The 2026 Texas Pinball Festival (TPF) descended upon Frisco, Texas, from February 20th to 22nd, transforming the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center into a vibrant hub for pinball enthusiasts, collectors, and industry professionals. Hosted at 7600 John Q Hammons Drive, the festival, now a cornerstone event in the pinball calendar, once again showcased a dazzling array of vintage and modern machines, cutting-edge innovations, and a robust schedule of competitions, seminars, and community engagement. This year’s TPF, under the continued organization of Paul McKinney, demonstrated a commitment to growth and innovation, offering an expanded program that catered to both seasoned veterans and newcomers to the pinball world.

A Dragon’s Roar: The Theme and Atmosphere

This year’s Texas Pinball Festival embraced a "dragons" theme, a creative choice that permeated various aspects of the event. The official logo featured a stylized dragon, while dragon-themed pinball machines occupied a dedicated section of the show floor. Merchandise, from T-shirts to caps, proudly displayed the dragon motif, and custom dragon sculptures were strategically placed around the venue, adding a whimsical yet thematic touch to the overall ambiance. This thematic integration not only enhanced the visual appeal but also fostered a sense of playful immersion for attendees.

The festival’s return to Frisco, a testament to its established presence, saw the Convention Center and the adjoining Embassy Suites hotel buzzing with activity. The weather forecast predicted warm temperatures, with a peak around 37°C (98.6°F) for the show weekend, underscoring the Texan setting and requiring attendees to stay hydrated amidst the excitement.

Pre-Festival Preparations and the Dawn of TechDay

The Pinball News team arrived in Texas on Monday, February 17th, commencing their coverage with visits to industry players. An initial stop in Houston allowed for an interaction with David van Es and the team at Barrels of Fun, a significant manufacturer in the modern pinball scene. Following this, the journey northward included a visit to Multimorphic’s factory in Round Rock, where Gerry Stellenberg and his team were engaged in the production of their innovative P³ platform.

Wednesday, February 19th, marked the beginning of the pre-show setup, with the main exhibition hall already showing signs of transformation. Even before the public opening on Friday, the intricate process of transporting, setting up, and configuring hundreds of pinball machines and vendor displays was well underway. This meticulous preparation is crucial for ensuring a seamless experience for attendees.

A notable addition to this year’s festival was "TechDay," held throughout Wednesday. This innovative event provided a valuable service to machine owners, offering on-site diagnosis and repair of their pinball machines. Technicians were on hand to work alongside owners, imparting knowledge and practical skills for fault-finding and repair. The $80 ticket for TechDay, coupled with discounted component pricing, represented an investment in maintaining and understanding one’s collection, a testament to the growing technical engagement within the pinball community. The success of TechDay suggests a potential for further educational and hands-on workshops in future iterations of the festival.

A Glimpse into the Show Floor: Thursday’s Preparations

By Thursday morning, February 20th, the main show hall was visibly taking shape. Machines and display furniture were being strategically placed, and the TPF banners, signifying the event’s official start, were hung, creating an immediate sense of scale and anticipation. Major pinball manufacturers and distributors were actively setting up their stands, ensuring their latest offerings would be ready for public exhibition.

FUN!, a prominent distributor, was present, showcasing the latest machines from Stern Pinball. Similarly, Jersey Jack Pinball had a significant presence, displaying their diverse range of titles. American Pinball, a manufacturer that has been steadily gaining recognition, made a notable appearance, not only with their machines but also with a refreshed brand identity and a new product reveal. Their new model of the Houdini pinball machine, featuring updated cabinet and backglass artwork, an added topper, and the return of playfield sculpts, garnered significant attention. Pinball Traders were also present, indicating the presence of both new and pre-owned market activity. Warped Pinball was set to demonstrate their innovative connected system, highlighting the evolving technological landscape of the hobby.

The logistical efforts were evident, with loading doors consistently in use as exhibitors unloaded their equipment. The show floor plan, displayed prominently at the entrance, served as an essential guide for both vendors and attendees navigating the extensive layout. The festival’s reach extended beyond the main hall, with machines and vendor displays also occupying the corridors, maximizing the available space and offering a more comprehensive experience.

Friday: The Grand Opening and a Dragon’s Spectacle

Friday, February 21st, marked the official public opening of the Texas Pinball Festival at 4:00 PM. However, the day’s activities commenced earlier, with tournaments and seminars kicking off at midday. The corridors and main hall continued to fill with vendor stands and free-play machines, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere.

A highlight of the pre-opening preparations was the display of the grand prize for the show’s raffle: a brand-new Harry Potter Arcade Edition pinball machine from Jersey Jack Pinball. This highly anticipated machine quickly became a focal point for attendees eager to capture photos and videos.

