After several years occupying the De Vene Voorst in Drunen, for 2019 the annual Dutch Pinball Open Expo (DPO Expo) moved to a new location in the north-east of the country. The venue was IJsselhallen, a large exhibition and conference complex in the city of Zwolle.
IJsselhallen Zwolle
The original intention of the Dutch Pinball Association (Nederlandse Flipper Vereniging) was to move the DPO around the country so that most areas would have it hosted somewhere close to them every few years. However, apart from the anniversary show in Eindhoven in 2017, the DPO (or latterly the DPO Expo) has stayed in Drunen since the show was held there in 2013.
The IJsselhallen complex is far larger than the DPO Expo could fill, so the show only occupied the western end of the building, taking over two halls and the entrance lobby.
The rest of the IJsselhallen Zwolle building
There was plenty of parking on-site, although there was a €6 charge per in/out session. Limited catering facilities were available inside, but there was a Jumbo supermarket a short walk away, while the city centre and a variety of restaurants, shops and bars was around 15 minutes away on foot.
Inside the IJsselhallen entrance hall were two screens giving information about the show schedule in Dutch and English, and a guide to the venue’s layout.
Information screens in the lobby
There were two game halls packed full of machines and vendors. The nearest one to the entrance was called the Suyderseezaal so let’s start our tour of the show in there.
The Suycerseezaal
We got to the venue late on Friday afternoon (due to flight delays) while games and stands were still being set up.
Setting up machines in the first hall
There was a lot of work done setting everything up in time for the opening on Saturday morning
Meanwhile more hard work was taking place in the second hall – Hanzezaal.
The Hanzezaal
Machines waiting to be set up
Lots of pinballs in this second hall
Those who volunteered to help set up games were rewarded with dinner in the venue’s canteen on Friday evening.
A hot dinner for the workers
Enjoying their well-earned dinner
It wasn’t too long
