EVENT LOG: Bricks, Imagination, and 5,000 Smiles: The Success of the San Giorgio C.se Brick Expo 2025
During the weekend of October 4th and 5th, 2025, the town of San Giorgio Canavese was transformed into a vibrant world of color, creativity, and passion. The 11th edition of the San Giorgio C.se Brick Expo delighted visitors with outstanding success: over 5,000 attendees crowded the halls and courtyards of Castello Biandrate, which became, for two days, the beating heart of imagination.
Among impressive dioramas, miniature cities, spaceships, castles, and meticulously recreated landmarks, LEGO® builders from all over Italy showcased the very best of their craft. The event also featured plenty of fun for younger visitors, with creative workshops and dedicated play areas, as well as side attractions that turned the exhibition into a true pop-culture festival: cosplayers, model-making, comics, video games, live performances, and meetings with artists and creators.
Performances inspired by the worlds of Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Marvel, and medieval fantasy added a magical touch, turning the castle into a real-life movie set. Everything unfolded in a cheerful, welcoming atmosphere, where families, enthusiasts, and curious visitors alike shared the same sense of wonder sparked by the power of those little bricks.
Organized under the patronage of the Municipality and supported by numerous local associations, the event once again confirmed that the San Giorgio Canavese Brick Expo has earned its place as one of the most beloved gatherings in the Piedmontese hobby and LEGO® scene.
At the heart of the event, as tradition dictates, stood Biandrate Castle, where the spectacular LEGO® brick creations came to life.
Inside its historic halls, hundreds of original works — from miniature cities to fantastic worlds, and even faithful reproductions of famous landmarks — captured the attention of visitors of all ages, showcasing the incredible versatility and creative power of the iconic brick.
And since this blog has always been dedicated to the LEGO® universe, I’ll be focusing exclusively on this part of the event, leaving aside the other themed areas to bring you closer to the magic that filled the castle’s rooms.
Upon entering the castle, visitors were greeted by the creations of the host, Silvio Giovetti, who opened the exhibition with a series of LEGO® tributes to films, quiz shows, and commercials that have marked the history of Italian television.
Among them, a standout piece recreated — with humor and meticulous attention to detail — the famous scene of “Mr. Giancarlo’s bizarre answer” from Wheel of Fortune.
Next to his works, visitors could also admire the vintage dioramas by Guido Giaretto, Marisa Colognesi, and Rocco Torri. Completing the display were memorabilia of the wooden toys that LEGO produced in its early days, before the advent of plastic. Among all these “antiquities” stood a two-dimensional piece by Alessio and Carlo Mazzetti, adding a touch of “modernity” by depicting the famous Pac-Man video game by Namco, released in 1980. While today it may seem like a symbol of the past, at the time it represented a true technological innovation in the world of video games. This creation proved to be the cherry on top of the room, closing the first part of the exhibition with humor and originality.
The visit continued into the adjacent room, entirely dedicated to Daniele Savoldelli, who presented dozens of LEGO® creations inspired by the Indiana Jones saga. Among his works stood a detailed reproduction of Jordan’s Petra, the famous UNESCO World Heritage site featured in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). In particular, the façade of the Khazneh, also known as the “Treasury,” was immortalized in the film as the entrance to the “Canyon of the Crescent Moon” and the exterior of the Temple of the Holy Grail.
For the occasion, the MOC has been completely rebuilt, with an overall increase in size. We are now looking forward to its final version, which will also include all the interior rooms featured in the previous rendition.
In the adjacent room, plenty of space was given to young exhibitors. Among the most interesting creations were the chairlift by Fabio and Giorgio Stella from Fossano, the World War II–themed builds by Enrico Micheletta Giot, and the Bionicle models by Riccardo Sorri.
I would have loved to record a video of the first one, but I had such a great time at the San Giorgio Brick Expo that I simply didn’t get the chance… so this time, you’ll have to make do with just a single photo!
In the long rear corridor leading to the reception hall, several builders and a few collectors of vintage LEGO® pieces were on display.
Among them, the Falco and Fonsato families deserve special mention: in addition to their usual impressive creations, they brought a remarkable selection of rare and lesser-known LEGO® sets, such as the Belville, Scala, and many others — often forgotten even by the most devoted fans. I was also truly intrigued by the two little birds created by Fabio Falco’s wife. This time, Cristina Demuro not only deserves a special mention, but also a nice photo of her work — well done!
For the first time in San Giorgio, visitors could also admire Andrea Livio’s agricultural diorama, which drew great curiosity and appreciation.
