The Lancaster Campgrounds Sports Card Show closes out 2026 on Sunday, December 27, in the activity building at the Lancaster Camp Ground. Organizer Mel Ruby's monthly show lands in the quiet week between Christmas and New Year's, which makes it the perfect place to spend holiday gift money, trade the duplicates you unwrapped, or sell before the year ends. It is the last card show of the year in the southeast Columbus metro.
What you will find: sports cards from every era. Dealers bring baseball, football, basketball and hockey singles, rookies and numbered parallels, graded slabs, autographs and relics, and sealed wax boxes and packs at post-holiday prices. Late December means football playoff races and college bowl season, so expect deep NFL and Ohio State inventory, along with new-season basketball and hockey. A handful of tables carry Pokémon and other TCGs, and memorabilia and supplies are always available. Because it is the year-end show, many dealers bring clearance boxes to make room for new inventory.
Hours: Sunday, December 27, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Admission is free, and kids are welcome at no charge. Cash is recommended for the best deals, though most dealers take mobile payment.
Venue and parking: the Lancaster Camp Ground is at 2151 West Fair Avenue, Lancaster, OH 43130, on the west side of Lancaster near the Fairfield County Fairgrounds, a few minutes from US-33 and State Route 22, about 35 minutes southeast of downtown Columbus. The activity building is indoor and heated, with restrooms. Parking is free on the grounds.
Who should attend: kids and teens with holiday cash, families looking for a relaxed post-Christmas outing, southeast-metro collectors from Lancaster, Pickerington, Canal Winchester and Logan, bargain hunters targeting year-end clearance, and sellers looking to cash out before January.
Tips: arrive at 11:00 AM for first pick, bring a want list and small bills, and bring a trade binder because post-holiday crowds trade actively. Ask dealers about clearance boxes and end-of-year bundles. If you are selling, bring cards sorted; several dealers buy on site. Winter weather can affect travel, so check the organizer's listing the morning of the show.
The activity building is a comfortable hall with dealers along the walls and in center rows, and because it is a smaller show, you can cover every table in an hour and still have time to go back for a second look. Regulars use the year-end date to take stock, and it is common to see collectors comparing want lists and planning trades for the new year. If you are just getting started in the hobby, this relaxed setting is a good place to ask dealers about grading, storage and what to collect, since nobody is rushing. Lancaster's downtown is a short drive east for lunch, and the Hocking Hills are 30 minutes south if you want to combine the show with a winter hike.
Contact organizer Mel Ruby at 614-578-0257 for vendor tables and questions, or see Card Show Hub for 2027 dates.