Card Show by the Bay, billed by its organizers as Tampa Bay's largest sports card show, returns to the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park on August 22 and 23, 2026. With more than 100 tables and dealers traveling in from all over Florida, this is the anchor event of the late-summer calendar for bay area collectors - the show regulars plan their month around.
The floor offers serious depth for sports card collectors. Expect vintage and modern baseball, football, basketball, and hockey, including graded slabs from PSA, BGS, and SGC at every price level, raw vintage stars and commons for set builders, rookie cards, sealed wax, and autographed memorabilia. Non-sports cards and Pokemon are well represented too, with several dealers dedicating tables to vintage and modern Pokemon singles, sealed product, and graded cards, plus comics and other collectibles rounding out the room. Live breaks are often part of the scene as well. With 100-plus tables, the variety is wide enough that set builders, slab investors, and TCG hunters all leave with finds.
Hours are Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Saturday is the main event with the fullest floor and heaviest traffic; Sunday's earlier start rewards morning hunters, and the final hours before the 3:00 PM close are traditionally the best window for negotiating, as dealers weigh discounts against packing inventory for the drive home.
Admission is just 2 dollars, and kids get in free - an intentionally family-friendly price for a show of this size. No advance tickets are needed; pay at the door.
The Hilton Carillon Park is located at 950 Lake Carillon Drive in St. Petersburg, just off Ulmerton Road (SR 688) near I-275, making it an easy drive from Tampa, Clearwater, and Sarasota alike. The hotel offers plenty of on-site parking, and the Carillon business park area has dining options within a few minutes for a lunch break.
This show earns its crowd. Serious collectors and dealers come for the volume and quality of inventory; casual collectors come to dig through discount boxes and dollar bins; and families come because two dollars covers admission and kids walk in free. If you have a collection to sell, this is one of the best rooms in the region to shop it - dozens of buying dealers under one roof means real competing offers.
For the best experience: be there at Saturday's 10:00 AM open if you are chasing specific cards, bring cash for stronger negotiating power, and carry a want list with price comps so you can act quickly. Walk the entire room before making major purchases, and do not be shy about asking dealers for their best price - it is expected here.
For details, contact organizer Chester by phone or text at 813-390-3687, email cardshowbythebay@gmail.com, or visit tampabaysportscardshows.com, where future show dates including November 28-29 and December 26-27 are posted.