Among the most anticipated new entries was Patrick Baroni, with his impressive museum dedicated to the timeless heroes of my childhood, Bud Spencer and Terence Hill — a vast diorama featuring dozens of scenes inspired by their most beloved films, recreated with humor and meticulous attention to detail.
Also noteworthy was Andrea Roletto’s Arcadia, while the small Jurassic Park diorama, created by his son Edoardo, added a refreshing and imaginative touch to this part of the exhibition.
In the main hall, this year’s exhibition focused on artists inspired by the theme of cities.
Dominating the scene was the majestic community city by Piemonte Brick LUG (team:Angelo e Gabriel Cimmarusti, Diego Artese , Enrica Terzago , Fabrizio e Daniele Morone , Silvia Grillo e Elisa Cavagliato), accompanied by the detailed — though smaller — urban creations by Carmelo and Giuseppe Rappazzo, and by that of Enrico Ferro. Also noteworthy was a train collection brought by Michele Melzani from Lecco.
However, what impressed me the most were the Basilica of the Gran Madre in Turin, built by Luca Giannitti together with Miriana Russo, and the magnificent Renaissance-style royal palace of fantasy created by the Maffè family.
Different in style yet united by the same refined elegance and remarkable attention to detail, these works truly stood out as highlights of the entire exhibition.
In the second wing of the palace, the medieval and ancient Japan themes intertwined, even coming into contact with a small paleontological museum.
Here were some of the most interesting and artistically significant novelties of the San Giorgio Brick Expo. Among them stood the already well-known wonders of Pamela Basile’s diorama and the dinosaur museum by Alberto Rossi and Sara Longhi: both creations were highly impressive and captivating.
Next to them, the small medieval beauties brought by Alberto Piazza added further charm to the room.
Across from them, the former “General Winter,” Sandro Damiano, holder of the title for creating the Winter Chalet on Bricklink, exhibited his work in progress of a medieval village, enriched with new additional parts.
I assure you, when observing all the elements he has represented inside, it’s easy to get lost, and many details inevitably escape notice, because the diorama is truly rich, complex, and well-organized.
Next to him, there was me, with the now well-known and widely publicized — so much so that you’re probably dreaming about it at night — “Jack and the Beanstalk”, my LEGO® IDEAS project, which you can vote for here .
Regarding this work, I’d like to share a little thought: I created it to make something immediately recognizable, so that visitors, seeing it, could exclaim: “Look, it’s Giacomino and the Beanstalk!”. And I have to say, I achieved that goal. The climb for IDEAS votes came later, as a bonus.
The true novelty, presented for the very first time not only at San Giorgio but in absolute preview, was my medieval diorama “The Realm of the Six Houses”. For the first time, I wanted to realize a personal dream and impress with something medieval. Judging by the expressions on visitors’ faces and the words of appreciation I received, I can say I’m extremely satisfied, because once again I hit the mark.
In the adjacent room, Grazia Romeo was present along with her daughter Eleonora Bocco. Grazie brought a stunning collection of flowers, while the young Eleonora showcased a Friends-style town. Other beautiful floral creations were by the young Sara Biroglio.
Sharing the floral table with them was Mario Roux, who presented a setting inspired by the video game Horizon, featuring the famous “long neck” from the dedicated set.
However, the true highlight of the room was undoubtedly the medieval diorama by Diego Nova, created together with his daughter Valentina and his wife Sara Ballario. As always, they did an amazing job, displaying several square meters of diorama and demonstrating truly extraordinary care and creativity.
In a small connecting corridor, the very young Davide Raia was present with two impressive sailing ships and a pirates-style diorama. I must admit that, considering his young age, the work is truly well done. For this reason, the young artist rightfully earns a feature photo of his creation.
In this space, a truly eclectic mix of styles emerged, where the medieval theme blended with Pirates of the Caribbean sets, giving rise to fantastic stories in the style of Harry Potter.
I therefore refer you to the photos showing Matteo from Cuorgnè’s medieval scene and a vignette from the enchanted world inspired by Harry Potter, created by Claudio Sgarbi.
It’s time to recount the happenings in the brightest room of the entire castle, once known as “Gianni Gaio,” though it no longer bears his name.
Here, I observed an alternative and creative project led by Piero Bianchi and his partner Sabrina Formenti, assisted by the rest of the “crew”: the young Diamante, Federico, and Riccardo. In addition to a beautiful One Piece “mural”, they brought around thirty alternative versions of the Millennium Falcon, built using a wide variety of LEGO sets.
