Card Show Weekend Preview May 16 to 17: Collect-A-Con Philly, Tri-Star Houston, Mile High Pokemon, LA Card Expo, and Phoenix
Five major card shows run simultaneously this weekend across Philadelphia, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Here is the full preview including what to expect at each, plus the regional Saturday and Sunday shows worth driving to.
The weekend of May 16-17 is one of the heaviest card show weekends of the spring calendar. Five major events run simultaneously across the country, with two Collect-A-Cons, a Tri-Star, a Mile High Pokemon Expo, and the LA Card Expo all open for the weekend. Here's what to know if you're planning to travel — or what's worth driving an hour for if one of these is close to you.
Collect-A-Con Philadelphia
The biggest east-coast TCG and pop culture show of the month rolls into the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17. Collect-A-Con is the national traveling Pokemon-heavy show that consistently draws the largest casual crowds, with a mix of Pokemon sealed product, sports breakers, Magic singles, and a strong celebrity guest list each stop.
- Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, downtown Philadelphia
- When: Sat May 16 and Sun May 17
- Best for: Pokemon singles, sealed product hunts, casual TCG variety
Tri-Star Collectors Show — Houston
The Tri-Star at the NRG Center is the flagship Houston sports card and memorabilia show of the spring and one of the most respected regional conventions in the country. Three full days, Friday May 15 through Sunday May 17. Tri-Star skews heavier on vintage sports, signed memorabilia, and big-board breaks than Collect-A-Con does.
- Where: NRG Center, Houston, TX
- When: Fri May 15 through Sun May 17
- Best for: Vintage sports, signed memorabilia, high-end singles
Mile High Pokemon and TCG Expo — Denver
The single biggest dedicated Pokemon show in Colorado history opens Saturday at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center. Mile High has built its reputation on being TCG-first — Pokemon, Lorcana, One Piece, and Magic dealers fill the floor — rather than splitting attention with sports. If you're driving in from Wyoming, Utah, or western Nebraska, this is your spring TCG destination.
- Where: Gaylord Rockies Resort, Aurora, CO
- When: Sat May 16 and Sun May 17
- Best for: Pokemon singles, Lorcana Wilds Unknown launch hunting, One Piece OP-15 chases
LA Card Expo — Woodland Hills
The LA Card Expo returns to the Warner Center Marriott for another two-day weekend run. LA Card Expo has been consistently well-attended through the year and tends to feature a strong table count for both sports and TCG, with a meaningful Japanese-import dealer presence that you don't see at every west-coast show.
- Where: Warner Center Marriott, Woodland Hills, CA
- When: Sat May 16 and Sun May 17
- Best for: Mixed sports/TCG, Japanese Pokemon imports
Collect-A-Con Phoenix — WestWorld of Scottsdale
The southwest stop on the Collect-A-Con calendar drops into WestWorld of Scottsdale the same weekend. Same format as Philadelphia — heavy Pokemon, breaker zones, celebrity guests, lots of casual buyers. Phoenix has historically been one of Collect-A-Con's strongest crowds outside of the Texas swing.
- Where: WestWorld of Scottsdale, AZ
- When: Sat May 16 and Sun May 17
- Best for: Pokemon, casual collectors, breaker fans
Regional Saturday Shows Worth Calling Out
Beyond the marquee events, several strong regional Saturday-only shows are running:
- Baltimore Card Show at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena — full weekend run
- Woodbridge Card Show at Woodbridge Center, NJ — Saturday only, 10am-8pm
- Albany Sports Card, Memorabilia, TCG Show — Sunday, May 17
- Arlington Card Show — Sunday, May 17
What to Watch for at the Door
With 2026 Bowman Baseball released this week and 2025-26 Topps NBA Hoops dropping the same day, expect both products to dominate breaker tables and singles dealer cases by Saturday morning. The hot-off-the-press Holliday and Flagg cards will be the most-traded raw items on the show floor this weekend.
For Lorcana collectors, the timing is especially good — Wilds Unknown launches Friday, May 15, so Saturday morning at every TCG-heavy table will be your first real chance to see secondary pricing on the Iconic Rares before the Sunday breaker rush.