By Haley Shapley
My stepdad is currently turning his basement into a mancave with a giant flat-screen TV (predictable), deer antlers (yuck) and a pinball machine (um, what?). I’ve never seen my stepdad playing pinball. I can’t even imagine it. And yet, he’s decided it will complete his little male hideaway.
It’s a shame, then, that he won’t be in town for the Texas Pinball Festival, held March 19 to 21 right here in Grapevine. The event promises 10,000-plus square feet of game room euphoria, with all the flipping, trapping, high-scoring fun an aficionado could want, and there will be more than 175 vintage and modern machines on sale and free to play.
On Saturday, pinball artist John Youssi (he’s created art for pinball machines including The Addams Family, Twilight Zone, Sharkey’s Shootout, Family Guy and many more) will give a presentation, sign autographs and take questions from the audience. Also on Saturday, a huge outdoor flea market called the Coin-Op Swap Meet will feature coin-operated collectibles.
Throughout the weekend, visitors will have the chance to test their skills against others in the quest for trophies and cash (and honor, of course). There’s a Classic Pinball Tournament, an Electro-Mechanical Tournament, a Modern Pinball Tournament, a Parent-Child Pinball Tournament … the list goes on. If competition isn’t your thing, just cross your fingers and hope to win one of the door prizes being given out on the hour all weekend long.
The festival will be held at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center and will cater to night owls, staying open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets are available for one-day admission or the entire weekend. Learn more at
www.texaspinball.com.