# PINTASTIC 2017 **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2017-07-16 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/07/16/pintastic-2017 --- ## Analysis Pintastic 2017, held July 6-8 at Sturbridge Host Hotel in Massachusetts, drew over 2,000 pinball enthusiasts to experience 200+ machines spanning the 1950s to current releases. The event featured the world premiere of Stern's Star Wars machine, seminars from industry figures including Barry Oursler, Jeremy 'Zombie Yeti' Packer, and Butch Peel of Jersey Jack, alongside tournaments, vendor halls, and charity fundraising activities. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Pintastic 2017 was the third year of the event held in Sturbridge, Massachusetts — _Event coverage states 'Back for its third year in 2017'_ - [HIGH] Over 2,000 people attended Pintastic 2017 — _Opening statement: 'over 2,000 people converged at the crossroads of New England'_ - [HIGH] The event featured over 200 pinball machines from the 1950s to current releases — _Pintastic featured over 200 pinball machines from the 1950s right up to this year's new releases_ - [HIGH] Star Wars pinball had its world premiere at Pintastic 2017 — _Multiple references: 'world premiere of the highly-anticipated Star Wars machine from Stern Pinball' and photo caption 'The world premiere of Stern's Star Wars pinball'_ - [HIGH] Recent games were run in two different rooms for day and night shifts to allow more playing time — _Photo caption: 'Many recent games were in two different rooms for day and night shifts, allowing more playing time'_ ### Notable Quotes > "over 2,000 people converged at the crossroads of New England, USA to experience the region's only major pinball exposition, the Pintastic Pinball and Game Room Expo" > — **Event coverage**, Article opening > _Establishes event scale and regional importance_ > "the belle of the ball was Stern's new Star Wars table" > — **Event coverage**, Final section > _Highlights Star Wars as the headline attraction and main draw for attendees_ > "Enthusiastic guests and collectors delighted at the chance to witness over eighty years' of pinball innovation" > — **Event coverage**, Mid-article > _Characterizes attendee sentiment and event's appeal to community history_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Pintastic | event | Annual pinball exposition held in Sturbridge, Massachusetts; third year in 2017; draws 2,000+ attendees | | Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center | organization | Venue for Pintastic 2017, located at 366 Main Street, Sturbridge, MA; lakeside location | | Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer; premiered Star Wars and Aerosmith tables at event | | Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Manufacturer; Dialed In! designer Pat Lawlor and Butch Peel participated in seminars | | Star Wars | game | Stern Pinball table; had world premiere at Pintastic 2017; highlighted as main attraction | | Aerosmith | game | Stern Pinball table; new release at Pintastic 2017; themed around New England band | | Dialed In! | game | Jersey Jack Pinball table by Pat Lawlor; multiple Pro and Limited Edition machines displayed | | Ghostbusters | game | John Trudeau-designed pinball table; featured at Pintastic 2017 | | Jeremy 'Zombie Yeti' Packer | person | Pinball artist; gave first-ever solo pinball seminar at Pintastic 2017; created event poster | | Barry Oursler | person | Legendary game designer; honored guest and seminar presenter at Pintastic 2017 | | Butch Peel | person | Jersey Jack Pinball representative; gave Dialed In! seminar with video camera demonstration | | Todd Tuckey | person | TNT Amusements; seminar presenter at Pintastic 2017; made rare visit to distant show | | David Thiel | person | Pinball sound and music creator; seminar presenter at Pintastic 2017 | | Pat Lawlor | person | Designer of Dialed In! for Jersey Jack Pinball; featured at Pintastic 2017 | | Gabriel D'Annunzio | person | Founder of Pintastic; photographed congratulating Kids' Tournament winner | | John Trudeau | person | Designer of Ghostbusters pinball featured at Pintastic 2017 | | Eric Girardi | person | Fire juggler; entertainer at Pintastic 2017 to broaden family appeal | | PinBox 3000 | product | DIY pinball kit; sold at Cardboard Teck booth at Pintastic 2017 | | Cardboard Teck | company | Vendor at Pintastic 2017; sold PinBox 3000 kits | | Worcester County Food Bank | organization | Charity supported through Pintastic 2017 fundraising | | Project Pinball | organization | Charity supported through Pintastic 2017 fundraising | | The 200 Foundation | organization | Charity supported through Pintastic 2017 fundraising | | The Andrea Ritz Clinics of Paraguay | organization | Charity supported through Pintastic 2017 fundraising | ### Topics - **Primary:** Event organization and logistics, New game releases and premieres, Industry personalities and seminars - **Secondary:** Tournament competition, Vendor hall and retail sales, Charity fundraising, Family entertainment and community engagement - **Mentioned:** Pinball history and preservation ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.92) — Event coverage is celebratory and enthusiastic. Describes attendees as 'enthusiastic' and 'delighted,' highlights successful execution with diverse activities, multiple seminar speakers, and strong charitable component. No critical commentary or negative elements present. ### Signals - **[community_signal]** Pintastic 