonear Newfoundland.
Rural Retreat was built around 1830 by the predominate Newfoundland merchant at the time, Robert Pack of the firm Pack, Fryer, Gosse. The house was built for entertaining. Robert Pack felt that he should be able to entertain as befitting a man of his status.  The house was built with a large room for entertaining at the center downstairs between the two chimneys. The young ladies would dress in the room upstairs then come down the beautiful spiral staircase that was illuminated by full length windows at the back. Servants lived in the attic and the was a kitchen and dining room designed to accommodate a large number of guests.
This model was also kept on display for a month in Carbonear where it was visited by many people including the present owner of the house Mrs. Margaret Poole who had been nice enough to allow me to enter the house and take many pictures of its present state.
At this show as well I had a technic and old brick display that was off to the side.
This show as well as many St. John's contributors, had contributors who drove in from many hours away to attend and show their builds at the show.  We truly  appreciate the contributions of those who have to make a special effort to attend, including those who have mobility issues.
Blocks on the Rock 3, 2023
We have several members who have significant train collections. Trains are always popular but they are large and difficult to transport. At two previous lego showcases, I had brought in trains. This time I decided to bring the train to blocks on the Rock. The main reason for the train however was the return of the sign. This time we shortened it and made it so no one would walk under it, also I brought my technic display out near the sign so that it would be me watching it rather than putting this stress on someone else. At this show many of our exhibitors were spread out through the back to limit congestion. Once again, I'm not wearing identification despite the fact that we do have lug shirts and lanyards. I don't want to be recognized at the shows but by this time it is almost useless because many visitors recognize me from other shows.  When the show is active, I am unable to take pictures so all these photos are taken during setup.
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Blocks on the Rock 4, 2024
This year my presentation was duplo trains, and I had a lot of fun. At the far back of the building I had a duplo display with several trains. |Many small children enjoyed playing with them and i enjoyed facilitating it. At the front I brought back the sign and got a young girl to exhibit the train, she would drive the train up one pillar, across the bridge then down the other side, as well as around the floor and up unto the tables where there were other trains that other children could drive.  The trains were designed to keep people away from the sign because we discovered in previous years, signs and barriers don't work.Â
Unfortunately near the end of the second day, I accidently hit the sign with my head and the whole thing exploded. The large build was under tremendous stress and in the explosion several blocks broke including one two by ten brick actually shattered lengthwise. Â
Check out one members artwork to the right of the sign in the back. and another members sphere directly behind the sign.
Once again this was a very successful show with many visitors, however it was widely felt throughout the group that this show was not as successful as it could be so in our meetings we decided to look at possible alternatives that might correct some of our concerns.
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Blocks on the Rock 5, 2025
For this show we decided to try something totally new. We moved the show from the Geocentre on Signal hill to a hotel on Kenmount Road.  We decided to work with a group of teenage girls, the Torbay Pathfinders, these girls would provide any assistance necessary. We probably should have anticipated what happened. Many of our presenters weren't sure if they were going to participate or not.  I decided to go opposite. If people dropped, I would go bigger. We actually rented a uhaul truck to bring our builds in. In the end, I did not bring my Technic display but I did bring 40 feet of trains on mils plates. Five train environments that the pathfinders permitted guests to drive and in some cases play with the displays. For me personally this was the most enjoyable show to date because for the first time I was able to go around and talk with other presenters about their builds. I actually burnt through 60 batteries with the trains those two days.
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Blocks on the Rock 6, 2026
As always we learn from previous shows, and try to make the next show better by correcting our shortcomings. This show was no exception, making this the best show todate. This time my train was placed on a table custom built by one of our members. The spiral had many improvements and was able to support a fairly large train. The entire display, including the sign and table was designed to be transported in one suv, but I was too nervous to transport it in that way so it was actually transported in several trips.  Once again we allowed children to play with trains on the floor but the train on the table and the spiral was controlled only by me. Unlike blocks on the rock 5, I had to stay with my build almost continuously and was unable to see the other builds displayed at the show.
Trains at the Geo Centre 2024Â Â
Newfoundlug got invited by the geocentre to participate in their December train display.  Our leadership board put out a call for interest. A meeting was arranged and it was decided that I would make the main build and invite participation from other members The blocks on the two towers contain participation boxes with builds from several members. These boxes were very popular with our visitors, with many visitors taking photos of each individual block.  The biggest problem with these blocks was lack of light and when I came in to show the train, I started taking a flashlight with me.
Trains at the Geo Centre 2025
We were invited back for a build in 2025. I asked to get the build to be moved onto a four by eight foot table. This time the member participation boxes were moved to the center top where they were out of reach of prying hands and had better light so they were much easier to see.
I was unable to go in every day because I dont live in St. Johns but I did go in several days and those tubs that you see under the table were trains that I let children drive across the hall. There were times that I had dozens of people at a time interacting with the trains. The employees at the geocentre actually told visitors when they expected me to arrive and I was both pleased and amazed to have people waiting for me to arrive, and I was overjoyed with all the help I received from people who I didn't even know. Some people knew all my builds, and the builds of several of our members. These people are tracking our group so that they can go to our shows. Â
It is now not uncommon for me to be approached at places like the Avalon Mall and asked about Lego by people I don't remember ever meeting. Â
Spring Showcase 2022 Holiday Inn Â
The spring showcases are shows that are owned by Bricks and Minifigs and they choose who can participate and what they can bring. The owner of Bricks and minifigs asked me if I could figure out a way of bringing my train spiral so that is what I did. My display was positioned right in the center of the hall in a place that was very visible but required that you go by all the other displays to get to me.  Yes I had children driving the train and yes the train came flying off the top and smashed on the floor five feet below. Needless to say safety is always a concern because it is very hard to keep small children from positioning themselves right below the train and to keep them from damaging the tracks.
This show had some fantastic builds including one that had many minifigs and a minifig concert. I loved that builders stuff and I am disappointed that I haven't seen much like it since. There are several people like myself, who present at most shows but there are also many people who present once then for whatever reason it is quite a while before we see them present again.  I do like when people like what I bring but I try hard to bring a different build to each show.
Once again, this was a show where people had to leave so more people could come in.
Spring Showcase 2023 Sheraton HotelÂ
I can't find any pictures of my display at this show. Â
Spring Showcase 2024 Botanical Gardens
Spring Showcase 2025 Easter SealsÂ
Carbonear Mall Christmas Display 2023
Castle Hill - Placentia Library Display
Builds that never made it to shows
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