Collect-A-Con returns to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont for two enormous days on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26, 2026, bringing the nation's largest traveling trading card and pop culture convention back to Chicagoland for one of the most anticipated stops on the entire Collect-A-Con tour. With hundreds of vendor tables, celebrity guests, exclusive product drops, on-stage panels, and a live concert, this is the kind of weekend Chicago collectors mark on their calendar months in advance.
The Collect-A-Con vendor floor is built around an unmatched diversity of trading cards and pop culture inventory. Pokemon dealers occupy a massive footprint with raw singles spanning every generation from the original 1999 Wizards of the Coast base set through the latest Scarlet and Violet expansions, sealed booster packs, elite trainer boxes, premium collection sets, Japanese exclusive products, and graded slabs from PSA, BGS, and CGC including iconic Charizards, first edition base set staples, and modern alternate art chase cards. Yu-Gi-Oh! tables cover Speed Duel, classic format, and current TCG sets with both singles and sealed product. Magic: The Gathering vendors stock Commander staples, Modern and Legacy singles, and sealed draft and set boxes. One Piece TCG, Disney Lorcana, Dragon Ball Z Fusion World, Flesh and Blood, and other emerging TCGs are well represented. Sports card dealers bring deep MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, UFC, boxing, and soccer inventories with strong Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, and Blackhawks representation alongside national tier-one prospects and vintage HOF cards. Anime merchandise, vintage video games, comics, Funko Pops, retro toys, and signed memorabilia round out the floor.
Collect-A-Con Chicago runs Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday, April 26 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. General admission is $40 on Saturday (which includes access to the after-show concert), $35 on Sunday, $55 for a two-day pass, $125 for a VIP Fast Pass, and $175 for the Soulja Boy Meet and Greet VIP package. Children seven and under are admitted free with a paying adult. Tickets are available in advance through the Collect-A-Con website and at the door subject to availability.
The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center sits at 5555 North River Road in Rosemont, immediately adjacent to O'Hare International Airport and easily accessible from I-90, I-294, and the CTA Blue Line Rosemont station. The venue offers vast climate-controlled exhibition halls, abundant on-site parking with multiple connected lots, and immediate proximity to dozens of hotels, restaurants, and the Fashion Outlets of Chicago for a full weekend trip.
This show is built for serious Pokemon collectors hunting graded slabs and vintage gems, competitive TCG players in pursuit of tournament staples, sports card investors scouting Chicago and national inventory, anime and pop culture fans browsing exclusive Collect-A-Con merchandise drops, and families looking for a high-energy weekend hobby experience.
For the best experience, purchase Saturday VIP Fast Pass tickets in advance to skip the morning entry line, arrive at opening for the widest vendor selection and best pulls, bring cash and a detailed want list, plan to attend both days to fully cover the floor, and check Collect-A-Con's Instagram for guest reveals, panel schedules, exclusive product drop announcements, and Soulja Boy concert details ahead of the weekend.