Big Daddy’s Ridge Sports Card and Pokémon Show gives Chicago-area collectors a Thanksgiving-weekend destination in East Dundee, Illinois. With 150 tables announced and categories spanning sports cards, Pokémon, One Piece, Magic: The Gathering, and other mixed collectibles, the two-day show offers several reasons to put a local hobby stop on the holiday calendar.
The organizer submitted the event directly to Card Show Dex, including the daily schedule, family admission policy, and dealer-table information. Santa’s Village Ice Rink is the destination, giving collectors a specific East Dundee meeting point for the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving rather than a trip into Chicago itself.
A Full Day of Cards & Collectibles
The announced 150 tables describe the scale of the planned show, not the number of individual dealers. That distinction matters when deciding how much time to set aside: a dealer may occupy more than one table, and the category selections do not establish how the floor will be divided. Leave room in your visit to explore beyond your first collecting interest without assuming that each category has an equal share of the space.
The organizer's selected categories include both sports cards and several TCGs. For a household with different collecting interests, that mix is a useful reason to consider this particular stop. Someone interested in Pokémon can plan the same outing as a One Piece or Magic: The Gathering collector, while the other mixed collectibles category keeps the event broader than its headline alone. Specific sets, individual cards, and dealer inventories remain dependent on who brings what.
The two days offer different arrival windows. Friday opens at noon and continues until 8 p.m., making an afternoon or evening visit possible after other holiday plans. Saturday starts earlier, at 9 a.m., and ends at 5 p.m. Each day has eight scheduled public hours, so the choice is about which part of the day fits your plans rather than one day offering a longer session.
More Than Just a Card Show
The post-Thanksgiving timing makes this an option for a shared outing with visiting relatives or friends who collect. Friday's later finish may suit a group assembling after lunch, while Saturday's morning opening gives an earlier start to anyone building the show into a larger weekend. Choose the day around the published schedule; the two opening times are not interchangeable.
General admission is $5 per day, and children 12 and under enter free. One paid attendee visiting both days should budget $10 for admission across the weekend. An adult bringing a child aged 12 or younger would budget $5 for that day's admission, before purchases or any other expenses. The free child tier includes age 12, which is helpful for families deciding who needs paid entry.
For navigation, use Santa’s Village Ice Rink at 601 Dundee Avenue, East Dundee, IL 60118. The street address is confirmed by Santa’s Village's own visitor information. Parking arrangements and the precise card-show entrance are not publicly specified, so allow time to locate the rink and follow event directions on arrival. Plan this visit around the card show rather than assuming that other Santa’s Village activities are included in its admission.
A Show for All Levels of Collectors
First-time attendees can use the category mix and daily schedule to make a manageable visit. A family focused on one game may prefer a shorter outing, while collectors interested in several categories may want more time to cover the announced floor. There is no need to attend both days simply because the event spans a weekend; the daily admission format lets you choose the session that works for you.
For prospective dealers, the organizer lists 8-foot tables at $80 each for both days. That is a dealer-space fee, separate from the $5 daily attendee admission. The submitted contact for table inquiries is Jake at 847-652-3186. Anyone considering a reservation should ask Jake about remaining availability, setup access, and payment arrangements before making plans around a space. The announced table count does not establish that reservations are still available.
Final Thoughts
Big Daddy’s Ridge Sports Card and Pokémon Show brings a substantial announced table layout, several collecting categories, and a clear kids-free admission policy to East Dundee for Thanksgiving weekend. Pick Friday for the later hours or Saturday for the morning start, and budget admission by the day. If you attend, let the organizer or other attendees know you found the show on Card Show Dex, and keep exploring upcoming events across Illinois.
Find another local stop on the Chicago card show calendar.