Tidewater Cards & Collectibles returns to the Kerr Scott Building at the NC State Fairgrounds the weekend of August 21, 22, and 23, 2026 for the late-summer edition of its three-day Raleigh Sports Card, TCG & Collectibles Show. Held at 1025 Blue Ridge Road on the west side of Raleigh, this multi-day show fills the Kerr Scott Building with a dense floor of sports card dealers, Pokémon and TCG specialists, sealed wax sellers, live break operators, and graded slab traders. Late-August timing puts the show right at the front of NFL kickoff hype — preseason games are wrapping, the season is days away, and Topps Chrome Football, Panini Prizm Football, and Donruss Optic Football are loading dealer cases for the year's first football frenzy. MLB pennant races are also tightening up, with prospect hunters watching September call-ups.
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 strong this weekend with college football season days away — Panthers, Hornets, Hurricanes, NC State Wolfpack, UNC Tar Heels, Duke Blue Devils, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, ECU Pirates, App State Mountaineers, and Clemson Tigers all heavy in the local cases. Pokémon dealers stock 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, and hobby supplies.
Hours typically run Friday 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern — confirm exact times on tidewatercardsandcollectibles.com closer to the show. General admission and VIP early-entry tiers are sold separately, with weekend-pass options for serious shoppers. Kids enter free with a paid adult. Free parking is available across the fairgrounds lots. Buy VIP early-entry passes online in advance to skip the Friday box-office line.
The NC State Fairgrounds Kerr Scott Building sits at 1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607, on the west side of town a few minutes off I-440 and US-1. The Kerr Scott Building is climate-controlled, ADA-accessible, and laid out with wide center aisles for cart-and-stroller traffic. PNC Arena and Carter-Finley Stadium are next door, and Crabtree Valley Mall is a short drive east — lunch options include MoJoe's Burger Joint, Player's Retreat, Cookout, and the Hillsborough Street corridor near NC State.
This show fits every collector profile — first-timers, families, casual fans, modern football flippers, prospect hunters, vintage diggers, Pokémon players, and serious dealers stocking shop inventory ahead of the NFL season. For the best experience, buy VIP for Friday early-entry, bring cash plus Venmo, Zelle, and PayPal backups, and carry a sorted want list with target prices. Pack a wheeled cart for vintage hunters. Text Tidewater Cards at 804.704.4700 with vendor questions and follow them on Facebook for show updates.