Ever Since I Was A Young Boy I've Played The Silver Ball!!!

Gatecrasher

Gatecrasher

Well-Known Member
#1
#1
Well, I'm getting ready for the big event here in Allentown, PA next weekend.

The 2017 PINFEST pinball show at the Allentown Fairgrounds.



Show schedule for this event will be:
Thursday May 4th (setup only for vendors and free play) 1:00pm to 9:00pm
Friday May 5th from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Saturday May 6th From 9:00 am to 8:00 pm

Fees for participation are as followed:
General Admission per day is $20 for adults 12 and older
Children under 12 are $10 and under 5 are free

Always a big event where you pay a $20 admission fee and have access to a day's worth of pinball fun! Parking is free.

Over 200 machines on site set to free-play including the latest 2017 releases. Many machines also for sale as well as a flea market for parts and accessories. You will also find slot machines, video games, vending machines like Coke, etc., and always a few other coin-op machines for sale like jukeboxes and others. Great stuff for a Man Cave or home game room.

I plan to bring two of my machines to the show to place in the free play area. A 1978 Bally Playboy and a 1979 Bally Star Trek.

It's a great venue with the Allentown Farmer's market right across the street for anything and everything you might want to eat while at the show. It is awesome!

There is also a tournament if you think you are really good. I'll be there Friday and Saturday.

Come flip out if you can!












PinFest 2017 Spring Pinball Show
 
Gatecrasher

Gatecrasher

Well-Known Member
#3
#3
Those pictures are from Friday last year. All the kids are in school.

Saturday is when the families show up and then there are a lot more kids (and females) too.

People come from all across the United States although most are from the east coast.

Plus young people don't appreciate pinball. It wasn't part of their lives growing up.

Just like minibikes.
 
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H

Havasu Dave

Moderator
#7
#7
In the 70's I had some favorite machines. From Soho down to Brighton, I must have played them all. While modern video games have a lot more to offer in terms of mental involvement, pinball machines required a degree of dexterity and skill. Each machine was different. Especially with how much nudge they'd take before giving you a "tilt." You had to KNOW that, you had to FEEL that, you had to be IN THE GAME.

I doubt I'd attend a big event with strangers. Just like the mini bikes, there is only so far we can go back in the time machine before things get all blurry. Trying to be 14 years old in my head, standing next to a smelly old fifty year old stranger, I can't hear those buzzers and bells.

But I appreciate the gig. Thanks for the posting.
 
we4amigos

we4amigos

Member
#8
#8
A guy rents a portion of our warehouse at my work for this addiction . He's all hyped up for this show and he goes to them all. He repairs-restores & collects some outstanding machines.
But I beg to differ on the young crowd not being into Pinball. He's opened a arcade in downtown that's connected to a bar and it's packed ! Saturday's during the day is family fun time and again it's packed. They have a Pinball shootout once a week,there's SkeeBall leagues and even a Ball Bowler league. I believe there just isn't THAT many places you can play.
I even recognize 2 of the people in those pictures ! Lol
 
Gatecrasher

Gatecrasher

Well-Known Member
#12
#12
Havasu Dave said:
I doubt I'd attend a big event with strangers. Just like the mini bikes, there is only so far we can go back in the time machine before things get all blurry. Trying to be 14 years old in my head, standing next to a smelly old fifty year old stranger, I can't hear those buzzers and bells.

But I appreciate the gig. Thanks for the posting.
Click to expand...
Uhh.... OK... I guess?

lol
 
FOMOGO

FOMOGO

#14
#14
And how many others can say that they went to the theatre to see Tommy on opening day???? ME,ME,ME....

Yes I went and saw that stupid movie....... Young and dumb and full of curiosity... Went to see A Clockwork Orange too. And forever I remembered it as being a cool movie, that is until I searched for it on my Kodi box recently and tried to watch it again 40 plus years later.... And I paid good money to watch these two too...

I did see American Graffiti on opening day. Plus 13 more times before it left. Young and dumb and.....

And I used to play a machine called "Matta Harri" at the Sub Shop and you could dance with that dude. You had to try to tilt it. A quarter lasted for an hour or more.

Ahh the memories of a miss spent youth.

Doug
 
Raskin

Raskin

#15
#15
I can't explain..man i miss the baseball pinball game..also using your palm to save a ball on otheres..ching..ching ching da da da da ching ching..
 
Gatecrasher

Gatecrasher

Well-Known Member
#17
#17
Just prepped two machines to place in the free play area at the show. I'll be loading them up in my van to take to the show tomorrow. I like to make sure they are 100% operational and clean them up, wax the playfields, and give them a full preventative maintenance. They have to last 48 hours of constant play. Too many guys put machines in the show and by Saturday they are turned off with "Out Of Order" signs on them.

Both of these have been fully refurbished. All the electronics and every mechanism have been rebuilt, the playfields have 6 coats of automotive clear-coat on them, and they play as good as they did the day they rolled-off the factory floor.


Bally Star Trek (1979)









Bally Playboy (1978)





 
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jeep2003

jeep2003

#18
#18
Cool I wouldnt mind owning a pinball machine. As a kid in the 90s at the arcades I always liked the pinball machines the most. Love the quality feel to them
 
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