Article Summary

A LEGO user group is a club of fans who meet to build, share and exhibit together. Here is how LEGO's Ambassador Network lists recognized groups and events, what recognition means, how to find a club near you, and what to expect at your first meeting.

A LEGO user group, or LUG, is a local club of LEGO fans who meet to build, share ideas and parts, and exhibit their creations together. The quickest way to find one is LEGO's own LEGO Ambassador Network, which lists the groups LEGO recognizes and the events they run. Membership of the network is free.

Quick answer: sign up at lan.lego.com, look up groups and events near you in its directory and community calendar, then go to a meeting or a public display and introduce yourself. No collection is required to join.

What a LUG is, and what recognition means

Most LUGs are clubs of adult fans who meet regularly, build together, and put on displays at conventions, libraries, festivals and shopping centres. LEGO works with these communities through the LEGO Ambassador Network (LAN). Anyone can join the network as an individual, but only groups are recognized. A Recognized LEGO User Group usually serves one city, state or country and organises in-person meetings and events, and the network's guidelines ask a group to have existed for at least a full year, with an active membership, before it is recognized. Many good clubs are not recognized at all, often simply because they are new or small.

How to find a group near you

  1. The LEGO Ambassador Network. Create a free account at lan.lego.com and use the directory and community calendar to find recognized groups and their upcoming events near you.
  2. Search for your area. Search for your city, state or region plus "LEGO user group". Many clubs run their own websites or social media pages.
  3. Go to a public LEGO display. Fan displays at libraries, festivals and conventions are usually built by local groups, and the builders standing next to their models are the easiest people in the world to ask. Our LEGO conventions guide lists the big ones with their dates.
  4. Ask online. Regional threads on fan forums and community chat servers are another route; our guide to LEGO forums and communities lists where fans talk.

What to expect at your first meeting

Meetings vary from a dozen people building around a table to large clubs with separate train, town and castle groups. Expect show and tell, planning for the next public display, and often a group project, such as a shared city or railway layout. Many clubs agree on simple building standards so that members' sections connect into one display; ask for them before you build something meant to join the layout. You do not need a large collection: new members often start by helping on a group display, and clubs regularly trade and share parts.

Getting the most out of a club

  • Join a display early. Helping set up and staff a public show is the fastest way to meet everyone.
  • Bring something small. A finished small model is easier to talk about than a half-built large one.
  • Learn the group's standards. Baseplate sizes, road layouts and train track conventions vary between clubs.
  • Enter the club's contests. Many groups run building challenges; our guide to LEGO MOC contests lists the open online ones too.

Related guides

Checked against the LEGO Ambassador Network's published guidelines in October 2026. This guide is research based.