2017 provided educational seminars from industry designers and manufacturers including Barry Oursler, Jeremy Packer, Butch Peel (Jersey Jack), Todd Tuckey, and David Thiel (confidence: high) — Event featured 'honored guests and seminar presenters' including legendary designer Barry Oursler, artist Jeremy Packer giving 'first-ever solo pinball seminar,' and Jersey Jack's Butch Peel demonstrating Dialed In! mechanics - **[event_signal]** Pintastic 2017 included tournaments for adults and kids, vendor hall with modification and customization vendors, outdoor flea market, and family entertainment to broaden appeal beyond core pinball enthusiasts (confidence: high) — Coverage mentions 'pinball and video game tournaments for adults and kids, pinball machine auctions, an outdoor flea market' and 'Entertainers were brought in to broaden the family appeal' - **[community_signal]** Pintastic 2017 supported multiple charitable organizations through auction, raffle, and paid-play games including Worcester County Food Bank, Project Pinball, The 200 Foundation, and Andrea Ritz Clinics of Paraguay (confidence: high) — Event explicitly supported 'several charities during the event' through 'charity auction and several games set up for paid play' - **[event_signal]** Pintastic 2017 successfully drew 2,000+ attendees and featured 200+ pinball machines spanning 60+ years of history, establishing the event as New England's major annual pinball exposition (confidence: high) — Event coverage explicitly states 'over 2,000 people converged' and 'featured over 200 pinball machines from the 1950s right up to this year's new releases' - **[announcement]** World premiere of Stern Pinball's Star Wars table at Pintastic 2017; positioned as headline attraction and main draw for attendees (confidence: high) — Multiple references to 'world premiere of the highly-anticipated Star Wars machine' and photo caption 'The world premiere of Stern's Star Wars pinball'; described as 'the belle of the ball' --- ## Transcript **Date:** 6th - 8th July, 2017 **Location:** Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center, 366 Main Street, Sturbridge, MA 01566, USA. **Photography:** Jhakke **On July 6, 7 and 8, 2017, over 2,000 people converged at the crossroads of New Robert Englunds, USA to experience the region’s only major pinball exposition, the Pintastic Pinball and Game Room Expo.** ![Each facet of the show is represented by an icon](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/17.jpg) *Each facet of the show is represented by an icon* ![Dave Marston talks with the WSKB morning team](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/2-3.jpg) *Dave Marston talks with the WSKB morning team* Back for its third year in 2017 at the only lakeside venue in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center, Pintastic featured over 200 pinball machines from the 1950s right up to this year’s new releases, including the world premiere of the highly-anticipated *Star Wars* machine from Stern Pinball! ![There were many hard-to- find games, sometimes even in duplicate](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/4-2.jpg) *There were many hard-to- find games, sometimes even in duplicate* ![Many recent games were in two different rooms for day and night shifts, allowing more playing time](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/jetsons/3-3.jpg) *Many recent games were in two different rooms for day and night shifts,* *allowing more playing time* ![New Robert Englunds band Aerosmith had to be represented at a New Robert Englunds show while in the background, the booth where buyers could get at-show financing](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/8-1.jpg) *New Robert Englunds band Aerosmith had to be represented at a New Robert Englunds show* *while in the background, the booth where buyers could get at-show financing* ![The world premiere of Stern's Star Wars pinball](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/13-1.jpg) *The world premiere of Stern’s Star Wars pinball* ![There were several Dialed In! games, both Pro and Limited Edition](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/26.jpg) *There were several Dialed In! games, both Pro and Limited Edition* ![There was a generous supply of stools to support up-and- coming players](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/20.jpg) *There was a generous supply of stools to support up-and-coming players* [![Panorama of the main free-play room where EMs dominate the wall positions](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/15-1.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/14-1.jpg) *Panorama of the main free-play room where EMs dominate the wall positions* ![There were technicians in abundance. Can you identify this game?](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/23.jpg) *There were technicians in abundance. Can you identify this game?