Working in collaboration, Chris Wilkins (Retro Fusion Magazine) and Craig Turner (Turnarcades Custom Arcade Machines) Revival is an all-new event focusing not just on retro gaming, but on the retro culture that was inspired by, and shared history with our earliest gaming roots. Continuing where Chris left off with the 'Retro Ball' event in 2005, REVIVAL will be an almost exclusively retro event aimed at bringing as many true retro gamers together as possible in one place for the classic gaming experience we all really want to share, whilst retaining a very personal, social event feel. There will be many familiar faces and a chance for the retro gaming community to mix directly with the people that made retro-gaming what it is in our memories and meet up with fellow hobbyists who continue to keep the scene alive.

REMEMBER - From the roots of retro gaming there will be the best in classic arcade cabinets, pinball and possibly other arcade machines we all fondly remember, whilst popular names from retro gaming history will be present to share their personal experiences and give insight on the industry as it once was, as well as provide souvenirs in the form of signed memorabilia. There will also be interactive exhibits in the form of retro toys, collectibles and retro culture to rekindle those memories of your youth and days gone by.

RE-LIVE - With a selection of popular retro computers and consoles laid out for you to enjoy, there will be chance to experience those gaming moments shared with friends in your past, from messing around with 48k Basic to multi-player Mario Kart sessions, it will all be there to enjoy with the familiar 80’s arcade sounds as a backdrop while you play. Original competitions will give incentive to hone your skills again and hopefully win some exclusive prizes, whilst for those simply wishing to build their prized retro collection there will be plenty of quality gaming and related merchandise available to buy from our main trader partner The Attic Bug and several other retro traders.

REVIVE - See how many old school developers, the homebrew community and many new dedicated hobbyists are keeping the retro scene alive, by being able to see new work of experienced coders, retro-style remakes and original games of the homebrew community, and new interpretations of old gaming memories by pioneering enthusiasts. There will be exclusive announcements on new retro scene developments from key players and unique gaming experiences in the form of emulation, hardware mods, gaming oddities and rarities, plus of course custom projects such as the custom arcade machines from Turnarcades and other skilled hobbyists, all of which aim in some way to breathe new life into the retro scene.

Being a strictly not-for-profit show it will depend greatly on the support of the retro community to make this the show we all really want and deserve. As facilitators we are well connected in the community so have the support of many familiar pockets of the community to make this show a success. This a grand project for a new show, but for 2013 we plan to kick off with our first event on 18-19^th May at the spacious Dunstall Park Racecourse in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, a very central and accessible location from all corners of the country, whatever your means of travel. This venue will host around 1000 visitors per day within two adjoining main event halls and a dedicated talks and workshop area, all linked by a state-of-the-art PA system and AV stage setup. A full list of attractions are yet to be confirmed, but they will be well-integrated so visitors and exhibitors alike will get the most from the show, and the interlinked PA system will help ensure nobody misses important announcements or scheduled attractions. The venue has 300 free on-site parking spaces, fully licenced bar, restaurant and snack bar, full disabled access and toilet facilities, and will feature a comfortable chill-out gaming lounge to enjoy the on-site refreshments if you fancy a break and even full evening entertainment in the event hall itself - a first for this type of show. The event will also have many trader pitches available which will mean plenty of chance to take home souvenirs, gifts and collection pieces, and we feel will form a large part of the show as ‘interactive exhibits’. Tickets are on sale now from £8 per day or £20 for a two-day ticket, and as the exhibit potential and expansion of this show depend on the community support, we hope you will buy your tickets early and welcome any further support you can offer (There may even be a special discount and bonus gift incentive too for early ticket buyers, so think about buying before Christmas!). Monetary or exhibit donations (consoles, games, monitors etc.) will be greatly appreciated and be used for future events, equipment loans will be respected and looked after, or if you would like to volunteer to personally lend a hand in organisation and setup at the event we welcome all the help we can get. Importantly, everyone who contributes in some way will get a mention and thank you in the credits following the show.

This show is being created to give the retro gaming community the show we really believe through personal feedback and observation everyone is asking for and deserves, which is why we are depending on all the dedicated retro enthusiasts and hobbyists out there to support us in what we are trying to achieve. Remember this is a not-for-profit event where everyone will be treated equally regardless of how much or how little they can contribute to the show, and as any funds raised will be used to fund future shows, we are counting on everyone to do their part and contribute in any way they can, whether it be with a small donation to accompany their ticket price, unwanted equipment to donate as exhibits or prizes, equipment or services to loan to us for the show, or an online blog or community mention to get the word around. Even if you can just lend a strong back to help us set up the venue, we want you to help us make it the show we believe it can be. If you can offer your help in any way, please contact Chris Wilkins or Craig Turner using the contact details provided on this website.

FOOTNOTE FOR TRADERS;

As mentioned, there are several generous-sized trader pitches available at this first event at very reasonable rates, so if you are interesting in exhibiting then please contact us for available pitch sizes and prices, which will include electrics at no extra cost (where required) and possibly tables and chairs, depending on availability. This show encompasses all aspects of retro culture from retro gaming to toys, movies and collectibles from the 70’s onwards. There will be limited pitches available so if there are more trader enquiries than spaces available, we will look favourably on early comers and traders we find best fit in with the spirit of the show and balance the shows attractions, can bring some form of interactivity to their stall to make it an exhibit, and may be willing to offer a donation they see fit to support the show and help fund our main event at a later date. All types of traders (not just retro gaming) are welcome to apply for a spot, so if you are interested please contact Chris Wilkins or Craig Turner with a brief description of what you sell and what you could bring to the show in the form of an exhibit or donation. The most enthusiastic and supportive traders will of course be given first refusal for other events we host, which will also have fair-priced pitches and will give enthusiastic sellers a potentially larger and equally enthusiastic crowd to sell to. All traders will get equal mention on the website, announcement releases and credits following the show for their contribution.