Adding to the thematic elements, the Jui Long Lion/Dragon Dance Troupe performed shortly before the hall opened to the public. This vibrant cultural display, resonating with the show’s dragon theme, provided an energetic and visually captivating prelude to the festival’s official commencement. The performance was streamed live on the Texas Pinball Seminars Twitch channel, extending the reach of the event.

The merchandise desk also opened its doors, offering TPF-branded apparel and accessories, allowing attendees to commemorate their participation in the event. Food trucks and stands were set up outside the Conference Center, providing a variety of refreshments and meals, a welcome amenity, especially given the anticipated warm weather.

The seminar schedule on Friday offered a blend of technical expertise and industry insights. Brian Haskell’s midday seminar, "More Than Just Leaderboards," explored the use of affordable technology like the Onn Google TV box and the AbleSign app for creating custom pinball displays. This session highlighted the growing accessibility of creating personalized pinball experiences.

Following Haskell, Eugene Mosh and Matthew Talley continued their popular educational series with "How to Troubleshoot your Pinball Machine – the Advanced Class." These seminars underscore the festival’s commitment to empowering its attendees with practical knowledge for machine maintenance and repair.

Upstairs in the Tournament Room, the "Texas Wizards" tournament commenced, following an hour of free practice. This prestigious competition, featuring a demanding format, drew considerable interest from competitive players. The early qualifying rounds set the stage for what promised to be an intense weekend of pinball prowess.

In the evening, two tournaments were held: the "Scrutinizers Tournament" in the upstairs Tournament Room, serving as a warm-up for main competitions, and the "Media Mavens Tournament" on the main show floor. The Scrutinizers Tournament saw Garrett Shahan emerge victorious, with Randy Nelson, Jack Revnew, and Austin Trent securing second, third, and fourth places, respectively. Meanwhile, the Media Mavens Tournament, a unique event involving media creators, crowned Clark McCoy as the winner, followed by Neil McRae in second and Jamie Burchell in third. These early tournaments provided a competitive preview of the talent present at TPF.

Saturday: A Deep Dive into the Pinball Ecosystem

Saturday, February 22nd, began with the traditional Swap Meet, an early-morning event held in the parking lot and organized by the DFW Pinball & Arcade Club. With an official start time of 7:00 AM, many vendors and eager buyers arrived even earlier, seeking out rare parts, vintage machines, and unique pinball memorabilia. This early-bird gathering highlighted the strong community aspect of the festival, where treasure hunting and networking go hand-in-hand.

The seminar schedule continued to impress, with American Pinball kicking off the day at 10:00 AM with "American Pinball: Something New." Bryan Vincent, the company’s owner, introduced the new American Pinball team and detailed their production strategy, focusing on original designs and their ambitious project to "reimagine" classic Williams/Bally titles. The announcement of "Cirqus Voltaire" as the first reimagined title, featuring updated artwork, sculpts, rules, and animations, generated significant excitement.

At 11:00 AM, Imoto Harney of Marco Specialties and Craig Hassell from Fun! Superstore presented "Owning your first pinball machine," offering practical advice for both new and experienced owners on machine upkeep and maintenance. This session underscored the festival’s dedication to educating the broader pinball community.

The "Ask Us Anything!" Pinball Tech Q&A panel at noon provided a platform for audience members to pose technical challenges to a panel of experts, including Frank Lindenmuth, Eugene Mosh, Brian Haskell, Todd Tuckey, and Nic Schell. This interactive format allowed for real-time problem-solving and knowledge sharing, a valuable resource for attendees seeking to troubleshoot their own machines.

Brad Oldham of Evolution Mods followed at 1:00 PM with "How to Easily Add Interactive Light Shows, Servo Motors, Coils and More to your Pinball Machine with the Pinnunciator." This seminar showcased the potential for customization and enhancement within the pinball hobby, demonstrating how the Pinnunciator system empowers creators to add dynamic effects to existing games.

The homebrew community took center stage at 1:30 PM with "Making Pinball, Making Friends," hosted by Aaron Davis, co-founder of FAST Pinball. Davis invited numerous homebrew game developers to share their creations and experiences, highlighting the vibrant and growing DIY segment of the pinball industry. The prevalence of homebrew machines throughout the festival, from early concepts to near-complete games, demonstrated the increasing accessibility and popularity of game creation.

A tutorial on "Walk through game play on Pokémon" at 3:00 PM featured Steve Bowden, Jack Danger, and Tanio Klyce, offering insights into mastering Stern Pinball’s latest release. This session catered to the game’s significant fanbase and provided valuable strategies for achieving higher scores and progressing through the game.

The 4:00 PM autograph session provided attendees with a rare opportunity to meet and interact with industry luminaries, including Steve Ritchie, Jack Guarnieri, Brad Albright, Dennis Nordman, Eric Meunier, Christopher Franchi, Jack Danger, Tanio Klyce, George Gomez, Mike Vinikour, Brian Savage, David van Es, and many others. This personal interaction is a cherished aspect of major pinball conventions.

