1st Annual Pinball Festival - 2012 - Newcastle area

[pinnies4me]

tonight is a comp and free play cost is $10

tomorrow is 10am to 4pm cost is $10 per person.

hope to see you there.

Bargain!!

Many "public" types around? Ie non-pinball owners reliving their youth?

[Caveoftreasures]

I hope the weekend goes really well. I cant see why it wont. Should be lots of people there. (I hope you and ya daughter are OK Swinksy).

Hopefully Gav(Retropin) or Mike(Homepin) have snapped some photos/videos today and they can share/post them on Aussie Pinball or one of the members who frequents both forums could please.

Hopefully next year there is a AP banner flying high and AP committe members continue to be a part of the organising committee ang get a decent say/share in the organising etc..
With Gav and Mike attending and having professional stalls set up, AP is getting the best representation anyone could ask for anyway I reckon. (well done guys !)

Dying to see some photos and get some feedback about the day !

[swinks]

Well, firstly thanks guys for the kind thoughts re my daughter, she is doing well - 3yr old trolley surfer ?????

I went for the comp / forum's night - alot of fun and nice to put some faces to names - had a chat with Mike (Homepin) he is a character spruking away with his portable speaker system   with a silent auction of donated items.

Lots of great machines, and a few rare ones I am sure as well, heard that mister Hankin himself visited and signed a Howzat and Star Wars machines, had a good chat with Norbet from AMD as well as Luke and have to say a really good vibe overall with no forum verse forum feeling, just lots of friendly pinball people and their families. The guys that advertised their services even standing next to their machines said that they got alot of interest and potential work with little flyers stuck on the back glass so ideas for guys come the next event.

Approx 300 tickets sold during today's session and some of those were families so estimates were 400 people, with every game having a person on it as well as 2 deep behind waiting for a go. A couple of the guys including Norbet said that the crowd was different compared to meets, lots of families including kids with the jaws dragging on the ground - which was one of the goals with this show, and it was believed people that heard via the radio and advertising along the road etc.

It's even said that the owner of the Hotel is going to buy a few machines so looking positive for number 2 show next year.

I will post some photos soon and I did a dodgy walk around video - which I was walking a bit fast past machines - sorry.

[swinks]

here are a couple of photos to help you guys out.

looking in from the outside

and the hankins

[swinks]

and 2 more

1. is a world defender which is like a Terminator 1 machine which was cool but had a hard life with some extreme operator hacks.

2. is Master Stroker which is a Madrid game, interesting and a fun player. It has an unusual mod so I have been told which is quite effective. Though the machine is old it has 2 balls and the guy who did this up put a ball eject in the centre of the apron out of site and it ejects a second ball into play which extra ball is lit so turns it into a multi ball. When the guy got this machine it was in real bad shape and he has done a awesome job.

In addition I met the owner of a Bally Bingo Ball which was a interesting experience being educated and gambled away - I can see the issue of gambling back in the day in the states with this type of machine, very cool.

[swinks]

just uploaded a video to youtube - not sure how long it takes to show up there, but here is the link. I just did a lap past all the machines - the first 6 were luke's machines and the last 6 were the tournament machines.

rUEkA&feature=mh_lolz    (sorry had a setting wrong should work now)

Hopefully I will get some decent photos tomorrow along with a good vibe crowd shot.

[v8racefan]

Thanks for the update swinks
 

 

[Extra Ball]

The meet/comp last nite went off really well, and we got time to do some running repairs, and actually get a few games in.

[Homepin]

this is without doubt am amazing event and simply a stunning success - day 2 today is bound to be even bigger.

I can say, with 100% assurance that there is NOT a single scrap of AA vs AP animosity from anyone at the event - organisers, members and exhibitors included.

There is no need for anyone to think that there is - if the AP banner was here there are 20 people who would hang it up in a flash.

this is a great opportunity to put forum differences behind us and promote pinball to the public

hats off to the organisers for creating a world class event

[Caveoftreasures]

I knew it would be a HUGE success with very organised people like Swinksy(Jady), Mike(Homepin) and Gav(Retropin) involved.  ABSOLUTELY WELL DONE GUYS, YOU HAVE MADE US ALL VERY PROUD !

I am so glad the event has attracted such a wide spread of people from all over. The photos show lots of kids which mean lots of families have enjoyed all the pinball machines too !

Its a great few days/time for our great Pinball Industry in general and it looks like there will be double the pinball machines there next year and double the people. It cant get any better than that.

A big thanks to AMD, Bruce and Norbert for supporting the show. Great blokes. The 2013 Pinball Festival looks like a big winner already ! Hope u guys have a great Sunday of pinball fun !

[GORGAR 1]

this is without doubt am amazing event and simply a stunning success - day 2 today is bound to be even bigger.

I can say, with 100% assurance that there is NOT a single scrap of AA vs AP animosity from anyone at the event - organisers, members and exhibitors included.

There is no need for anyone to think that there is - if the AP banner was here there are 20 people who would hang it up in a flash.

this is a great opportunity to put forum differences behind us and promote pinball to the public

hats off to the organisers for creating a world class event

Awesome to hear that's its just all about pinball and nothing else gee I wish I had of gone sounds and looks like everyones having a ball.

Peter

[pinnies4me]

Sounds like this has really come off well, great to see. 

[Mr Pinbologist]

just uploaded a video to youtube - not sure how long it takes to show up there, but here is the link. I just did a lap past all the machines - the first 6 were luke's machines and the last 6 were the tournament machines.

rUEkA&feature=mh_lolz    (sorry had a setting wrong should work now)

Hopefully I will get some decent photos tomorrow along with a good vibe crowd shot.

Damn i was caught on candid camera  I'm playing paragon in the vid, and not very well i must say 

I'm back home now as of writing this, sorry i missed out on meeting you swinksey.
Me and Ian (howzat) had an absolute blast there and will be back next year for sure  and will definitely look into bringing a game each 

Was good to meet a few fellow AP members and put a face to the names, got to meet Gav (retropin) and Mike (homepin), great guys and fun to hang out with!! I was VERY tempted to buy one of Gavs neon signs.. VERY tempted 

We also met Pinpal (sorry i cant remember your name)     and this morning i got to meet and talk with Ken (skybeaux).

VERY successful event i would say!! I got heaps of pics and a couple of vids (might post some later on). And i got to play a LOT of games i hadn't played before which was good.

WELL DONE to all involved in making this happen 

[PinPal]

Well a big thank-you to all the people who put the 2012 Caves Beach Pinfest together,, it was a BALL,     sorry for the pun!!
I enjoyed it immensely and I got to meet  Homepin, Mr Pinbologist, Retropin, and Howzat from Aussie Pinball.
Myself and my partner Sandra enjoyed both days, we had sore fingers when we left on Saturday but we had a fantastic time.  
The best games there for me was Paragon, Terminator 2., Monster Bash, Bride of Pinbot, Black Pyramid witch had an awesome sound and Cirqus Voltaire.
I was asked if I could bring along my Bally Flash Gordon for next years event ?    
Looking forwould to the next pinfest,  bigger and better next year,, fingers crossed.  
Attached picks are Pinpal playing Bally Paragon and Sandra playing Bally Power Play.
Keep Flipping   (PINPAL – Paul)  

[swinks]

Yeah sorry that I didn't meet you guys, I couldn't make it yesterday but was there last night and from start to midday today.

I played so many games that I have never seen before so that was awesome.

Mike and Gav were top blokes, had a good chat and I caved in and bought one of Gav's neon signs.  , and Gav when I got home a big thumbs up from my wife she loves it as well.