How do I join?

So you’re interested in joining WisLUG? Here are the answers to some of the most common questions that new or potential members usually have for us.

What’s a “WisLUG” anyway?

WisLUG stands for the “Wisconsin LEGO Users Group.” We are an adult-oriented fan community that is formally recognized by The LEGO Group. WisLUG is one of many recognized LUG communities around the world and one of two in Wisconsin.

What exactly do you do?

Our primary mission is to bring together Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOL) to share their love of the hobby. It’s a space to talk about collecting, deal hunting, what new builds we’re working on, and pretty much anything else LEGO-related that you can think of. We have monthly meetings in Madison and Milwaukee where members discuss upcoming events, share their builds, draft parts from sets, and sometimes even match our building skills against each other. We also do public exhibitions of our work several times a year.

How do I become a member?

Participate! You are considered a member after attending three in-person LUG meetings over a 12 month period. Membership grants access to the private sections of our Discord server and other opportunities that may be available throughout the year. You can find meeting information under the Upcoming Events section.

Can kids join?

We do allow kids 13+ to become a Teen Fan of LEGO (TFOL) members. Any TFOL must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all LUG meetings until they are at least 16. Youth under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all public displays. While many of our members do have younger kids (and some may attend meetings with their AFOL parents), we do try to limit meeting activities and public displays to those over the age of 13.

Is there a membership fee?

Other than the cost of buying your own LEGO, we do not have annual dues just to be a member. There are always costs associated with travel/lodging for some events and fan conventions though, and there are minor fees assessed during our annual LUGBULK purchase for those who participate.

What is a set/parts draft?

A set draft is where the LUG will open multiple new copies of the same set and then sort all of the elements by color and type. Participating members will then draw a random number for pick order. When your number is up, you get to take all elements of a single type of (or a minifigure) of your choice. Members either supply their own copy of the set or someone may acquire them and charge a buy-in to participate.

How do I display at an event?

Members have access to an internal system that allows them to request space to display. They simply enter the request into a form and the member coordinating the event will add it to the layout plan for the show. You can still display if you’re just joining, but we’d like to see your work in person first to make sure it’s family-friendly. Non-members will usually work directly with the show coordinator if they don’t have access to any Discord channels. All displays need to be family-friendly and adhere to our Code of Conduct, which prohibits the use of profane, sexual, politically controversial, or discriminatory content in builds shown to the public.

Does everything I show have to be original?

We ask that the majority of displays members bring to events be original LEGO creations, also known as a My Own Creation or “MOC.” Sometimes members may use official sets to add to a build, such as using vehicles to add to a street scene or a Star Wars ship parked in a custom hangar. 

What if I only like building sets?

That's great! Many of our members are less interested in the MOC side of the hobby and we have plenty for them as well. If you have a set you built that you really want to talk about with visitors at an event or you just want to hang out, you are more than welcome to be there with us!

How do I find out more information?

If you’re attending a meeting, talk to one of the chapter coordinators or the LUG Ambassador (kind of like the president). They will take your contact information and should be able to provide you a link to the public section of our Discord. Once we have your name in our system, we can track your attendance as you work up to becoming a full member of the group. You can also send us a message through this website.