State College, PA... jus' reminiscing

Undertoad · 05-05-2019, 10:31 PM

So every summer, from like about 1969 to about 1984, my mama would have a booth at the Arts Festival, and we would haul all her crafts up to State College and set up and sell her stuff for four long days in the hot sun.

After a while, we stayed with a family that also worked at the festival, and it was very cool. Every year, there would be this intense long weekend with this set of very cool friends... that I would never see, or talk to at any other time.

Because it was a college town, it had three different pinball arcades. They'd give you five balls per quarter, where every place I ever saw elsewhere, had eventually converted to three.

Three balls per quarter, people. What a rip-off.

As a kid, I would save up quarters for this annual State College weekend. When I wasn't needed at the booth, I would haul ass to those places and play for hours straight.

State College wasn't that far, only about two hours away from home; but to a little kid, in a VW Squareback packed with crafts and shit, trying to make it up and down the hills seemed like a crazy faraway adventure. There was this one hill climb that actually challenged the 1970-era car. Like one time, after making it to the top, the car could only manage to do 40 MPH for a good five minutes, until it somehow recovered.

The last Arts Fest I worked, I'm 19, and now the place has a whole different vibe to it. Aside from the fact that I had caught up in age to the college chicks. The arcades are still interesting, but now I realize there are three amazing independent record shops within that same area. I'd browse for two hours straight...

Griff · 05-06-2019, 06:18 AM

Pete used to work the arts festivals with her mom. It always amazed me that her mom could make a decent living at it even though some shows would be complete busts. I guess she learned to choose well and made a lot of contacts in the wholesale markets. She made a lot of friends doing those shows. Pete says they did that State College one bitd. Thanks for the look behind the curtain. We need a link to your mom's art thread here.

xoxoxoBruce · 05-06-2019, 06:28 AM

Yes, a link for Keeper and one for Mompete too.

Undertoad · 05-06-2019, 08:02 AM

Mom is here

Gravdigr · 05-06-2019, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

They'd give you five balls per quarter...

Whaa--five?!?! Name: willy_nilly.gif
Views: 205
Size: 1.8 KB

This was a nice ride in the wayback machine, Toad.

Undertoad · 05-06-2019, 01:55 PM

Question is, are there still any pinballs out there and are they still a quarter at all.

Last time I think I played was at a Wildwood, NJ arcade... maybe 10 years ago

As a kid, I was pretty sure I'd have my own pinball machine by now

I believe, as an 11 year old, I regarded it as the highest achievement, to have a machine of your own you didn't have to feed quarters

Gravdigr · 05-06-2019, 02:00 PM

The local sports bar has a pinball machine, at least it did the last time I was in there, I don't go to that bar much.

50 cents for three balls, greedy bastards.

It was/is a genuine Bally, but I can't remember what the theme was. I've wanted the KISS machine since the first time I saw it.

glatt · 05-06-2019, 02:22 PM

Last week, I saw The Who's Tommy at the Kennedy center. Fun musical, for the most part.

My son was there too, and I had to feel a little sorry for him because I'm not sure he has ever played pinball. So much of that musical is about pinball.

The kid they had playing Tommy did a pretty good job pretending to play pinball on the stage prop they had up there. They must have found a real machine for him to practice on.

Clodfobble · 05-06-2019, 02:39 PM

There is a place here called Pinballz that has basically every classic machine ever--245 total in the collection, with 30-100 operational and on the floor at any given time.

Undertoad · 05-06-2019, 05:56 PM

Once there is information for Mompete, I will check if Katkeeper knows her.

tw · 05-06-2019, 08:00 PM

Does the Arts Festival still exist? When? In the stadium parking lot?

BigV · 05-06-2019, 08:17 PM

There are a at least two bars/arcades that have a dozen machines or more, plus the ones at the game shop.

Undertoad · 05-06-2019, 11:01 PM

There will always be a State College Arts Festival! It will always be on College Ave. and a few blocks surrounding.

And a Three Rivers Arts Festival - no arcades at that one, just a dangerous city... and musicians that were stunning

And a Rhinebeck festival and here's one in Baltimore and here's one in Frederick MD and ... and ...

xoxoxoBruce · 05-06-2019, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Mom is here

Nice site, she must know somebody with IT skills.

