2023

Texas Pinball Festival 2023: A Triumphant Return to Normalcy

Experience the excitement of TPF2023 – winner of the TWIPY for best show and fan-favorite pinball event of the year. With over 420 machines, $20,000 in tournament prizes, and 4,800 attendees, this was our biggest celebration of pinball culture yet!
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A Message From Our Organizers

TPF2023 marked our triumphant return to normalcy after two years of COVID-related cancellations and challenges. This year’s show featured the most brand-new, out-of-the-box games ever displayed, drawing enthusiastic crowds eager to experience the latest innovations in pinball technology.

We’re incredibly honored to have won the TWIPY for best show after being ineligible last year. The fact that fans once again selected TPF as their favorite show is something we don’t take lightly—it’s a testament to the passion and dedication of our community.

Best In Show Awards: Celebrating Pinball Artistry

One of our favorite parts of the Texas Pinball Festival is the Best In Show Awards. These prestigious recognitions reward and celebrate the incredible amount of work our Exhibitors invest in bringing their finest games to the festival. Exhibitors spend countless hours repairing, restoring, and polishing these machines until they become true works of interactive art.

While the prizes themselves may not be substantial in monetary value, the support and recognition the community shows for these dedicated Exhibitors is truly remarkable. These awards highlight the craftsmanship, dedication, and passion that make the pinball community so special.

Award-Winning Machines: Showcasing Excellence

The Best In Show competition featured an impressive array of meticulously restored and maintained pinball machines. Each winner represents countless hours of dedication to preserving and enhancing these interactive works of art.
These machines represent the pinnacle of pinball restoration and maintenance. Exhibitors often spend months preparing their machines for the festival, ensuring every light, sound, and mechanical element functions perfectly while maintaining the authentic character and charm of these beloved games.

More Award-Winning Machines

The Best In Show Awards highlight the incredible diversity within the pinball community. From vintage electromechanical machines of the 1950s and 60s to solid-state classics of the 70s and 80s, and modern digital marvels, the competition showcases the evolution of pinball design and technology across decades.

Over $1,500 in Best In Show Award money was distributed to recognize these outstanding examples of pinball preservation and restoration. Each machine tells a story not just of the game itself, but of the dedicated enthusiast who brought it back to its former glory.

The judging process for these awards is rigorous, evaluating machines on criteria including authenticity, playability, visual appeal, and overall condition. Winners represent the gold standard in pinball preservation and restoration.

Final Best In Show Highlights

The Best In Show competition continues to grow each year, with an increasing number of exhibitors bringing their finest machines to compete for recognition. This friendly competition helps drive standards higher across the entire pinball community, encouraging better preservation and restoration techniques.
Many of these award-winning machines have fascinating histories—some have been rescued from warehouses or basements, others have been in collections for decades, and some have been painstakingly restored from near-destruction. Each represents a labor of love and dedication to preserving pinball history for future generations to enjoy.

Tournament Action: World-Class Competition

TPF 2023 attracted some of the most skilled tournament players in the world, including several ranked in the global top 10 and many others in the top 100. The competitive atmosphere was electric as these pinball wizards demonstrated their incredible skills and strategies.

Our tournament directors Colin McAlpine, Phil Grimaldi, Liz Dronet, and Dick Curtis, supported by an army of dedicated volunteers, orchestrated flawless competitions as they do every year. Their expertise and attention to detail ensured fair play and an excellent competitive experience for all participants.

The tournaments featured various divisions to accommodate players of all skill levels, from novices to world-ranked professionals. This inclusive approach is part of what makes TPF tournaments so special—everyone has a chance to compete and enjoy the thrill of tournament play.

Tournament Action: World-Class Competition

1

Wizards ‘A’ Division

  1. Karl DeAngelo – 1st Place
  2. Bowen Kerins – 2nd Place
  3. Donavan Stepp – 3rd Place
  4. Travis Murie – 4th Place
2

Wizards ‘B’ Division

  1. Ryan Altermatt – 1st Place
  2. Justin Rausch – 2nd Place
  3. Mike Polisky – 3rd Place
  4. Collier Whitefield – 4th Place
3

Wizards Novice Division

  1. Michael Hew – 1st Place
  2. Laurie Abel – 2nd Place
  3. Dennis Moncla – 3rd Place
  4. Jeffrey Porter – 4th Place

The Wizards Tournament is one of the most prestigious competitions at TPF, featuring multiple divisions to accommodate players of all skill levels. With over $20,000 in tournament prize money distributed across all competitions, the stakes were high and the competition fierce.

Specialized Tournament Results

Classics Tournament

Food Trucks
  1. Escher Lefkoff – 1st Place
  2. Preston Moncla – 2nd Place
  3. Lora Streeter – 3rd Place
  4. Neil Graf – 4th Place

Texas Takedown Women's Championship

Live Entertainment
  1. Meghan Shattuck – 1st Place
  2. Lee Ann Scardina – 2nd Place
  3. Deanna Scalf – 3rd Place
  4. Dagmar Kenney – 4th Place

Kids Bump 'n Win Tournament

Food Trucks

The Kids Bump ‘n Win Tournament is one of our most cherished events, introducing younger players to the joy of competitive pinball in a supportive environment. This year’s winners were:

  1. Miles Bradley – 1st Place
  2. Liam Bradley – 2nd Place
  3. Gryffen Lauzon – 3rd Place
  4. Brandon Chapman – 4th Place

TPF2023 By The Numbers

420+

Pinball Machines

Over 420 pinball machines and classic arcades came through the doors during Exhibitor check-in, creating one of the largest collections of playable machines in a single venue.

$20k+

Tournament Prizes

More than $20,000 in tournament money and trophies were awarded to skilled players across multiple divisions and competitions.

$1.5k+

Best In Show Awards

Over $1,500 in Best In Show Award money was distributed to recognize outstanding examples of pinball preservation and restoration.

4,800+

Attendees

More than 4,800 pinball enthusiasts attended TPF2023, making it one of our most successful events ever.

Media Coverage

For the best TPF2023 show coverage, check out Martin Ayub’s comprehensive wrap-up at Pinball News and Jonathan Joosten’s excellent article in Pinball Magazine.

A tremendous amount of effort went into producing this event. Special thanks to William Oetting from This Week in Pinball, Imoto, Todd Tuckey, and their committee for doing an amazing job. We’re already looking forward to making TPF2024 even better!

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