Oak Lawn Lego display features fantastic creations

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Contributor Ken Nagel (below), of Waukegan, relaxes under his display as people view the Lego Train Display by the Northern Illinois Lego Train Club at the Oak Lawn Library Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, at 9427 S. Raynor Ave. in Oak Lawn. The event, which was free to the public, was held on Saturday and Sunday and featured the work from 11 contributors. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media

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Updated: March 21, 2012 8:08AM

There were Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, medieval knights, pirates and so much more. It was hard to pick a favorite. But the one thing everyone could agree on was that these intricate Lego creations were amazing.

“Oh, wow! Look at that!” was the general consensus among young and old as they pointed and gazed excitedly at the Northern Illinois Lego Train Club show at the Oak Lawn Public Library this weekend.

It was the second time the library hosted this family event, and if Jean Day, head of youth services, has her way, it won’t be the last. Nearly 1,500 attended Saturday’s show and with the steady stream of camera-toting Lego fans on Sunday, Day expected similar numbers.

It was an event whole families seemed to enjoy. Clearly, Legos — those colorful, creative building blocks — are not just for kids, and the club was much more than trains.

“It’s an art medium,” said Dale Klein, of Hickory Hills. A veterinarian by day and Lego hobbyist by night, Klein displayed the elaborate medieval village he developed over the past four years. “You can do almost anything with Legos,” he said as he and 10 other members of his club demonstrated.

Among his 120,000 pieces were about 750 Lego mini-figures including knights in shining armor marching over a moat into the huge castle, while other figures depicted life in medieval times.

“This is pretty awesome. I can’t believe someone would have this much patience,” said Penny Greiman, of Oak Lawn, as she and her granddaughter Elise Dalseth, of New Lenox, viewed Klein’s huge castle display.

Danny Veal, 8, of Oak Lawn, liked Thomas the Train best, one of many trains that encircled a series of towns or scenes that featured “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Futurama.”

Beverly residents Joy Kuchler and her grandsons, Brian and Timothy Sullivan, spent quite a while at the animated Harry Potter display, complete with Harry flying around during a quidditch match.

“This is perfect,” she said. “Legos may be expensive, but they’re worth it. It’s something the whole family gets involved in. I’m in awe of this. I’m very glad I accompanied them.”

Timothy’s favorite was the moving wind turbine in a city created by club president Jamie LeBlanc, of Virgil.

“I got my first Lego set when I was six and for every Christmas and birthday, my mom and my wife still buy me Legos,” LeBlanc said. “I love the creativity.”

The 10-year-old club, which meets quarterly, does about eight such shows a year and has a waiting list of libraries that want to host them.

“We are surrounded by people who are smiling and laughing at things we created,” LeBlanc said of their shows. Their projects are always evolving and include a lot of “adult humor” as well, he said.

Matt DeLanoy’s exhibit was a take-off on the popular “Futurama” cartoon show and featured a Madison Cube Garden and Taco Bellevue Hospital. He creates his own Futurama figurines using computer-generated faces. His “Toy Story” scene included Woody and his gang “occupying” Andy’s bedroom, with all the characters toting homemade signs such as Hamm the pig’s “I’m 99% other white meat.”

The Maldonado family, of LaGrange, came to visit their Oak Lawn grandmother and the Lego Train show.

“It’s nice that we get together as a family. It’s something for everyone,” Christy Maldonado said.

Her son, Matt, thought the life sized Lego guitar was “really cool.”

“It’s cool that people can build all this,” he said. “It’s insane.”

For more information about the club, visit www.niltc.org.