Of course it's appropriate to have a site shadowing the quality of her work which is first class.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

There is a place here called Pinballz that has basically every classic machine ever--245 total in the collection, with 30-100 operational and on the floor at any given time.

There's a Museum out near Pittsburgh and here a place called Barcade in Fishtown that's supposed to have some pinball along with the arcade games.

Griff · 05-07-2019, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Once there is information for Mompete, I will check if Katkeeper knows her.

http://www.janpetersondesigns.com/

She was doing trapunto back then.

05-05-2019, 10:31 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	State College, PA... jus' reminiscing So every summer, from like about 1969 to about 1984, my mama would have a booth at the Arts Festival, and we would haul all her crafts up to State College and set up and sell her stuff for four long days in the hot sun. After a while, we stayed with a family that also worked at the festival, and it was very cool. Every year, there would be this intense long weekend with this set of very cool friends... that I would never see, or talk to at any other time. Because it was a college town, it had three different pinball arcades. They'd give you five balls per quarter, where every place I ever saw elsewhere, had eventually converted to three. Three balls per quarter, people. What a rip-off. As a kid, I would save up quarters for this annual State College weekend. When I wasn't needed at the booth, I would haul ass to those places and play for hours straight. State College wasn't that far, only about two hours away from home; but to a little kid, in a VW Squareback packed with crafts and shit, trying to make it up and down the hills seemed like a crazy faraway adventure. There was this one hill climb that actually challenged the 1970-era car. Like one time, after making it to the top, the car could only manage to do 40 MPH for a good five minutes, until it somehow recovered. The last Arts Fest I worked, I'm 19, and now the place has a whole different vibe to it. Aside from the fact that I had caught up in age to the college chicks. The arcades are still interesting, but now I realize there are three amazing independent record shops within that same area. I'd browse for two hours straight...

05-06-2019, 06:18 AM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Pete used to work the arts festivals with her mom. It always amazed me that her mom could make a decent living at it even though some shows would be complete busts. I guess she learned to choose well and made a lot of contacts in the wholesale markets. She made a lot of friends doing those shows. Pete says they did that State College one bitd. Thanks for the look behind the curtain. We need a link to your mom's art thread here. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

05-06-2019, 06:28 AM	#3
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Yes, a link for Keeper and one for Mompete too. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

05-06-2019, 02:00 PM	#7
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	The local sports bar has a pinball machine, at least it did the last time I was in there, I don't go to that bar much. 50 cents for three balls, greedy bastards. It was/is a genuine Bally, but I can't remember what the theme was. I've wanted the KISS machine since the first time I saw it. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

05-06-2019, 02:39 PM	#9
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	There is a place here called Pinballz that has basically every classic machine ever--245 total in the collection, with 30-100 operational and on the floor at any given time. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

05-06-2019, 08:02 AM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Mom is here

05-06-2019, 01:55 PM	#6
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Question is, are there still any pinballs out there and are they still a quarter at all. Last time I think I played was at a Wildwood, NJ arcade... maybe 10 years ago As a kid, I was pretty sure I'd have my own pinball machine by now I believe, as an 11 year old, I regarded it as the highest achievement, to have a machine of your own you didn't have to feed quarters

05-06-2019, 02:22 PM	#8
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Last week, I saw The Who's Tommy at the Kennedy center. Fun musical, for the most part. My son was there too, and I had to feel a little sorry for him because I'm not sure he has ever played pinball. So much of that musical is about pinball. The kid they had playing Tommy did a pretty good job pretending to play pinball on the stage prop they had up there. They must have found a real machine for him to practice on.

05-06-2019, 05:56 PM	#10
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Once there is information for Mompete, I will check if Katkeeper knows her.

05-06-2019, 08:00 PM	#11
tw Read? I only know how to write. Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 11,933	Does the Arts Festival still exist? When? In the stadium parking lot?

05-06-2019, 08:17 PM	#12
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	There are a at least two bars/arcades that have a dozen machines or more, plus the ones at the game shop. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

05-06-2019, 11:01 PM	#13
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	There will always be a State College Arts Festival! It will always be on College Ave. and a few blocks surrounding. And a Three Rivers Arts Festival - no arcades at that one, just a dangerous city... and musicians that were stunning And a Rhinebeck festival and here's one in Baltimore and here's one in Frederick MD and ... and ...

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode