The Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center in Frisco, Texas, located at 7600 John Q Hammons Drive, once again played host to the highly anticipated Texas Pinball Festival (TPF) from February 20th to 22nd, 2026. This year’s event, meticulously organized by Paul McKinney, continued its tradition of bringing together pinball enthusiasts, manufacturers, collectors, and industry professionals for a celebration of all things pinball. Returning to its familiar Frisco venue, the festival offered a comprehensive schedule of tournaments, seminars, vendor showcases, and the ever-popular free-play arcade, drawing a significant crowd despite the anticipated high temperatures for the weekend, with forecasts predicting peaks around 37°C (98.6°F).

This report, compiled by Pinball News, provides an in-depth look at the events, from the early setup days to the thrilling conclusion, highlighting key developments, notable machines, and the overall atmosphere of the 2026 Texas Pinball Festival.

Pre-Show Preparations and Early Arrivals

The Pinball News team arrived in Texas on the Monday preceding the festival, beginning their journey in Houston with a visit to Barrels of Fun, a prominent pinball manufacturer, before heading north to Round Rock to tour the factory of Multimorphic, another key player in the industry. This early arrival allowed for a comprehensive preview of the preparations underway at the Frisco Convention Center.

By Wednesday evening, the main exhibition hall, which would later house the majority of the festival’s attractions, was already beginning to take shape. Set-up operations were in full swing, with exhibitors strategically placing their machines and booth structures. This year’s festival theme, "dragons," was evident from the outset, with the event’s logo featuring a dragon motif. This theme was further integrated into show merchandise, specialized dragon-themed pinball areas, and decorative dragon sculptures strategically placed throughout the venue, creating a cohesive and engaging visual experience for attendees.

Innovations and Special Events: TechDay and Seminars

A significant new addition to the TPF schedule this year was "TechDay," held throughout Wednesday. This innovative event offered machine owners a unique opportunity to bring their pinball machines for professional diagnosis and repair. Technicians were on hand to address faults, with owners actively involved in the troubleshooting process, providing a valuable learning experience. The fee for TechDay was $80, with replacement components available at a discounted rate. This initiative not only provided practical assistance to owners but also fostered a spirit of shared knowledge and community within the hobby.

The festival’s seminar program kicked off on Friday at midday, offering a diverse range of topics to cater to various interests within the pinball community. Brian Haskell commenced the sessions with a demonstration on creating custom leaderboards and displays using affordable technology like the Onn Google TV box and the AbleSign app. Following Haskell, Eugene Mosh and Matthew Talley continued their popular educational series, focusing on advanced troubleshooting techniques for pinball machines, aimed at both owners and restorers.

Friday evening featured a robust seminar schedule, beginning with a presentation from Jersey Jack Pinball. Jack Guarnieri introduced the session, followed by Eric Meunier discussing the development of the Harry Potter pinball machine. Dan Lachcik, the game’s lead mechanical designer, provided technical insights into the intricate mechanisms. Later, Barrels of Fun’s David van Es and Brian Savage detailed the company’s growth and the development of their popular titles, including Labyrinth, Dune, and the highly anticipated Winchester Mystery House. The day concluded with a presentation from Multimorphic, where the team discussed the P³ pinball platform, its appeal to owners and developers, and its most underappreciated features. All seminars were also streamed live on the Texas Pinball Seminars Twitch channel, extending their reach to a wider audience.

Saturday’s seminar program commenced with American Pinball’s presentation, "Something New." Owner Bryan Vincent introduced the new American Pinball team and outlined their production plans for original designs, as well as their announced series of "reimagined" Williams/Bally titles. The first of these reimagined titles, Cirqus Voltaire, was revealed to be available in two models: a modernized remake of the original and a reimagined version with updated artwork, sculpts, rules, animations, and sound.

The morning also included a seminar by Imoto Harney of Marco Specialties and Craig Hassell from Fun! Superstore, offering tips for first-time pinball machine owners on checking and maintaining new acquisitions. This was followed by a highly interactive "Ask Us Anything!" pinball tech Q&A session with a panel of experts, including Frank Lindenmuth, Eugene Mosh, Brian Haskell, Todd Tuckey, and Nic Schell, who tackled audience-submitted technical challenges. Brad Oldham of Evolution Mods then presented on enhancing pinball machines with interactive light shows and servo motors using the Pinnunciator system. The homebrew community took center stage with Aaron Davis, co-founder of FAST Pinball, inviting creators to discuss their custom builds. The afternoon featured a tutorial on playing the new Stern Pinball Pokémon game, led by software lead Tanio Klyce, co-designer Jack Danger, and competitive player Steve Bowden. The day concluded with an autograph session featuring prominent industry figures, a lively performance by Pinball Rod and The Extra Balls, a "fireside chat" with pinball industry veteran Todd Tuckey, and a presentation by the Stern Pinball team on the Pokémon pinball machine.

