Collect-A-Con Dallas runs October 24 and 25, 2026 in Exhibit Hall B at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas. The organiser calls it the nation's largest trading card, anime and pop culture convention and lists 900+ vendor tables. A team of three can clear that floor inside one Saturday.
One Saturday session covers the hall
Saturday runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eight hours across 900 tables leaves 112 tables an hour for one walker, or 37 an hour for each of three people.
Sunday runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., one hour shorter. A crew that splits across both days spends Saturday on the first sweep and Sunday on callbacks, and the Sunday crew works a seven-hour floor.
The 9 a.m. hour runs before the gate
VIP Fast Pass holders enter at 9 a.m. on both days, one hour before the public gate. That hour gives the walker a clear aisle at 900 tables.
Pass collection happens on the day of the show. The organiser's FAQ rules out check-in and pass collection on the Friday before the event. A crew that arrives Friday night collects nothing until Saturday morning, so the 9 a.m. start needs everyone at the door early.
How the credentials split
The VIP Fast Pass covers Saturday and Sunday admission, early entry on both days, a limited-edition lanyard and an exclusive wristband. Some shows also sell a Sunday Only Fast Pass, which carries Sunday entry without the lanyard or the wristband.
Give the Fast Pass to anyone who needs a guest queue. Each special guest runs a separate VIP line, and that line opens only to Fast Pass holders. Autographs are priced by the guest and sold at the guest's table on the day. Some guests take cards and some take cash, so the runner carries both.
General admission holders reach the same guests. The pass buys position in the queue. Position decides who reaches a table before the hall fills.
Parking sets a fixed cost per car
The on-site garage at Memorial Drive and South Griffin Street holds 1,200 vehicles over two levels. It charges $20 per day, per entry, with no in-and-out. Lot C at 502 South Lamar Street holds 170 vehicles at $17 per day. ACE Parking runs both on a first-come, first-served basis.
Four people in one car pay $20 a day, or $5 a head. Two cars take that line to $40. The no-in-and-out rule adds a second $20 to any midday trip back to the hotel. A team that plans to change clothes or drop purchases should park once and stay.
The hotel next door
The event page lists the Omni Dallas at 555 South Lamar Street. The page prints no nightly rate, and the booking control sits inside the hotel's own system.
Send the room request to /rfp/submit with the arrival date, the room count and the split of singles and doubles. The Omni sits adjacent to the convention centre, and a crew on foot takes the parking line off the budget for both days.
If the team wants its own table
The vendor build is closed. The vendor page marks Hall B table reservations sold out, and the two-table Dallas order reads $750 on out-of-stock status.
Vendor credentials run on a different clock from attendee passes. Badges and packets are distributed during Friday set-up, which runs 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the set-up email arrives 10 days before the event. Section and table numbers arrive within 7 days of purchase. A table beyond the order costs $150 at the show, and the organiser bars resale. Vendor support sits at (214) 617-4023 and info@collectaconusa.com.
Rules that shape the walk
The organiser offers no bag check. Backpacks and personal bags are allowed and may be searched. Outside food and drink are barred, and the convention center sells both inside.
Card submissions run on site. Grading does not. James Spence Authentication handles autograph authentication at the show. The lost and found is the merchandise tent near the front entrance.
No military discount is offered.
What goes in the request
Send the headcount, the Fast Pass count, the arrival date and the room nights in one request at /rfp/submit. Name the Omni as the first choice.
Buy the Fast Passes before the crew books travel. Collection starts at the door on Saturday morning, and the 9 a.m. hour is the one asset the ticket buys.
