RVA-LUG June 2026 Update: Summer Event Lineup, Survey Deep-Dive & What’s Next!

Brian Slevin

2 Jun, 2026

RVA-LUG June 2026 Update: Summer Event Lineup, Survey Deep-Dive & What’s Next!

RVA-LUG June 2026 Newsletter

Welcome to June, RVA-LUG! Summer is officially here, and the club is hitting the ground running. We have an incredibly busy few months ahead, packed with social nights, parts drafts, collaborative projects, and major community exhibitions.

Grab your calendar and a cup of coffee—here is the comprehensive breakdown of everything happening in our community this month and beyond.

🍴 Tonight: Monthly Social Dinner (June 2nd)

Kick off the month by hanging out with your fellow builders!

  • When: Tonight, Tuesday, June 2nd
  • Where: Ford’s Garage (Short Pump)
  • What: Our regular monthly social dinner. It’s the perfect, low-stakes environment to chat bricks, share what you’re working on, and unwind with the community.

📊 Deep Dive: Our Latest Member Survey Results

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Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out our recent member feedback form. Your input directly shapes how we run this group. We gathered some fantastic insights that we are already using to plan the rest of 2026:

🗓️ Scheduling Preferences

There was a clear, overwhelming preference for Saturday meetings. We know weekends can be busy, but this timing allows the highest number of members to attend. We will continue to prioritize Saturday afternoons for our primary business meetings and major events.

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🧠 Educational Workshops & Builder Growth

A huge trend in the feedback was a desire for more educational content. Members want to learn! Over the coming months, we will be introducing structured workshops during our meetings covering:

  • Advanced building and SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques.
  • Sorting, inventory management, and maximizing part efficiency.
  • Digital building software tutorials.

Summary of Suggestions for Improving attendance at our monthly Dinner Meetings)

  • Engagement: Several members suggested incorporating activities like parts drafts or other LEGO-related programming into the dinner to make it more of an “event.”
  • Scheduling & Location: There is interest in rotating locations for more variety and moving the start time slightly later (by ~30 minutes) to accommodate those working until 6:30 pm. Some suggested trying a weekend dinner or lunch to avoid weekday traffic and work conflicts.
  • Barriers to Attendance: The most common reasons for not attending are distance (long commutes on weeknights), budget constraints, and the need for childcare.

Summary of Things Members Would Change

  • Active Involvement: A recurring theme was the desire for more members to step up and help with organizing and executing club activities, rather than relying on a small group of core volunteers.
  • Educational Workshops: Members expressed a strong interest in learning more building techniques, design tool tutorials, and general LEGO knowledge (e.g., BrickLink, sorting, cleaning) through workshops or mentoring.
  • Meeting Variety: Suggestions included adding more themes to meetings and increasing the number of group-based activities during the monthly gatherings.
  • Communication & Culture: Feedback included simplifying the Discord server structure and ensuring the club remains a welcoming, non-judgmental environment for builders of all skill levels and financial means.

🤝 Collaborative Projects & RVA Brick Day

The survey confirmed that RVA Brick Day remains a massive community favorite and a core pillar of our club. To keep that collaborative spirit alive year-round, we are actively looking into more group-build projects where members can contribute sections to a larger, unified display.

The average club support rating is 8.0 out of 10.This average is based on responses with the following individual ratings:10/10: 37%9/10: 16%8/10: 16%7/10: 5%6/10: 5%5/10: 11%4/10: 11%
Based on the survey responses, builders who rated the club’s support for their growth as a 6 or lower suggested several specific resources and activities to help improve their skills:Technique Workshops and Guides: Multiple members suggested structured learning opportunities, such as:A “Technique of the Month” featured on Discord.Specific “How-to” guides for different MOC types (e.g., mechs).General technique workshops, noting that while the club is inspiring, members currently have to learn most skills on their own.Collaboration Guidance: One member expressed feeling “a bit lost” and requested more guidance on the general direction for collaborative projects.Engagement and Encouragement: A suggestion was made for the club to show more interest in diverse member ideas and to ensure everyone feels heard and appreciated.Inspiration vs. Instruction: One respondent noted that while they find inspiration in others’ builds, they don’t currently look to the club for skill improvement, though they suggested this might change with more involvement.
Based on the survey responses, members primarily look for club updates on Discord, which was mentioned by 84% of respondents. Email and the Club Newsletter are also significant sources of information.Primary Sources for Club Updates:Discord: 84%Email: 42%Club Newsletter: 26%Other: 3 mentions (Word of mouth, “I text Brian”)Discord is clearly the dominant platform for staying informed about club activities.
Based on the survey data, the primary areas of interest among members are centered around building and collecting, with MOC (My Own Creation) Building being the most popular activity by a significant margin.Key Takeaways:Building and Collecting are Central: Nearly all members identified MOC Building as a primary interest, followed by Set Collecting and Minifig Collecting.Organizational Interests: A notable portion of the group is interested in sorting and organization, which is a common challenge for LEGO enthusiasts.Community and Outreach: There is also interest in Community Outreach and Event Collaborations, suggesting a desire for public engagement.
Other niche interests include: Set building and combining/modding sets, Event Collaborations.

🗓️ Upcoming Summer Events & Displays

📚 RippleCon – This Weekend! (June 6th)

The countdown is on! Our next major public display is happening this weekend at RippleCon, hosted at the Richmond Public Library. This is always a fantastic, high-energy community event. Come out to support the club, see what our talented builders have put together, and help us inspire the next generation of builders.

🎨 Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center – Spring & Summer Gallery

Our ongoing gallery exhibition at the Cultural Arts Center of Glen Allen is live and running through the summer. If you haven’t had a chance to stop by and see it in person yet, make sure to check it out! It’s a beautiful venue and a great showcase of our members’ talent.

🧱 June Meeting & Cinderella’s Dress Parts Draft (June 20th)

Our next official meeting is scheduled for Saturday, June 20th, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Guzman Center near Willow Lawn.

Brian is facilitating a parts draft of LEGO Set #43266 Cinderella’s Dress. He has 6 copies available, 3 of the 6 spots are reserved. Check in on Discord to participate and claim a spot. If you already have this set, and it is sealed – feel free to bring your own copy for the draft!

Get your sorting bins ready for our official June meeting! We will be hosting a parts draft, which is a fantastic way to bulk up your specific element inventory.

  • When: Saturday, June 20th 1pm to 4pm
  • Where: The Guzman Center
  • The Draft Set: Cinderella’s Dress
  • Note: Keep an eye on the event channels for specific drafting rules and part breakdowns as we get closer to the date.

🦸 Looking Ahead: Richmond Comic Con (September)

It might feel like it’s a ways off, but planning is already underway for our layout at the Richmond Comic Con this September.

Thank you all for making this community so vibrant. See you tonight at Ford’s Garage, or this weekend at RippleCon!

Happy building!