Meet the Team Behind Newcastle Card Show

How did Newcastle Card Show come about? 

Ash: During the lockdowns a few years ago, I got really into sharing my life-long interest in Pokémon with others on Instagram as a social outlet. We all used to send letters to each other to swap trading cards, and share our collections online in posts every day! I discovered a whole community of adults who shared the same interests as me. This became and still is an important part of my social life.

As the restrictions eased, people began looking for ways to celebrate this hobby in person again with new-found friendship groups, which is where the card shows came in. We had heard about one happening down south, it sounded like a nice idea, so we decided to travel and attend. It was great, but not at all practical to make the several hundred-mile journey regularly - for ourselves, or other local people who may have work or childcare commitments for example, or their budget simply won’t allow it.

John and I both came from an events production background – it’s how we met! – so, we decided to put our experience to good use and host the first, accessible card show for our home region. The first Newcastle Card Show was held at Newcastle Castle in June 2023.

Is the Card Show aimed at seasoned enthusiasts or beginners? 

We pride ourselves on having a little bit for everyone!

Everybody has their own reasons for collecting. Some adults have been collecting for their entire lives and built up very impressive collections of rare and expensive cards - some may even view it as an investment. Others, both adults and children, may have just begun their journey or may collect certain cards purely because they enjoy the designs and characters on them.

At Newcastle Card Show we curate our selection of vendors through an application process, aiming to represent a wide selection of different trading card games (Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering, sports cards etc – we aren’t just about Pokémon!), as well as cards for every price bracket, from ‘high-end’ to pocket money cards. Our signature ‘Free Cards for Kids’ pool is full of donated cards from the public, allowing children to search through a giant pile and pick their favourites to take away for free.

You’re behind the North East’s longest-running trading card convention. What’s your most memorable show from the past few years? 

It’s difficult to say because they have all been so different! The response from the card collecting community to our events, has always been incredible and we have grown with each event, all seven of which have sold out. We started off with our first show at Newcastle Castle in 2023. It was quite small compared to what we put on today, but special in its own way, it was very personal and felt like the beginning of something significant. Our eighth event is happening on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th October 2026 and is heading towards being another fully sold-out event with 1200 people, which is memorable in a different way.

What’re your top tips for first-time visitors to the show? 

• There’s no right or wrong way to collect cards, as long as it brings you joy!
• It can help to write a list of which cards you are looking for before you come to the card show. There’s so much choice and it’s easy to get distracted and overspend. But if you’re just browsing, that can be fun too, you never really know what you’re going to discover!
• You don’t have to collect everything.
• Don’t be afraid to question the price of a card if it doesn’t look right. These can go up and down all the time, and with so many cards out there, it can be difficult to keep all the price stickers correct. If you want to know how to work out prices, this is typically done by through searching previous online auction sales. If you’re unsure how, please ask vendors or card show staff for help.
• Make the most of your visit to Newcastle Card Show by joining in our social activities:
  • Free Learn to Play sessions for various trading card games.
  • Bring your trade binder, sit down, relax and trade with other attendees.
  • Join in our free drawing competition supported by VaultX binders for the opportunity to win a prize.

Do you have any advice for people looking to join the trading card community?

There is so much choice out there that it can feel daunting to start, but at the centre of the hobby is a community with a good heart. Big events like Newcastle Card Show are a good place to start and you could also look up your local card store and see what social activities they offer. Or if you are more of a solitary person, there is a whole world of content celebrating the hobby to explore online (Instagram, YouTube etc). Whatever you choose to do, remember there is not a right or wrong way to enjoy the trading card hobby if it makes you happy.

Any must-visit vendors?

We have so many wonderful vendors that gather at Newcastle Card Show! Each one is hand-picked by our team to represent a good spread of different card games. Many of our regulars started their card vending careers with us in our early days at Newcastle Castle and now run successful physical stores in the region, such as Card Rush in Grainger Market, Aster’s World in Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate and AQUA TCG in the Metro Centre. We really have all grown into this together. In general at the event, we would recommend doing a full loop of the room, taking a look at all the stalls and going back to visit the ones that catch you eye most.

What’re your favourite cards to collect? 

For me, it has always been Pokémon, there is no contest, although this experience has given me a much greater appreciation for other cards. John also enjoys Pokémon, but is also drawn to anything with really nice artwork like the brand-new Cyberpunk game.

Could you describe Newcastle Card Show in three words? 

Community, inclusivity, excitement.

If Newcastle Card Show was a trading card… what would it be? 

Tandemaus from Pokémon TCG, no doubt! They are known for their great teamwork. They are an excellent representation of the whole team at Mouse Cage Events, the organisation behind Newcastle Card Show. Plus, its attack move is ‘Collect’ which couldn’t be more appropriate if we tried!

Newcastle Card Show takes over Northumbria University Sports Central on Saturday 17^th & Sunday 18^th October. To find out more, including how to book tickets, click here.

Images courtesy of Newcastle Card Show, David Tiernan Photography & Tynesight Photography for NE1

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