Day two of the Illinois Card Crawl weekend lands at the Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park on Saturday, September 26, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The Crawl runs three consecutive days in three suburbs — Aurora on Friday, Bedford Park on Saturday, Joliet on Sunday — and Saturday is the centerpiece date, drawing the largest crowd and typically the deepest dealer turnout of the three.
The Wintrust Sports Complex is a purpose-built modern facility rather than a converted ballroom, and that changes the experience. Wide open floor space, high ceilings, good lighting and level surfaces make it easy to walk every aisle without feeling boxed in, and there is enough room between rows that you can stop at a showcase without blocking traffic. Bedford Park sits immediately southwest of Midway Airport, which puts the complex within a fifteen-minute drive of Burbank, Bridgeview, Oak Lawn, Summit, Garfield Ridge and Clearing, and a straight run down Cicero Avenue or I-55 from the city.
The floor is a general card show mix with sports leading. Baseball, football, basketball and hockey run from 1950s vintage through current-year Panini and Topps releases, with heavy Chicago representation — Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks singles, team sets and star rookies. Graded slabs fill showcases; raw stars sit in top loaders; dime, quarter and dollar boxes give set builders and budget collectors real digging. Trading card game dealers bring Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece and Lorcana singles and sealed product. Expect memorabilia tables with autographed baseballs, pucks and jerseys, unopened wax, Funko Pops, comics and supplies, plus breakers running live rips on site.
Five hours is a moderate window, so pace matters. The room is fullest between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Best inventory is on the tables at 10:00 AM; best pricing tends to appear after 2:00 PM as dealers face teardown. Admission for Card Crawl dates is generally low-cost at the door with kids free alongside an adult — confirm the current price with the promoter, since it varies by venue. Parking at the Wintrust Sports Complex is free in the facility's own lot.
This is a strong all-around show. Families do well: the facility is clean and accessible, and dollar boxes let kids buy without a real budget. Casual collectors will find most of the floor priced accessibly. Set builders should bring want lists, since Saturday's dealer count is the highest of the weekend. Serious buyers and sellers should treat Saturday as the main event of the Crawl — this is where the most inventory and the most cash are in the same room, and several dealers actively buy collections on the spot.
Practical advice: arrive at 10:00 AM sharp. Bring cash in mixed denominations plus a payment app, since most but not all vendors take Venmo, Zelle or cards. Carry penny sleeves, top loaders and a hard case for slabs. If you attended Friday in Aurora, ask the same dealers what rotated in overnight — Crawl vendors frequently swap stock between stops. Follow the Illinois Card Crawl social channels for the vendor list before the weekend.