Ottawa Pinball Show - Information

[cdnpinballer]

I am not the show organizer but this was posted elsewhere and it's some good information if you're planning to attend:

OTTAWA PINBALL & GAMEROOM SHOW '13

SEPTEMBER 14-15 2013

AYDELU CENTRE

92 Rue du Patrimoine Gatineau, QC J9H 3M3

Saturday Sept 14 12pm - 8pm

Sunday Sept 15 10am - 6pm

Admission: Adults $15 Day Pass - $25 Weekend Pass Children 12 and under $10 Day Pass - $15 Weekend Pass

Free Admission if you bring a Pinball Machine for Free Play.

Setup logistics:

Friday the 13th at 7:00pm I (show organizer Josh) will be unloading the first truck.
Anyone bringing games should try to arrive between 7:00pm and 10:00pm. The doors are locking at 11:00 sharp.

If you are bringing a game, please see me (Josh) upon your arrival for registration. You will receive your weekend pass bracelet at that time (yes, if you bring a game you get in for free)

Only people bringing games and their helpers are permitted in the hall on Friday unless we have spoken about it previously. Please set up your game and make sure it is working. If you can, help others unload or make any repairs to games.

If you are arriving with games on Saturday morning, please try to arrive between 7am-11am. Same thing as Friday, find me (Josh) or another person with a show lanyard for registration.

The doors open at 12pm to the public, so I'm hoping to be set up and ready to go. If you will arrive with a game after the doors open, come to the admission desk before unloading and we'll get you set up.

If you have any questions feel free to pm me (Josh, MadTitan on MAACA) and I'll get back to you ASAP (which could be the next day......I'm pretty swamped)

A big thanks to everyone who makes this show possible!!!

 

[bstock]

Good stuff, thanks for the info. Any update on tournament details as well?

 

[cdnpinballer]

The O-Town Throwdown Tournament is being held on Saturday only. Evidently pins used in the tournament will enter the free play area for the public on Sunday.

The last tournament game update I am aware of included pins in the list below although I could be mistaken, maybe WARLOCK could be more specific as to what is in the tournament or not :

O-TOWN THROWDOWN GAME UPDATE!!

No Fear
Black Knight
Toledo
Rolling Stones (Bally)
High Speed
Space Shuttle
Roadshow
World Cup Soccer 94
NBA Fastbreak
Sure Shot

 

[WARLOCK]

See the thread:

Ottawa Pinball Show - List of Games

 

[bstock]

Thanks for the update Warlock! Can't wait to meet some of you guys at this event.

 

[tim.sanderson]

I'm super-stoked!

 

[spiroagnew]

Wow...wish I could make it, sounds like a real good time with some real good folks.

We have to get one of these things going in the GTA sometime...there have to be enough of us here that would support it! I guess it's just finding the right person who wants to donate gobs of time to run it every year.

 

[Vengeance]

There used to be one but the organizers always lost money, Josh is the only Canadian to make an actual profit.

Brock keeps threatening to do one, right Brock

 

[frolic]

I burn with envy that Toronto doesn't have a show and Ottawa has one. It does come down to the difference a single motivated person can make.

Heck, look at how much Adam complains about how he's carried competitive pinball for years, remove him from the equation and what is left.... one person makes a big difference.

the profit side of the equation needs to be solved though. can't expect anyone to do this to lose money.

 

[Vengeance]

Josh had the perfect recipe, his former place of employment was a Sheraton hotel, so as an employee he was able to work out a discount on the rental of the hall, which in turn got him over the hump of getting the show off the ground and still turning a profit.

Now that the show has 2 years worth of momentum I see no reason it's success won't continue regardless of venue (within reason)

That has always been the problem with Toronto, the show happens, the organizers put a ton of work and effort for very little to no return, and sometimes a loss and it takes a few years to forget just how hard it was for so little return before the rosy colored glasses come back and you decide you want to do it again :lol:

 

[cdnpinballer]

By far the largest expense is the show venue. In the past two years we were fortunate enough to be in a nice hotel ballroom as Adam previously mentioned but that venue is no longer available.

I had heard about the Toronto show being held in a costly venue and ultimately that's what lead to the show's demise although if I am wrong about that someone please correct me since there could be other reasons.

I know Josh spent a lot of time and effort earlier this year to find a new venue where the numbers work and met all the criteria needed to host a pinball show.

It was a challenge but luckily a venue was secured in time and we've got a show this year.

But you're right, you need to have a person who is motivated and has the capabilities (financial or otherwise) to make it happen. Without that key person there would be no show.

 

[frolic]

The last Toronto expo was at the International Centre, that is a proper convention space. I've used it myself for an event that had 5000 people. The pinball show got a lot less than that ;-).

I used to promote events, everything starts with an excel spread sheet. It has to make sense on paper before you take the next step.

I do think it's time for a Toronto show to try again, pinball had grown quite a bit the last few years. Topl numbers are up 60% from 2 years ago, there's lots of new owners like myself that weren't around then, lots of activity in the greater pinball world, lots of new companies, new machines, overall things are healthy and not dying. but incredible amount of work.

 

[Vengeance]

Welp, get on it Chris

The last Toronto expo was at the International Centre, that is a proper convention space. I've used it myself for an event that had 5000 people. The pinball show got a lot less than that ;-).

I used to promote events, everything starts with an excel spread sheet. It has to make sense on paper before you take the next step.

I do think it's time for a Toronto show to try again, pinball had grown quite a bit the last few years. Topl numbers are up 60% from 2 years ago, there's lots of new owners like myself that weren't around then, lots of activity in the greater pinball world, lots of new companies, new machines, overall things are healthy and not dying. but incredible amount of work.

 

[cdnpinballer]

One more comment...

While Josh has put a lot of time and effort into making the show happen the people who really make the show as good as possible are you and me. We can make the show a success by contributing working pins to the show floor (and in return you/me getting free entrance to the show).

So, if you're planning to come to the show and have the capacity to bring a pin or two please make the decision to contribute to the show. We're a close community and these events bring us all together. It should be a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to seeing / meeting a lot of you on this and other discussion forums.

Thanks.

 

[frolic]

Welp, get on it Chris

Well, as an intellectual exercise, let me see if I can make the numbers make sense. Historically, what kind of turnouts have the Toronto shows gotten? Just give me an attendance number, nothing else, and I'll see what I come up with.

 

[Vengeance]

Not a single clue what attendance numbers were like,

Shoot Mike Hanely an email, him and Nick ran the last one, they might have an idea on attendance numbers.

 

[frolic]

I've spoken to Hanley about it a couple of times already. He seems open to trying again as well. I think the wheels are turning, something will come together somehow. Someone also just PM'd me about their intentions, so I think Toronto will get something going.

I'm a resource though for anyone that wants some help with the planning stage and can offer some fresh ideas.

 

[Vengeance]

Rosey colored glasses are back on :lol:

 

[frolic]

Ok, back to our regularly scheduled program..... hope Ottawa is great .

Looking forward to seeing the pics and hearing about it.

 

[bstock]

On my way to the show. Waiting in the Porter lounge for my connection. Sure would be nice if there were some pinball machines in here!