Draw5 Card Fest lands at the Sonesta Charlotte Lower South End on Sunday, September 27, 2026, giving Charlotte collectors a relaxed hotel-ballroom show right in the middle of the city on the same weekend the big Park Expo show is running across town. If you spent Saturday walking 500 tables, Draw5 is the Sunday counterpoint: a tighter, more personal room where you can actually sit down with a dealer and talk through a trade.
Draw5 is sports-card-forward. Expect a strong run of modern basketball and football, which is what the South End crowd chases: Panini Prizm, Select, Donruss Optic and Mosaic rookies, Topps Chrome and Bowman Chrome baseball prospects, and a solid amount of vintage baseball and football from the 1950s through the 1980s. Charlotte Hornets, Carolina Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes singles and lots are always in the cases. Graded PSA, BGS, SGC and CGC slabs sit alongside raw inventory, and you will usually find a few tables of UFC, boxing and soccer for collectors who want something outside the big four. Pokémon and other trading card game dealers typically fill a few tables as well, with singles, sealed product and graded slabs, though this is not a TCG-first event.
This is a one-day Sunday show running from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The compact window means dealers price to sell, and the last hour is a good time to make offers on anything you have been circling all day.
Admission details for this edition were not published at listing time, so check the show page or the Draw5 social channels before you go; hotel-ballroom shows of this size in Charlotte typically charge a small door fee with kids free. The Sonesta Charlotte Lower South End sits on South Tryon Street near the light rail, so the LYNX Blue Line is a genuine option if you want to skip driving. Hotel self-parking is available on site for a fee, and there is street and lot parking in the surrounding South End blocks.
Who should attend? Modern sports card collectors, flippers watching the rookie market, vintage buyers who prefer a quiet room for negotiating, and anyone who wants to combine a card show with brunch in South End. It is also a low-pressure first show for newer collectors who find the convention-scale events overwhelming.
Tips: arrive at open to see the freshest inventory, bring cash and a want list, and pack a slab case and top loaders. Because the show is close to Charlotte's card shops, plan a stop at one or two on the way home to compare prices. If you are selling, bring your best pieces sorted and priced; several dealers buy on the spot.
For confirmed admission, vendor lists and future Draw5 dates, follow the show on Instagram and Facebook or check the treasurehunter.show listing before you travel.