Bucket list card shows
 

Hey all!

I recently joined the ranks of the retired (huzzah!) and would like to plan trips to outside my area (St Louis) in 2026 to visit the best vintage/pre-war card shows. Ideally I would drive, but I have time to enjoy that kind of trip.

What are your top 4 suggestions? Besides The National and Strongsville, that is. I always hit the former and already have the latter planned. I'd like to make at least 2 others in 2026 and 2 different ones in 2027.

I always heard I should make Chantilly, but ... heard it's not continuing?

Thank you for your thoughts.

Eise


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Not sure how much vintage there is or isn't, but I would suggest these (not in any order)

National (NSCC)
Dallas Card Show
Chantilly show
Philly show
Strongsville show
West Coast card show
Nashville card show at Fairgrounds

See you at the National !!!

Philadelphia
Boston November Shriner's Show
Chantilly

Many of the same dealers will be at all 3 of these shows but for vintage and some pre war, these are the best ones outside of the National and Strongsville. There will be a significant number of modern dealers at all of these as well.

Philly
Chantilly
East Coast National
Dallas

In addition to The National, Rosemont has two nice shows in late-November and mid-March as well.

The show in Shipshewana, Indiana (twice a year) is a hidden gem in the middle of nowhere. Over 400 tables and growing. There is a bit of everything there, so you will have to deal with a good bit of modern cards, but vintage is there too. I go every year.

I also went to the show in Phoenix while I was out at spring training this year. It was also a very large show worth checking out. I had never heard of it, but it was every bit as good as the regional shows in the east/midwest I go to.

+1 These...

I would put the Garfield NJ show up against any one day show. You do get a lot of the same dealers every show ( show runs once every two weeks ) good mix of vintage & new stuff. About 50/50 split. I usually go to the show then hike at Harriman State park about 30 minutes north. Great start to a Sunday. Would recommend to anyone who has never been and is within a 90 minute drive.

Because of that show's good reputation and the quality of the dealers there, Garfield has been a solid show for more than 30 years now.

I should also mention Gary, who is the promoter, is a good guy and a long-suffering Mets fan who goes each year to Spring Training

FWIW, I too heard Chantilly isn't continuing, or, more accurately that they have yet to set any dates for future shows. It is a money printing machine and i am sure 1) they will negotiate a new agreement or 2) they weill move the show in the general vicinity as there is no shortage of venues in Northern Vrignia 3) they will sell the show just ast they bought it from Marco or 4) someone else will pick it up.

I am sure it will not be universally acknowledged as a don't-miss show, but I really enjoy the Thanksgiving Moeller show in Cincinnati. It is the closted thing to an early 80s crazy show you'll ever experience. Lots of dealers, few auction houses, a fair amount of vintage. One of my favorites.

The Moeller show is one of the few shows I never went to. Usually for Thanksgiving when I was at Beckett, I would go back to NJ/NY. Went to the then Gloria Rothstein show which at the time was their 2nd best show of the year after the East Coast National.

Regards
Rich

And it has grown to the point where most times the whole first floor is jammed with tables…


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I'd like just one constant NC show that isn't at least 40% Pokemon / TGC.

If you have access to a local show that is all sports and not that stuff in 2025, I think you should increasingly consider yourself lucky...

Congrats on retirement! I would recommend the Shriner's show in in Wilmington just north of Boston in November, https://gbsccconvention.com/. There is a similar show in April but the November one is better. It is next week, so if driving from St Louis - get started soon :-). Other shows I have heard are similar are:

Chantilly show
Philly show
Strongsville show
East Coast National

I've only been to the East Coast National and I thought the Shriner's was better but that was 20 years ago. I'm sure things have changed.

Here are some Midwest shows where I regularly set up as a vintage dealer:
Machinist Hall, St. Louis
Allen County Fairgrounds, Fort Wayne, IN
Porter County Fairgrounds, Valparaiso, IN
Orland Park Civic Center, Orland Park, IL
Salvation Army Community Center, Oak Creek, WI (bias, my own show)
Green County Fairgrounds, Xenia, OH