
Just the other evening I was perusing the Louisville Metro Government website and came across this item listed in the MetroFest Calendar. My husband, a truly “did grow up in the 80s” kind of guy, was peering over my shoulder just checking out what I was studying. He saw the word “arcade” and asked, “What’s that about?” I went on to explain this three day event I had just discovered and he prodded some more. “What kind of “arcades” are they referring to?” I could hear the excitement building in his voice. “When I think of arcades I think of huge arcade video games where you stand in front of them and play.” I assured him that’s what this article, quietly tucked into the Metro’s website was talking about. “That might be worth checking out.” Yes, yes I believe it is.
If you have a husband like mine who thrived on Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Tetris growing up, he can become a kid again this weekend at the Louisville Arcade Expo.
The Expo event coordinators are encouraging you to bring your whole family out for this thrilling gaming experience, a pastime that we can all remember if even vaguely. A time when playing a video game meant you attached a machine to your not-so-flat-screen television. This old fashioned way of playing a video game required dexterity in your hands and fingers and the distinct ability to operate a joystick. There was no waving of your arms or maneuvering your entire skeletal system to make your Pac-Man move. A classic bygone comes back to life for those die-hard gamers. Want to beat your kids on games you know like the back of your hand? Here's your chance.
Feel the nostalgia as you and your whole family relive the classic gaming era experience in 25,000 square feet of space over a 30-hour period. Do you remember how many quarters you slotted to play all of those games back in the 70s, 80s, and 90s? Leave those quarters at home because all arcade and pin-ball machines will be set to free play. The expo features classics such as Atari 2600, Commodore 64, Sega Genesis, and PlayStation. There will be more than 100 arcade and pinball machines set up.
The Louisville Arcade Expo schedule is as follows:
Friday, March 8, 2pm-Midnight
Saturday, March 9, 10am-Midnight
Sunday, March 10, 10am-4pm
Admission is $15/day or $35/weekend at the door. Children 10 and younger are admitted free with a paying adult.
A free concert and indie movie premiere are on the schedule as well as some competitive tournament play. It’s sure to be fun for the whole family.
The expo returns to the Ramada Plaza Convention Hall in the Bluegrass Commerce Park, located at 1776 Plantside Drive. For more information, call 502-345-8766.
Photo courtesy of http://www.arcaderx.com/