Chloe Mei, 4, takes a seat as she waits for her dad, Michael Mei, and older brother during the OC Card Show in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Mei said his son collects Pokemon cards while Chloe likes cards based on “beautiful pinkish colors.” (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Some of the biggest names in sports and collectible gaming are out in Orange County this weekend — in card form, that is.
The OC Card Show has taken over at the OC Fair & Event Center, bringing sports and popular gaming card enthusiasts together to connect and swap cards and memorabilia.
For many who have gathered at the OC Card Show event during the first weekend of January — or any of the more than a dozen previous similar events held in 2025 — card trading is more than just a hobby, said Robby Sanchez, the organizer and founder of OC Card Show.
Lamdon Yu organizes Pokemon cards he plans on selling at the OC Card Show, while his 4-month old son, Luka, watches in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 3, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Adam Abdelraman checks out Pokemon cards with his 8-year-old son Zayn, right ,and his 10-year-old nephew, Ak Awad, during the OC Card Show. The event featured sports, trading and other collectable cards at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 3, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vendor Vinny Maguire, owner of Major TCJ, shows off two of his rare 2006 Pokemon “Gold Star” cards worth $10,000 combined. He was at the OC Card Show in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 3, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sports, trading and other collectable cards are bought and sold at the OC Card Show in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 3, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Former NHL hockey player, Scottie Upshall, with his son, Beckman, 3, and daughter Izzy, 5, check out the OC Card Show in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Upshall was interested in old hockey cards while his children were interested in Pokemon.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Adam Abdelraman, his 8-year-old son Zayn, left, and his 10-year-old nephew, Omar Awad, check out sports cards during the OC Card Show at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 3, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chloe Mei, 4, takes a seat as she waits for her dad, Michael Mei, and older brother during the OC Card Show in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Mei said his son collects Pokemon cards while Chloe likes cards based on “beautiful pinkish colors.” (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Lamdon Yu organizes Pokemon cards he plans on selling at the OC Card Show, while his 4-month old son, Luka, watches in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 3, 2026. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
“They’re looking at (cards) as an asset, too, ” said Sanchez, an Anaheim resident.
The OC Card Show launched in early 2025 and has already expanded to similar groups in San Diego and Portland, Sanchez said. Its events are for everyone — from those who have amassed gigantic collections over several years to those who are card-curious — and oftentimes, people travel from out of state to attend and browse the collections, he said.
“It’s more of the networking. You meet really wonderful people, and a lot of vendors come to us because we’ve established relationships, and we look at them like friends and family,” said Sanchez, who said he enjoys helping people find particular cards to add to their personal collection, or “PC” as it’s known in the card trading world.
Aside from cards, some vendors also bring memorabilia, such as signed baseball jerseys or Pokémon shirts.
For more information about OC Card Show, and to find information about future events, check out its social media: @occardshow on Instagram and OC Card Show on Facebook.
The card show continues Sunday, Jan. 4, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with $5 general admission and parking is $15.
