The recent Pinball Expo gathering in Chicagoland was the event’s biggest yet and attendees and vendors alike lauded the impressive show, put on annually for 40 years by Rob Berk, the founder and chairman of Pinball Expo.

Expanded to 100,000 sq. ft. of floor space, the 40th anniversary event – held Oct. 15-19 at the Schaumburg Convention Center – was one to behold. Factory tours were a highlight for showgoers who visited American Pinball, Chicago Gaming Company, Jersey Jack Pinball and Stern Pinball (who showed off their brand-new pin Metallica Remastered on the show’s final day, as seen above with a long line in wait).

Other highlights included the many tournaments, live auction thanks to Captain’s Auction Warehouse (below), and hundreds of new and vintage games set to free play.

RePlay was on the ground walking the expo floor, attending some seminars and visiting pinball people from around the world. We were also in the room for this year’s Hall of Fame ceremony, which welcomed John Buscaglia, Jerry Thompson, Jody Dankberg, Fred Young, Art Stenholm, Steve Epstein, Imoto Harney and our very own Key Snodgress. The U.K. Pinball Hall of Fame enshrined Pete Townshend.

We will have full coverage of Pinball Expo in the December issue of RePlay. For next year’s event, visit www.pinballexpo.com.