It’s time! We’re getting a later start than usual (for obvious reasons), but we are planning on TPF2021 being the best TPF ever!

To that end, we have engaged a famous pinball artist to work on the TPF2021 show theme. This artist has been drawing some of your favorite pins since the 70’s and is still cranking out hits today. Don’t worry, we won’t hold you in suspense too long. We expect to reveal the 2021 theme, open Exhibitor registration and TPF2021 merchandise sales in mid to late October. We will also begin announcing special guests as they are confirmed.

2020 paid Weekend Pass Holders are all set and do not need to do anything. We plan to open weekend pass sales for new guests in late November, but we may extend that until the first of the year. 2020 paid Vendors are all set and we will be contacting you in the coming months to confirm. New vendor sign-ups will likely start in January (feel free to shoot us an email).

2020 Texas Wizards Tournament players, we will begin contacting you in January to confirm your spots and collect entry fees. Once that’s done, we’ll work on the waitlist and other tournament registrations.

Now for the reality check. We remain hopeful the world will return to some kind of normal by the end of the year, or at least in time for everyone to make plans to join us. A pinball show is easily one of the most personal, get in close, game touching, hand shaking, friends hugging, party having, picture posing, and germ swapping events there is. We miss it. We miss all of you.

If a mandatory mask / social distancing order (or any other order limiting the size of events) remains in effect come show time, this would indicate our government believes there is still a serious threat of spreading the virus that shall not be named. Since the health and safety of our pinball community is our top priority, we may again be forced to reschedule TPF to 2022 (postponing to a later 2021 date isn’t logistically possible). There is no way to “social distance” and expect everyone to properly wear a mask at a show the size of TPF. You can’t argue that… we struggle just getting everyone to wear their wristbands.

Spacing games and expecting people to wait in lines six feet apart is not realistic. In addition, a standing mask and social distancing mandate would almost certainly discourage a large number of our Exhibitors, Vendors, and Guests from attending, including a huge number visiting from overseas due to possible travel restrictions. We want and need EVERYONE to attend. We need ALL our Volunteers and Staff. We need ALL our Exhibitors. We need ALL our Vendors and Guests. YOU are ALL the Texas Pinball Festival!

We know many of you would show up no matter what, and we love you for that. But we really need 100% participation, and we want to see ALL of your smiling faces! It’s TPF2021 or BUST!

DON’T PANIC! We are moving forward with a positive mindset and so should you! The TPF2021 train is rolling! Start getting those game ready!