Pin-a-Go-Go

This was the 19^th annual Pinball show fundraising event for the Dixon teen Center. Held at the Dixon fairgrounds in two of the buildings, there were over a hundred newer and antique pinball machines set for «free play» for the many, many happy participants this past weekend of May 15 – 17.
The wristband prices get you inside and able to enjoy all of the gloriously pinging and flashing pinball machines and get your pinball wizardry going!
Friday: 1pm-​11pm $ 20
Saturday: 10AM-​midnight $ 25
Sunday: 9AM-​5PM $ 20
It’s way too hard to find a decent selection (or any) pinball machines in today’s modern arcades. Video-​computer machine games are more the norm at theaters and bowling alleys, now. It’s a shame, because for me, if there’s a pinball machine in the room, I can’t help but be drawn over to play a couple of games on it it. Video games? Meh… too easy to find those to play at home on the computer.
Pinball machines are more festive and special!
The layout at the Dixon fairgrounds is nice: rows and rows of pinball machines all available for fun and games. Occsionally, a ball will get stuck, but there were a few pinball medics patrolling around to make quick fixes.
There were so many different kinds of machines there! The very old ones were simpler with old-​timey ‘60s graphic art. There was one side room set up for those. (These are all ones that give you 5 balls per game.)
They had a couple of the later models that I found especially fun to play, game after game, like Pin-​Bot and Jack-​Bot, Excalibur, and Alien Poker. The rules of courtesy are that you don’t hog any one machine. If someone is waiting to play, don’t stand there playing game after game, but offer to share and play a game o the 2-​player setting, or rotate and move on to another machine.
There were a few venders selling replacement parts for the machines. They had LED lights that would replace the old incandescent bulbs for an energy savings that adds up, over time. Many of the machines were even for sale~!
Outside, there were a couple of food venders, so you don’t have to leave the grounds to get a quick meal before going back inside to play, some more.
Pinball a Go-​Go is something that I will mark on my calendar to look forward to attending every year, from now on!

This was my first year out to pin-​a-​go go and I do have to say it was well worth the travel and admission. Plenty of pins to play and really no wait time to get on a pin and play a game.
I thought the set up of pins was great. Not like the curvy dead end aisles at Caextreme. At least you had plenty of room to walk around the pin aisles.
I saw plenty of volunteers walking around the floor keeping an eye on things. I thought all the people involved did a great job.

This was such a fun experience!!! Hundreds of pinball machines all set on free play, I mean… come on! Very small «swap meet» selling pinball machine parts and beer signs out front, you only have to pay to get inside the buildings where the pinball machines are… completely worth it. Lots of machines for sale, and even food vendors out front.

Awesome fun times with special guest Steve Ritchie and Greg freres great place great fun bring your family and the kids No beer ! Or any alcohol family friendly !

Once a year, every year… for the last 14 years… I have made the trek down I80 to the tiny town of Dixon on the weekend after Mothers day for the annual Pin-​a-​Go-​Go. I have seen this event grow fron a small one room pinball show to what it has become this weekend… Three full rooms in two buildings plus the courtyard… there is enough pinball here to choke a true die hard over 3 days! From the truly classic manual operated slide boxes to 50−70s electro-mechanical…to the newest lcd screen, subwoofer powered, internet linked tournament machines… all set for free play! Ive been bringing my son here since he was 5, standing on a milk crate to reach the flippers… now, at the ripe old age of 12, he can regularly beat his old man at a round of silverball… wish I had these kind of experiences to share with my father… Pinball aint dead! Mark this event on your calandar for next year & get down here!

Where else can you go and play pinball for less than the cost of a movie and popcorn? Okay, how ’bout doing that for THREE DAYS IN A ROW!!! Seriously, its pinball… just pinball… and if that’s not enough for you, than play in a tournament, buy some pinball ephemera, or treat yourself to a few raffle tickets. Not into the new machines? Fine, then play the ones from the 90’s…or 80’s…or 70’s… If you can’t find a machine you like in the over 100 ones at PAGG, then you are just not trying. Do yourself a favor: GO!

I’ve attended Pin-​a-​Go-​Go for about a decade and last year’s show was a blast! In addition to the pinballs I grew up with, they had older ones from the 50’s and new ones I’d never seen before. It was kinda busy, but I never had to wait more than a few minutes to play the machine I wanted to, and not having to worry about quarters was a big plus. The condition of the pinballs was also very good, and everyone there was very friendly. It’s nice to know all proceeds benefit local charities, and the machines belong to individuals who bring them there for the weekend. I’m looking forward to attending this year.

This is a don’t miss event, and for a great cause! I’ve been to this venue and nobody is bored!!!
So many modern machines, and a room loaded with the older one’s I grew up on, such a great time, can’t wait, one month away for it to happen all over again, HOOT!!!

What’s not to like about Pinball? Once a year Pin-​a-​Go-​Go happens in Dixon — lots of pinball machines, you pay to get in (the money goes to local youth charities) and you don’t have to drop quarters, the machines are on free play. Food, pinball parts, some games are for sale but the majority of them are just brought in to share pinball cheer with everyone. It’s once a year and it;s lots of fun. Best day to visit is on Friday, or if that isn’t possible try Sundays. Saturdays can get pretty busy but still fun since they have other things going on on Saturday like a flea market and silent auction.