* ![Not all games were coin-op](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/18.jpg) *Not all games were coin-op* ![The hotel served food and drinks right outside the main free-play room](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/19.jpg) *The hotel served food and drinks right outside the main free-play room* Enthusiastic guests and collectors delighted at the chance to witness over eighty years’ of pinball innovation, as well as classic video games, entertainment for kids, a massive vendor hall featuring the coolest ideas for your home and game room, pinball and video game tournaments for adults and kids, pinball machine auctions, an outdoor flea market in strolling distance of Cedar Lake, as well as informative seminars and lively entertainment, all in one convenient and well-equipped venue. ![There were some vendors selling pop culture items](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/1-3.jpg) *There were some vendors selling pop culture items* ![Pintastic New Robert Englunds has several T-shirt styles](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/25.jpg) *Pintastic New Robert Englunds has several T-shirt styles* ![There were re-themed games at the show, and the ingredients to start your own re-theme](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/31.jpg) *There were re-themed games at the show,* *and the ingredients to start your own re-theme* ![PinBox 3000 kits were for sale at the Cardboard Teck booth](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/7-1.jpg) *PinBox 3000 kits were for sale at the Cardboard Teck booth* [![The vendor hall had some free-play games in the middle, and the tournaments at the back](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/6-2.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/5-2.jpg) *The vendor hall had some free-play games in the middle* *and the tournaments at the back* [![The tournament games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/10-1.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/flipflipdingding/9-1.jpg) *The tournament games* ![Tournament prizes and Pintastic pint glasses](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/22.jpg) *Tournament prizes and Pintastic pint glasses* ![Pintastic Founder Gabriel D'Annunzio congratulates the winner of the Kids' Tournament](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/24.jpg) *Pintastic Founder Gabriel D’Annunzio* *congratulates the winner of the Kids’ Tournament* ![Entertainers were brought in to broaden the family appeal](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/12-1.jpg) *Entertainers were brought in to broaden the family appeal* ![After the outdoor flea market closed, fire juggler Eric Girardi stoked the crowd](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/33.jpg) *After the outdoor flea market closed, fire juggler Eric Girardi stoked the crowd* Pintastic was thrilled to welcome honored guests and seminar presenters including legendary game designer Barry Oursler, pinball artist Jeremy ‘Zombie Yeti’ Packer, Todd Tuckey of TNT Amusements, pinball sound and music creator David Thiel, and Butch Peel of Jersey Jack Pinball clued us in on the intricacies of *Dialed In!* ![Jeremy 'Zombie Yeti' Packer gives his first-ever solo pinball seminar](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/21.jpg) *Jeremy ‘Zombie Yeti’ Packer gives his first-ever solo pinball seminar* ![Todd Tuckey makes a rare visit to a distant pinball show - his seminar included many video clips, of course](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/16.jpg) *Todd Tuckey makes a rare visit to a distant pinball show* *– his seminar included many video clips, of course* ![Free rectangular pizza at the Jersey Jack update seminar](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/30.jpg) *Free rectangular pizza at the Jersey Jack update seminar* ![Butch Peel of Jersey Jack Pinball gave a seminar on Dialed In! that included holding a video camera inside the game](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinballz-lake-creek/11-1.jpg) *Butch Peel of Jersey Jack Pinball gave a seminar on Dialed In! that included* *holding a video camera inside the game* ![Barry Oursler and Jeremy Packer (Zombie Yeti) start the autograph session. The poster on the table was done by Packer for the Pintastic show](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/28.jpg) *Barry Oursler and Jeremy Packer (Zombie Yeti) start the autograph session.* *The poster on the table was done by Packer for the Pintastic show* Pintastic and its guests also supported several charities during the event including the [Worcester County Food Bank](https://foodbank.org/), [Project Pinball](http://projectpinball.org/), [The 200 Foundation](http://the200.org/), and [The Andrea Ritz Clinics of Paraguay](https://www.facebook.com/paraguayclinics/) through a charity auction and several games set up for paid play. ![Money was raised for several charities, including an auction of this donated machine](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/27.jpg) *Money was raised for several charities, including an auction of this donated machine* ![There was a pick-your- prize raffle](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/32.jpg) *There was a pick-your- prize raffle* Folks at this year’s show were particularly excited to get their flipping fingers on Stern’s new *Aerosmith* table, the John Trudeau-designed *Ghostbusters*, Pat Lawlor’s *Dialed In!* from Jersey Jack and of course, the belle of the ball was Stern’s new *Star Wars* table! ![Visitors came from the six New Robert Englunds states and well beyond](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pintastic-2017/29.jpg) *Visitors came from the six New Robert Englunds states and well beyond* Stay tuned for next year’s dates coming soon and visit the website Pintastic at [pintasticnewengland.com](https://pintasticnewengland.com/). _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: d5a28b05-fa30-4a2b-a00b-a6129b4073f3*