Omaha Pop Expo returns to Oak View Mall on Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12, 2026 for the summer edition of Omaha's newest free-admission pop culture and trading card weekend. Hosted inside the Oak View Mall concourse at 3001 South 144th Street in west Omaha, the Pop Expo has rapidly become a favorite stop for casual collectors, families, and TCG players who want a low-pressure, kid-friendly weekend that mixes trading cards, anime, video games, comics, cosplay, and artist alley under one mall roof. Mid-July dates slot the show squarely between the NBA Finals afterglow and the start of NFL training camps, with MLB All-Star Week dominating sports headlines — perfect timing for baseball card collectors chasing All-Star Game starters and rookie call-ups coming off hot first halves.
The floor is a true hybrid show. Trading card vendors stack tables with Pokemon TCG singles and sealed product across every set from WOTC Base through Scarlet & Violet, plus Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece TCG, Disney Lorcana, Dragon Ball Z Fusion World, Star Wars Unlimited, Flesh and Blood, and Riftbound. Sports card dealers bring binders and showcases of MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, UFC, soccer, and college football — vintage and modern, raw and graded PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC slabs. The mall layout also brings out anime importers, retro video game dealers, comic long-box diggers, Funko Pop and Lego sellers, sticker artists, cosplay accessory makers, and independent artists who sell prints, charms, and acrylic stand-ups directly out of artist alley.
Hours run Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Central each day, with the mall's regular tenants — food court, bookstores, and coffee shops — open and serving the same hours for breaks between trading. General admission is completely free for all ages, and there is no formal VIP early-entry, which is by design: Pop Expo's whole model is that families with young collectors should not need to budget two adult tickets plus parking before they even walk in. Cosplay is encouraged, and there is no pre-registration required — show up, walk in, and shop. Children of all ages are warmly welcomed and many vendors hand out free promo cards and base singles to engaged younger collectors.
Oak View Mall sits at 3001 South 144th Street, Omaha, NE 68144, easily reached from I-80 via the 144th Street exit and from West Dodge Road via 144th. Free parking surrounds the entire mall, the concourse is climate-controlled and ADA-accessible, and clean public restrooms are abundant. The food court inside the mall is a strong asset — far better than a typical convention's limited concessions — with Charleys Cheesesteaks, Sarpino's Pizzeria, Subway, and Auntie Anne's all on-site, plus full-service restaurants like Old Chicago, Outback, and Cheddar's within a five-minute drive along 144th and West Center.
Pop Expo is built for families, casual fans, first-time convention attendees, anime kids, cosplayers, and trading card collectors who appreciate a quieter alternative to the big convention-center mega-shows. For the best experience, arrive at 10:00 AM Saturday for the freshest dealer cases, bring cash plus Venmo and Zelle backups for vendors who run card-free, and budget time to walk the entire concourse loop before buying — Pop Expo's mall layout means dealers are spread out, and a quick first lap helps you map deals before circling back. Bring penny sleeves and top loaders. Follow Omaha Pop Expo on Facebook and Instagram and check omahapopexpo.com for vendor announcements, cosplay guest reveals, and any schedule changes.