Maiden City Card Show for Derry as interest in collecting and trading soars
Collectors, traders and enthusiasts are set to gather in Derry’s St Columb’s Hall soon as the Maiden City Card Show returns for its winter edition.
The event on Saturday, November 14 has been organised by Derry man Connor Kincaid, and comes hot on the heels of the first and sold-out Maiden City Card Show in the city back in May.
Interest is high once again with over 20 stall holders taking part. All early bird tickets now snapped up, with general release tickets still available via Eventbrite.
The popularity of card collecting and in card shows generally has grown at an accelerated pace across the world over recent years and Ireland has been no exception. Card shows are now regularly taking place in Dublin, Belfast and elsewhere, and Connor said he wanted to offer that same experience to people in the north west.
"I work at lots of shows, and I’m just back from Dublin. I had thought: we have to do something in Derry, and we thought we’d give it a go, and it went very well. The last one completely sold out and there was 500 to 600 people in all, and so we thought we have to do another one.
"I started going to shows a few years ago and there was always shows in the south but there wasn’t too much in Northern Ireland, then there started to be more and more and now it has really taken off. It has really grown.”
Connor attributes this rise in popularity to a mix of factors. “During Covid with people being indoors and then a lot more online content, like YouTubers, people were getting back into it and it has just gone absolutely crazy since then. There are so many shows now and they sell out. There is just that great sense of community."
Connor said the shows were a chance for enthusiasts of all ages who enjoy collecting as a hobby to come together, with opportunity for people to develop business and trading skills, with great feedback from participants.
People attending the event at St Columb’s Hall can expect “everything from sports cards to collectibles to Pokémon to One Piece and a host of other things”.
“Primarily, we try to offer something for everyone at the show and there should be around 24 different vendors on the day so there will be something for everybody,” Connor said.
The show is open from 12pm for early access ticketholders and from 1pm for those with general release tickets. Under 12s go free when accompanied by a registered adult.