Build the LEGO Big E Cow
Posted by HearItWow,
For the 2015 Eastern States Exposition in Massachusetts, LEGO offered visitors the chance to make-and-take a cow model, complete with rotating head and swinging tail. This is an official LEGO model, similar to the Americana Roadshow miniature buildings, but unless you attended the event in person, you may not have heard about it.
I think it's a fine cow, and quite easy to build from parts you may already have at hand, so with a bit of help from LEGO Digital Designer and Photoshop, I have created some reproduction instructions to help you build your own version. Using the basic design, this can easily be customized to any color, or any animal you like.
LEGO has been a part of the Eastern States Exposition, locally known as The Big E, for many years. Its Enfield, Connecticut office hosts a sizable booth inside the Connecticut Capitol Building pavilion on the Big E's Avenue of States. The booth includes some custom LEGO display models, a small LEGO shop and an area where kids can build from an assortment of bricks.
In recent years, LEGO have offered a fair exclusive. In 2013 there was a make-and-take model of the Connecticut Capitol Building, in 2014 there was a T-shirt, and 2015 provided the make-and-take cow. These exclusives offer some extra incentive for LEGO collectors to attend, beyond the many attractions, exhibits and foods of questionable nutritional value (giant crème puffs and fried Oreos) that are standard to American fairs.
37 likes
27 comments on this article
Cute cow!
Cool! My daughter will dig this.
Moooo ve over let me see
Very cute, thanks!
That's adorable! It'd be nice if they had something similar for the West Coast.
That looks like a big head on a flimsy neck. Does the head swivel too freely? ;-)
Great,cheers!
The Bright Blue connector actually does a good job holding the head in place, so it doesn't flop around.
The tail, on the other hand, immediately drops back to a vertical position when you let go of it. The clutch is not nearly as good for that plate.
Nice cow. I went to The Big E back in 2012, but didn't see anything like this for it. Mind you, I was only just getting back into Lego back then.
EDIT: Oh, wait, I did! They had a Lego wall inside one of the State buildings. I even took a photo of it. https://www.flickr.com/photos/97154687 @N02/15400101317/in/album-72157648465462837/
Thank you for sharing! Very cute design--would love to see the Connecticut Capitol building model too (sounds like a fine addition to the Americana Road Tour series)!
Does this have a set number or anything like that?
Why?? LEGO has already made the building instructions. It is on the LEGO Club website.
http://www.lego.com/da-dk/club/member/building-instructions/details/cow-and-barn-a0015583eb95493e8c55f7b3a6e37e91
[Explanation of sarcasm for our American friends]
My comment about a flimsy neck and swivelling head was a reference to the WALL•E design. I wasn't actually making a serious comment about how robust it may or may not be, or calling into question its design integrity. I was just being facetious.
I hope that clears things up.
Is this an actual set, or is it more of a 'build this model here, the parts are there' type of model?
What are the Americana Roadshow miniature buildings? Could you perhaps include a picture, i'm curious :D
The latter, I believe.
Interesting. I attended the event in person, and I didn't hear about it!
I go to the Big E every year or so and in 2013 and 2015 I saw no mention of either build at the LEGO booth (it's 2 booths combined, making it a medium display), nor did I see any LEGO employees there this year even! I don't have kids, so that may be part of it, but I will certainly check next year for a giveaway!
Also, I've never seen a LEGO Shop at LEGO's booth, nor anywhere in the fair. I doubt I missed it as I tend to see most of the fair each year.
^^^ If you do a search on LegoAmericana, there are lots of photos of both the large scale buildings, and the small make and take models. Check the forums for links to instructions to build the small ones. (Hint: Search for "Old North Church".)
HTH
Sarcasm fail acknowledged.
The LEGO booth at the Big E can be tricky to navigate. The shop is tucked into a tiny corner at one side of the booth, and its manned by an employee or two. The make and takes are easy to miss amid the bins of random bricks for the kids, unless you ask a booth staffer.
The only evidence online of the Connecticut State House micro build is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hedFMasIm-E
Kids are apparently better than AFOLs at finding this stuff at The Big E.
I herd about it.
Actually I didn't - I wasn't there. I just couldn't resist slipping that one in.
Sorry.
Cowww…
I like it!
To prevent the free rotation of the head and tail, you can replace the 1x2 black brick with a 1x2 brick with technic axle hole. Then insert a 3L bar through the body, and the problem should be fixed :)
Thanks, Halhi141. That's a great solution for a problem that LEGO have utterly failed to acknowledge. I mean that sincerely. No bull ... [groan]
No "Audrey", you get *beef* from cattle, not Spam.
Every comment you make cracks me up Block-n-Roll - every serious comment in response, has me in 'udder' hysterics !
Please keep 'milking' it for all its worth !
(I'm punned out, thank goodness)
Thanks for the laugh, just brilliant !
I'm sure we can cream off a few more choice puns. Perhaps we're saving the beast till last, you might say...
Shouldn't "Lego have 'udderly' failed to acknowledge"..... (stop me now...)
^ Another failure in LEGO's quality control? (Well spotted, by the way! That's something that had passed by *all* of us!)