Raleigh's PREMIER Sports Cards & Pokémon Show takes over the NC State Fairgrounds Exposition Center the weekend of May 30 and 31, 2026, delivering one of the largest trading card weekends in the Carolinas. Hosted by Inside Pitch Promotions under the NC Collector's Roadshow banner, this two-day mega-show fills the Expo Center at 1025 Blue Ridge Road with more than 400 dealer tables — a footprint that pulls collectors from across the Triangle, the Triad, eastern North Carolina, and well into Virginia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Memorial Day weekend timing slots the show right at the front of summer collecting season, with 2026 Topps Series 2 Baseball, Bowman Draft, Topps Heritage High Number, and the NBA Finals storyline all in the conversation.
The vendor floor covers every corner of the hobby. Sports tables stock deep MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, UFC, boxing, MMA, soccer, and college football inventory across every era — vintage Topps, Bowman, Fleer, Goudey, Play Ball, and pre-war tobacco issues from the early 1900s through the 1980s, junk-wax 1990s monster boxes, and modern Panini Prizm, Donruss Optic, Select, Mosaic, Topps Chrome, Bowman Draft, and premium Topps Dynasty, National Treasures, Flawless, and Immaculate. Carolina-team inventory is especially deep — Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina Mudcats, Durham Bulls, NC State Wolfpack, North Carolina Tar Heels, Duke Blue Devils, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, ECU Pirates, and Appalachian State Mountaineers all populate the local-team cases that out-of-state collectors specifically drive to Raleigh to mine. TCG tables stock Pokémon singles and sealed product from vintage WOTC Base through modern 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. Locked cases display PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC graded slabs alongside autographed memorabilia, vintage comics, Funko Pops, Hot Wheels, and hobby supplies.
Hours run Saturday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Eastern. General admission is just $5 for adults, a $7 weekend pass covers both days, and kids 10 and under enter completely free with a paid adult — one of the most family-friendly admission structures on the Carolina circuit. Parking on the fairgrounds is free in the surrounding gravel lots. Dealers consistently hand out free packs and base singles to engaged younger collectors.
The NC State Fairgrounds sit at 1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607, on the west side of town a few minutes off I-440 and US-1, with easy access from I-40 via the Wade Avenue exit. The Exposition Center is climate-controlled, ADA-accessible, and laid out with wide center aisles for cart-and-stroller traffic. Lunch options include the Fair-built concessions inside the building, plus a short drive to Crabtree Valley Mall, Glenwood South, Cameron Village, and the Hillsborough Street corridor near the NC State campus — try Sushi Mon, MoJoe's Burger Joint, or Player's Retreat.
This show fits every collector profile — first-timers, families, casual fans, modern flippers, prospect hunters, vintage diggers, and TCG players. For the best experience, arrive Saturday at 9:00 AM sharp for first dibs on freshly-stocked tables, bring cash plus Venmo and Zelle backups, and carry a sorted want list. Pack penny sleeves, top loaders, and a slab case. Follow Inside Pitch Promotions on Facebook and Instagram (@InsidePitchPromotions) and check insidepitchpromo.com for the rolling 2026 NC Collector's Roadshow schedule.