The Collector's Guide: Regional/Local Shows, Tips, and Insights
Our busy hobby summer has come to a close; those kids are back to school, and fall weather is just around the corner. It feels like yesterday we were just talking about and planning for all the most significant hobby-related events. And with this past weekend's “Topps Hobby Rip Night,” what do we have to look forward to? There is so much to look forward to! Especially with some amazing regional shows and events coming your way. Let’s look at some of the upcoming shows, and here are my tips to help you prepare for these shows!
Card Shows Are Still Coming!
This summer, we had two of the most significant sports card and collectibles shows at the National and Fanatics Fest. But don’t sleep on those local, regional, and OG card shows. Here are a few that are coming your way!
Front Row Card Show: Phoenix, Oct 12th-13th; Las Vegas, Oct 19th-20th; Seattle/Tacoma Nov. 16th-17th; Pasadena Nov. 23rd-24th
Various vendors, grading companies, and locations attend Front Row Card Shows. I haven’t been, but many hobby friends say this is a must-attend show on the West Coast.
EC3: East Coast Collectibles Convention: Uncasville, Connecticut; Sept. 28th & Nov. 23rd - 24th
This card show is very consistent with their location and time frames. They provide an excellent show for those in the Northeast looking for a great one or two-day show!
Chicago Sports Spectacular: Chicago, Illinois; Nov. 22nd - 24th
The home of the 2025 National is also the host to a great show. It’s not as large but provides great vendors, great atmosphere, and a place
J&J All-Star Sports Card Show: Monthly Shows in Indianapolis, IN; Louisville, KY; Cincinnati, OH.
The Midwest is undoubtedly taken care of when it comes to Card Shows. J&J not only hosts a monthly show in these cities but also the must-attend Midwest Monster.
Fanatics Collect: Orlando, FL. Nov. 1st - 3rd
The first “Card Show” hosted by Fanatics is happening in Orlando, Florida, one of the hobby's fastest-growing regions. With over 700 tables, it will be a talked-about show. We can only hope this type of show travels and shares the love nationwide!
The Philly Show: Oaks, PA; Sept 20th - 22nd; Dec. 13th - 15th
This is what we like to call “Our Regional Show.” It’s one of the longest-running sports cards, and memorabilia shows that keeps growing every time you turn around! We love this show, what it offers, and seeing our community!
Brotherly Love Card Show: Philadelphia, PA; Oct. 26th - 27th
This has become one of our newest favorite card shows to set up at. It will be a great time, so you should come to town to see this card show at the Philadelphia Convention Center!
This is only the tip of the iceberg with shows for the rest of 2024. To see a list of all the upcoming card shows, visit sportscollectorsdigest.com/collecting-101/show-calendar for a list in every state!
Plan, Prepare, & Enjoy!
I don’t know about you, but after a summer of big shows, I’m always a mess going back to my regional shows. Even if not to set up as a dealer. I have a few tips that have helped me return to attending shows.
Visit A Show You Haven’t Been To: As you can see, there are so many amazing regional shows happening all over the USA. Some might even be within an hour or two from your house. Take the time to visit a new show at least once a season or yearly; you won’t regret it!
Plan Ahead: We’ve had those moments where we planned to attend a card show, but I didn’t plan for hotels, travel time, or even finding time to eat. Make sure to have a game plan for your weekend. It can be so overwhelming getting your cards ready, but don’t forget you have to eat and sleep, too!
Check, Sleeve, & Price: After you set your travel plans, update your card prices, sleeve up those hits, and check your boxes at home. You never know what you might find that you can sell!
The Hobby Survival Kit: One of the best things we decided to do was create a bin in our car with our essential hobby-related items.
This includes but is not limited to, penny selves, top loaders, one-touches, card stands, graded card bags, business cards, pens, markers, labels, and stickers.
Make it your own for your hobby needs. Think of what you need for a show or even car rips to help you not take that last-minute trip to get supplies when you get that big hit!
Be Flexible: As much as you can plan to buy and sell at shows, you never know what you will find or what will happen. We sometimes spend half the show running into and catching up with friends. Just be flexible with your plans because you never know what you see.
Summer's end is just the beginning of all these fantastic shows and more. From my experience, we sometimes have a better time with a long weekend at a show like this than at bigger shows. These shows help you connect with your local community, meet new members of the hobby, and find some cards and gems! I hope you can attend one more of these and other local/regional card shows for this fantastic season of shows!
“Oh, the places you’ll go. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!” - Dr. Seuss
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