Tournament Action and Competition

The Texas Pinball Festival is renowned for its competitive tournaments, and 2026 was no exception. The upstairs Tournament Room served as the hub for these events. The Scrutinizers Tournament, a warm-up event designed to test machines for the main competitions, saw Garrett Shahan emerge victorious, followed by Randy Nelson in second, Jack Revnew in third, and Austin Trent in fourth. Concurrently, the Media Mavens Tournament on the main floor crowned Clark McCoy as the winner, with Neil McRae and Jamie Burchell securing second and third place, respectively.

Saturday saw the continuation of the Texas Wizards tournament, with early qualifying groups beginning in the morning. Sunday was dedicated to the finals of both the Texas Wizards and the Texas Takedown women’s tournament. The Texas Takedown featured 72 competitors, with the top four finalists—Emily Cosson, Ariel Dutton, Rebecca Salam, and Dawnda Durbin—battling it out on Big Ben, Kings of Steel, and The Walking Dead. Emily Cosson clinched the victory with a perfect score. In the Texas Wizards main tournament, Jack Revnew emerged as the champion, with Tim Hansen taking second place, Steve Bowden third, and Nick Mueller fourth.

Vendor Showcase and New Releases

The festival floor buzzed with activity as manufacturers and vendors displayed their latest offerings. FUN! showcased a range of Stern Pinball machines, while Jersey Jack Pinball presented their popular titles. American Pinball generated significant interest with their new logo and an updated model of Houdini, featuring revised cabinet and backglass artwork, an added topper, and playfield sculpts. Turner Pinball debuted their newly announced title, Yukon Yeti, presenting both the All-In and Legendary Edition models, alongside the innovative animatronic Northern Lights topper. Spooky Pinball’s stand was easily identifiable thanks to a large Beetlejuice character, with multiple machines available for play, including a dedicated "BeetleTent."

The vendor area also featured a diverse array of companies offering pinball parts, accessories, and services. Notable exhibitors included LeGrand PinCabs, Brickature, Ayscrim Studios, Carpool Pinball, NTX Pinball, Hangar Pinball, Barrels of Fun, Mayfair Amusements, Pixel Art Paintings, Artcade Concepts, Pinball Shack, Li Kit Flippers, Spooky Pinball, CoinTaker, Back Alley Creations, Evolution Mods, Pinball Pimp, Rotton Apple, Planetary Pinball, Titan Pinball, Arcade 92, The Electric Playground, Jersey Jack Pinball, Wizard Enterprises, Game Preserve, PinDoc’s, Hackforge, National Videogame Museum, The Pixelized Princess, and numerous others, highlighting the robust ecosystem supporting the pinball hobby.

The "History of Pinball" exhibit continued to be a popular attraction, showcasing pre-flipper mechanical devices and tracing the evolution of the modern pinball machine. This year’s exhibit featured remarkable mechanical marvels, providing a valuable historical context for the hobby.

Homebrew and Custom Creations

The growing segment of the homebrew pinball community was prominently featured, with Marco Specialties and FAST Pinball spearheading a dedicated area for custom-built machines. Multiple games in various stages of development were on display, showcasing the creativity and technical prowess of independent designers. Kyle Smet’s "Big Trouble in Little China" was recognized as the Best Custom (Homebrew) machine, while Landon Fraker received the Best Newcomer award for "Spirit of 76."

Awards and Closing Ceremonies

Sunday afternoon marked the conclusion of the festival with the closing ceremony and prize raffle. The Best in Show awards, judged by a panel of six experts, recognized excellence across various categories, including Best Antique, Best 1960s, Best Electromechanical, Best Solid State, Best DMD, Best Modern, Best Original, Best Homebrew, Best Classic Arcade, and Best Custom Video Game. Peter Batterton’s "Tales of the Arabian Nights" was honored with the Grand Champion: Best in Show award.

The highly anticipated raffle for a Jersey Jack Pinball Harry Potter Arcade Edition machine saw Adam Breakey emerge as the lucky winner. In a surprising and generous move, American Pinball owner Bryan Vincent awarded a second Houdini 100th Anniversary machine to Chris Engberg, who had narrowly missed out on the initial draw due to his late arrival. The festival concluded with the packing up of stands and machines, with organizers already announcing the dates for the 2027 Texas Pinball Festival: March 19th-21st, with early arrivals expected from March 17th.

Conclusion and Future Outlook

The 2026 Texas Pinball Festival once again proved to be a resounding success, demonstrating the continued growth and vitality of the pinball community. The expansion of the festival’s duration and scope, including the introduction of TechDay and a diverse seminar program, reflects a commitment to providing a comprehensive and engaging experience for attendees. The strong support from manufacturers, vendors, and the local community, coupled with an increasing international presence, underscores the festival’s status as a premier event in the pinball calendar. The "dragon" theme added a unique flair, and the blend of cutting-edge new releases with historical exhibits provided something for every pinball enthusiast. As the industry continues to evolve, the Texas Pinball Festival remains at the forefront, fostering innovation, community, and a shared passion for this enduring entertainment medium.