The Frontwave Arena Collectables Expo — known as FACE — brings a true arena-scale card and collectibles event to North County San Diego on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Held inside Oceanside's Frontwave Arena, FACE is a one-day, big-room expo built to gather collectors, vendors, and fans from across Southern California under one roof, with the kind of production value and guest lineup you simply do not get at a hotel-ballroom show. If you are anywhere in San Diego or North County, this is one of the marquee hobby dates of the summer.
FACE is built to deliver scale and variety. The show floor features up to 160 vendor tables packed with sports cards across MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, UFC, boxing, and soccer — modern Topps Chrome, Bowman Chrome, Panini Prizm, Select, and Mosaic alongside vintage Topps, Bowman, and Fleer — plus a strong showing of trading card games including Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, and Disney Lorcana. You will also find graded PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC slabs, sealed wax, autographed and game-used memorabilia, comics, Funko Pops, and supplies. Beyond the tables, FACE adds the experiences that set an arena show apart: VIP autograph sessions with San Diego sports stars, a custom trading-card photo booth, raffles and giveaways, full arena concessions, and entertainment throughout the day.
The show floor runs 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, followed by a dedicated Trade Night from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM for collectors who want to keep dealing after the main floor winds down. Tickets are sold through the arena and event partners — expect general admission plus premium and VIP options that may bundle early entry and autograph access; check the official Frontwave Arena event page for current pricing, autograph guest announcements, and any children's admission policy. Because guests and ticket tiers are announced in the weeks leading up, it is worth checking back as the date approaches.
Frontwave Arena sits at 3475 Hero Drive in Oceanside, just off Interstate 5 and easily reached from Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, and greater San Diego — roughly 40 minutes up the coast from Downtown San Diego. The arena offers on-site parking, indoor air-conditioned comfort, full concessions, and the easy sightlines and wide concourses of a modern sports venue, which makes navigating 160 tables far more pleasant than a cramped ballroom.
Who should attend? FACE is built for everyone — families looking for a fun day out with photo ops and autographs, casual collectors browsing a huge floor, set builders and vintage hunters, serious buyers chasing high-end slabs and memorabilia, and dealers wanting maximum foot traffic. The autograph sessions and kid-friendly extras make it an especially strong pick for first-timers and families.
To get the most out of FACE, buy tickets in advance, arrive near the 10:00 AM open for the freshest inventory and shortest autograph lines, and budget extra for VIP if a guest you want is announced. Bring cash for the quickest deals, a sorted want list with target prices, a loupe for inspecting cards, and a slab case for pickups. For tickets, guest reveals, and full event details, visit frontwavearena.com and follow the arena on social media.