Lego Imagine Nation tour, Canada's largest Lego event, kicks off in Calgary

Spoiler alert: Legomaster builders actually use glue.

Christopher Steininger is one of just eight Legomaster model builders on the planet, tasked with designing and creating life-size models of people, carsand anything else you could imagine.

But the complex, 3D modelsrequire special tools, the most important of whichhappens to be a sticky school staple.

"I hate to say it, we have to glue each and every piece on," Steininger told CBC Calgary News at 6.

Steininger is in Calgary to kick off Canada's largest ever Lego event: The Imagine Nation Tour, where enthusiasts of all ages can compete in construction,experiment and learn from expertsat theBMO Centre until Sunday.

"Unlike the Lego Movie where thegood guys are master builders and they don't glue everything together, it turns out that master builders are the bad guys, and we have to glue everything together," he joked.

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The tour kicked off in Calgary Friday, with 15 pavillions offering activities for fans of all ages

Some might consider it cheating, but it's purely practical, saidSteininger.

The finished products are shipped around the world and "would never survive a truck ride if we didn't glue 'em," he said.

The work is arduous and requires expertise in 3D visual arts.A life-size person takes as many as 200 hours to build, whereas a scale model car could take 2,000 hours, Steininger said.

Each model ishollow, which saves on lego bricks, timeand shipping costs,he said. Some also make use of steel reinforcements, in case a child decides to try to hang offan extended arm, Steininger explained.

15 thematic pavilions on display

Canada's first Lego Imagine Nation Tourevent unfolds over more than one hectare of space, featuring 15 thematic pavilions and activities for fans of all ages in Calgary.

Interactive stations allowfans to see their creations come alive on the big screen, as they witness animmersive 60-second experience with their constructed object.

A reproduction of the Saddledomewill also be built out ofLego bricks during the event.

The tour has five events planned for Calgarythrough Sunday, before it continues onto Vancouver and Toronto.

Tour dates are:

• CalgarySept. 9 to 11
• VancouverSept. 30toOct.2
• TorontoOct. 14 to 16

With files from CBC Calgary News at 6