Thousands flock to The Red Dragon Centre for trading card event
CARDIFF Bay’s longstanding entertainment venue, The Red Dragon Centre, held its busiest half term event since 2019 with its Pokéfest showcase.
Held to mark National Pokémon Day, during the event the Centre welcomed 7,833 visitors and 10,000 visitors for the day overall.
The event was in collaboration with Vendiboyz, who recently launched the first trading card vending machine in Cardiff at The Red Dragon Centre, with a selection of popular merchandise and cards for sale. The Centre also welcomed famous figures like Pikachu and Dragons to meet and pose for photos with guests and hosted free workshops and face painting.
The trading tables proved to be a huge success. PokeHaunters reported over 200 cards traded, with queues of 50-60 lining the Centre.
The most notable cards sales included a Van Gogh Pikachu sold by VendiChris for £500 and the trade of a Graded Charizard worth £200 for a Pikachu Ex. KingCymruCards sold prized collectables for over £400.
The event also had a MGC Grading Table where visitors could get their most prized cards priced and sent off for grading.
The Red Dragon Centre additionally fundraised for Tŷ Hafan children’s hospice.
Emma Constantinou, Marketing Manager at The Red Dragon Centre, said: “What an incredible day we had marking National Pokémon Day with our Pokéfest. After such a successful event last year, we couldn’t wait to welcome fans to the Centre, and we have been blown away by its popularity. We are delighted to have been able to use this opportunity to raise vital funds and awareness for Tŷ Hafan too.
“A massive thank you to the team at Vendiboyz for making this all possible, keep your eyes peeled for more one-of-a-kind vending machines coming to the Centre.”
Rob Hardacre from Vendiboyz, said: “We had an amazing time at The Red Dragon Centre to celebrate National Pokémon Day. The trading table was a great way for people to connect and trade for free and there were even binders given away for people who were just starting out and didn’t know where to start, there was a lovely sense of community and I think we may have turned a few skeptics into Pokémon enthusiasts.
“The excitement continued even after the event, we received a lot of Grading Submissions in our inbox after advising guests on what cards would be worth grading. It was amazing to see so many likeminded people sharing their love for these games, and to give back to such an incredible charity – we hope to be back soon to continue these events.”
The Red Dragon Centre is home to a multitude of interactive, lifestyle and food and drink venues including Odeon Cinema, the home of Wales’ only IMAX screen, and the Hollywood Bowl which have been key Centre attractions since the beginning.
The Centre hosts a range of additional brands that make up an intrinsic part of the entertainment and dining experience, including Grosvenor Casino, Five Guys, Spice Route, Volcano, EasyThali, EveryTime, and Zaika.
The Centre is also the site of the Capital FM South Wales studio, which was formerly Red Dragon FM, as well as Heart FM. Today, you’ll find the likes of Josh and Kally broadcasting their Capital Drive Show live from there every weekday.