The "So You Think You Know Pinball?" trivia quiz, hosted by Martin Ayub of Pinball News and Jonathan Joosten of Pinball Magazine, commenced at 5:00 PM. This engaging quiz tested attendees’ knowledge of pinball history and trivia, with numerous prizes generously donated by industry sponsors, including Barrels of Fun Pinball, Multimorphic, Stern Pinball, Jersey Jack Pinball, Pinball Brothers, Spooky Pinball, American Pinball, Turner Pinball, Texas Pinball Festival, Pinball News, and Pinball Magazine.

The day concluded with two more seminars: Todd Tuckey’s "Fireside Chat" at 6:00 PM, reflecting on his extensive career in the coin-op industry and his work with TNT Amusements, showcased through his popular YouTube channel. The final seminar at 8:00 PM featured the Stern Pinball team, including George Gomez, Jack Danger, Tanio Klyce, and Jerry Thompson, discussing the development of the new Pokémon pinball machine. This presentation offered a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, from initial concepts to sound design and rule implementation.

Throughout Saturday, the show floor was alive with activity. Vendors showcased their latest products and services, from custom mods and accessories to vintage parts and complete machines. The "History of Pinball" exhibit continued to draw crowds, offering a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of the game from its mechanical origins to the sophisticated digital machines of today. The homebrew and custom games section, significantly expanded this year, highlighted the ingenuity and passion of independent creators, with Marco Specialties and FAST Pinball playing key roles in supporting this burgeoning segment.

Sunday: Tournaments, Awards, and a Grand Finale

Sunday, February 23rd, focused on the culmination of the weekend’s major tournaments and the closing ceremony. While the Seminars Room was reconfigured for the final presentations, the Tournament Room upstairs hosted the decisive matches of the Texas Takedown women’s tournament and the Texas Wizards main tournament.

The Texas Takedown, featuring 72 competitors, saw its final round played on "Big Ben," "Kings of Steel," and "The Walking Dead." Emily Cosson emerged as the dominant force, securing a perfect score and the championship title. Dawnda Durbin secured second place after a tie-breaker, with Ariel Dutton taking third and Rebecca Salam finishing fourth.

In the Texas Wizards tournament, Jack Revnew clinched the overall victory after a closely contested final round played on "Spider-Man," "King Kong: Myth of Terror Island," and "Panthera." Tim Hansen secured second place, followed by Steve Bowden in third and Nick Mueller in fourth. These tournaments showcased the high level of skill and dedication within the competitive pinball community.

At 2:00 PM, the closing ceremony commenced, featuring the presentation of "Best in Show" awards and the highly anticipated grand prize raffle draw. The "Best in Show" awards, judged by a panel of six experienced individuals including Keith Holbrook, Scott Martin, Bill Morrison, Gary Stuart, Rich Wiski, and Michael Lube, recognized excellence across various categories, from antique machines to modern DMD titles and custom homebrew creations. Notable winners included Peter Batterton for "Tales of the Arabian Nights" (Grand Champion: Best in Show), Kyle Smet for "Big Trouble in Little China" (Best Custom/Homebrew), and many others who demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship and dedication to restoring and showcasing pinball artistry.

The raffle for the Harry Potter Arcade Edition, valued at $9,995, generated significant excitement. While the initial winner, Chris Engberg, was not present to claim his prize, American Pinball owner Bryan Vincent generously awarded a second Houdini 100th Anniversary machine to Nicole Schulte, who was present and eligible. Subsequently, Chris Engberg did arrive and was also presented with a Houdini machine, a testament to the spirit of generosity and community at TPF.

The raffle for the Harry Potter Arcade Edition saw Adam Breakey emerge as the lucky winner, taking home the coveted prize. The drawing, conducted by Eric Meunier, the machine’s designer, added a thrilling conclusion to the festival’s celebratory events.

Looking Ahead: The Enduring Appeal of TPF

The 2026 Texas Pinball Festival demonstrated a continued commitment to expanding its scope and enhancing the attendee experience. The introduction of TechDay, the diverse seminar topics, and the array of musical performances contributed to a well-rounded festival atmosphere. The show’s continued growth, evidenced by increased attendance and vendor participation, reflects the robust health of the pinball hobby and TPF’s integral role within it. The festival’s ability to attract industry leaders, showcase new titles, foster community engagement, and celebrate the rich history of pinball solidifies its position as a must-attend event for enthusiasts worldwide. The announcement of the 2027 dates – March 19th-21st, 2027, at the same Frisco venue – sets the stage for yet another memorable gathering, promising further innovation and excitement for the pinball community.