The Kern County Collectors and Hobby Expo opens its doors on Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12, 2026 at the Dignity Health Convention Center in downtown Bakersfield, bringing the most diverse and expansive hobby collecting event that Kern County has ever hosted. This two-day expo is designed to cover the full breadth of the modern collectibles hobby, drawing vendors and collectors from the Central Valley and greater Southern California region for a weekend of buying, selling, trading, and community building.
The expo floor features over 100 vendor tables covering every corner of the hobby world. Sports card dealers bring comprehensive inventories of MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, UFC, boxing, and soccer cards from Topps, Panini, Upper Deck, and Leaf, with a special emphasis on vintage cards from the 1950s through the 1990s alongside modern premium products like Topps Transcendent and Panini National Treasures. Graded card specialists feature PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC slabs at every price point. Pokemon card vendors stock raw singles from base set through Scarlet and Violet, sealed product including Japanese imports, special illustration rares, and graded gems. Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece TCG, Disney Lorcana, Dragon Ball Z, and other TCG titles have dedicated vendor representation. Comic book dealers bring Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and modern key issues alongside CGC slabs and dollar bins. Funko Pop dealers, vintage toy vendors, anime merchandise, signed sports memorabilia, and pop culture collectibles round out the massive expo experience.
The Kern County Collectors and Hobby Expo runs Saturday, July 11 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday, July 12 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Saturday is the main day with full vendor attendance, live raffle drawings, and special event activities. Sunday offers a relaxed pace and end-of-show pricing from vendors eager to move inventory. General admission is $10 per day for adults, with a $16 weekend pass offering savings for two-day attendees. Children under 12 are admitted free. Weekend passes are available for advance purchase online.
The Dignity Health Convention Center at 1001 Truxton Avenue in downtown Bakersfield offers a first-class event venue with a large, well-lit convention floor, excellent air conditioning that is vital during California's hot July weather, and comfortable aisles for browsing. Free and paid parking options are available in the surrounding lots and structure. The venue is centrally located near restaurants, coffee shops, and other downtown Bakersfield amenities for easy midday breaks.
This expo is designed for every type of collector, from first-time attendees discovering the hobby to serious investors making significant purchases. Families especially enjoy the wide variety of vendors and the welcoming atmosphere that makes everyone feel at home from the moment they walk through the door. The two-day format gives collectors plenty of time to browse every table without feeling rushed, and the community atmosphere makes it easy to strike up conversations and build connections with fellow hobby enthusiasts from across the region.
For the best experience, arrive early on Saturday morning for the widest inventory selection, bring cash and a focused shopping list, wear comfortable shoes for a full day on the show floor, and plan to spend time at both Pokemon and sports card tables to take in the full range of what the expo has to offer. Check social media for the vendor lineup and any special activities or giveaways announced before show day.