Equally intriguing was the work of Irene Goia and Ivan Porro, with their story of the yellow duck, divided into several pieces, each accompanied by a unique translation.
Andrea Faranna demonstrated that LEGO bricks can also be used to create everyday objects, such as the table lamps he built.
The young Luca and Luigi Lamberti amazed visitors with a Vikings-style diorama, complete with a marine technique creating moving waves, very similar to the concept I used in my Japanese diorama, “The Dragon’s Revenge.”
And, of course, once again this year, the room featured the most emblematic monument of Savigliano, built, as always, by the dad Fabrizio.
It was like an open-air catalog, enchanting visitors of all ages with the timeless magic of the bricks.
We’re almost at the end of the exhibition — only three rooms left to explore.
In the third-to-last room, full attention was given to the Technic world, featuring the works of Fabio Pecis, Fabio Gaspardo, and Lorenzo Bonino.
Diego Curcio, an expert in mechanical builds, also showcased his fascinating pendulum clock and presented two MOCs dedicated to the late Luca Rusconi, a heartfelt tribute to a beloved fellow builder.
Fabio Perotti once again exhibited his rally diorama, enriched for the occasion with new upgrades and technical details.
Gianni Gaio brought a completely new addition designed to integrate with his already well-known Technic workshop: a meticulously built auto parts store.
His son, Christian Gaio, added an original touch with a Jurassic Park–inspired diorama that drew many smiles.
For the third time in a row in Canavese, Marco Aldovini delighted visitors with his vintage Ferraris and several 1:1 scale steering wheels, faithful reproductions of those found in real Formula 1 cars.
Finally, Davide Zen, always a benchmark of skill and passion, presented some of his finest creations along with an impressive new entry: the fully remote-controlled PistenBully tracked snow groomer, which captured the attention of both kids and adults alike.
The next room was entirely dedicated to the Star Wars universe, though the first to welcome visitors was Simone Isaia, with his fascinating chess set depicting a battle between an army of darkness and the king’s knights — an original and striking reinterpretation of the classic theme.
Among the main exhibitors, Alberto Micheli, known in the AFOL community as Albo Lego, has clearly grown fond of San Giorgio: this marked his third consecutive appearance. One of his standout novelties this year was a striking build of Emperor Palpatine seated on his throne, which drew plenty of admiring looks.
The trio of Maurizio D’Angela, Daniele Carretta, and Stefano Degiovanni presented renewed Tatooine dioramas, each enhanced with impressive upgrades.
The first reworked much of his layout, including the stands; the second added mechanical motion to several scenes; and the third completely rebuilt his diorama, significantly improving the terrain — earning himself a well-deserved photo feature of his work.
Diego Gubeila amazed everyone with two incredible space galleons, while Roberto Antonini once again showcased his famous Space diorama, recognizable for its portal inspired by the classic Star Trek series and a crater featuring the black monolith, a tribute to Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Finally, Marco Biroglio, usually known for his medieval vignettes, turned his creativity toward the Space theme this time, producing charming and imaginative builds.
To complete the galactic atmosphere, Filippo De Zuani exhibited a small but detailed diorama inspired by the adventures of Jabba the Hutt, providing the perfect finale for this out-of-this-world room.
We’ve reached the end of the exhibition, and the last room was reserved for the big names of the “monster” diorama scene.
Every time he exhibits, the legendary Daniele “Pasticcino” Rosa enchants both kids and adults with his hordes of little monsters that invade every corner of his display — a chaotic, colorful, and irresistibly fun world.
Right next to him, Sofia Mercurio held her own with a similar-style diorama, skillfully combining various Halloween/Monster-themed sets to create a lively and perfectly spooky atmosphere.
Mauro Vecchi surprised everyone with two posters built entirely out of LEGO® bricks, both inspired by One Piece. Looks like pirates are really trending this year!
Equally impressive were Angelo Dagrada and Adrian Cuffia, who wowed visitors with their 3D printers and other mechanical marvels. This year, they even mechanized Harry Potter’s little owl, making it flap its wings as if it were really flying.
How did they manage that? I honestly have no idea — LEGO® mechanics and motion are definitely my Achilles’ heel!
And, as tradition goes, the final farewell came from Mauro Gianaroli, showcasing his amazing minifigure collections.
Among them, the real standouts were the monochrome and especially the transparent ones — and trust me, it’s quite a challenge to collect all those rare transparent pieces!
And that’s all for this year!
See you at the next San Giorgio Canavese Brick Expo — and don’t forget the chips! 🍟
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