A flippin' good time: Golden State Pinball Festival bouncing back into Lodi next weekend

May 11—James Bond. Jaws. The Avengers. Iron Maiden.

Not only are these names associated with pop culture, music, movies and comics, but they are pinball games, as well.

And they will all be featured attractions at this year's Golden State Pinball Festival at the Lodi Grape Festival, 415 W. Lockeford St. May 17-19.

It's the fifth year the festival has been held in Lodi, and it looks to be larger than ever.

The festival opens at 1 p.m. on May 17, giving guests access to hundreds of games until 11 p.m.

The Kids Tournament Individual High Score Challenge, which invites youngsters to test their flipping skills on three selected games, runs from 1-4 p.m.

The player with the highest score will be declared winner for each particular game. Every player can try to attain the high score on all three games. Winners will be announced at 4 p.m.

The Northern California Pinball Association's Flippin' Friday Kick-off Party begins at 6 p.m. with a family-style dinner, and live music will be provided by a live DJ, Juan Solo, from 8-10 p.m.

On Saturday, the festival opens at 10 a.m., and attendees can purchase and sell pinball machine parts, memorabilia and "game room stuff" at the swap meet from 10 a.m. to midnight.

The KIDS Flip Frenzy Tournament begins at 12:30 p.m. with sign-ups and practice, and game play begins at 1 p.m. Play ends at 3 p.m. when finals matches are complete, and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter.

The Women's Tournament, an International Flipper Pinball Association-sanctioned competition, will begin at 8 p.m. and includes group match-play qualifying and finals.

Admission into the festival is required to enter, and tournament fees are $20 per player.

A maximum of 64 players will compete in five rounds of qualifying pinball, and the top four will move on to the finals.

Featured games during the tournament include Big Game, Black Knight, Harlem Globetrotters, Ghostbusters, Stranger Things and Doctor Who, among others.

The tournament ends at midnight.

On Sunday, the show opens at 9 a.m. and will feature the KIDS Tournament Combined High Score Challenge from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Once again, youngsters will play three games and earn points based on their score relative to all other players. One winner will be declared at 3 p.m., based on their overall ranking from all three games.

Pinball University has returned, and the exhibition that teaches you all there is to know about the game has eight speakers lined up for Saturday.

— Pinball Museums — Keeping Pinball Alive," will explain the difference between a museum from a barcade, and how an important mission of preservation and universal access helps pinball survive into the 21st century and beyond.

— "Electromechanical Scoring Relays Demystified" is a crash course lesson in the pinball technology.

— "Homebrew & Custom Games Chat with the Makers" is all about creating your own unique pinball machines, and learning from seasoned makers about the techniques and creative processes that bring games to life.

— "Start Streaming Pinball!" will cover the basics in equipment, settings, and software to remove all the technical barriers for that first go LIVE notification, and "Silverball School With Andrei and The Little —Flippers" will share basic to advanced tips and strategies for competitive pinball.

— There will be a "Deep Dive on Stern Pinball's 007 with MXV," who will present everything about Stern Pinball's James Bond 007 latest code update and strategies to earn big points.

— "How to Buy, Sell, & Trade Pinball Machines Without Getting ?!" will pass on wisdom and tips about purchasing your own pinball machine.

— "Pinball Movies" will close out Saturday with a presentation of "Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game" and other pinball short content.

Sunday will feature three Pinball University features, including "Intro to Electromechanical Start-up Sequences," where you'll learn the basics of various eras of Electro Mechanical start up sequences; "Get Connected with Stern Army," where you can learn all about the Stern company's fan club and how to join; and "Making Custom Games with COBRAPIN," where you'll learn how to use homebrew kits to create the pinball machines of your dreams.

Admission to the festival is $60 for a three-day pass, $30 for children younger than 13, and $45 for a two-day, Saturday and Sunday pass, $20 children younger than 13. A Saturday pass is $30, or $15 for children younger than 13, and a one-day pass for Friday or Saturday is $20, or $10 for children younger than 13.

For more information, visit www.goldenstatepinball.org.