Stamp shows come in different shapes and sizes. The smallest are local bourses, where dealers collect to offer their wares. Most areas used to have such bourses monthly and, though the Internet has replaced most direct person to person stamps selling, hundreds of local bourses are held each year in this country.
A little higher up the chain are regional stamp shows. The best of these are accredited by the American Philatelic Society, and have scores of dealers offering their stamps for sale, as well as hundreds of frames of stamp exhibits that are being shown competitively. Competitive philately has always seemed to me to be an oxymoron, but it flourishes and the winner of each regional show gets to compete for the American Philatelic Society’s Champion of Champions award which is given each year at what amounts to the U.S. National stamp show at the APS convention.
Such national stamp shows, feeding from local stamp shows exist in most countries around the world. Once a year, under the auspices of the International Federation of Philately (FIP), there is an international stamp show, where the national winners and select invitees compete to win that the award for the best stamp collection of that year. These International shows have thousands of frames of exhibits, hundreds of dealers selling stamps, scores of interesting events and meetings.
In May of 2016 at the Javitz Center in New York, the International Stamp Show NEW YORK 2016 (http://www.ny2016.org/) will be held. Internationals are held in the United States only at ten year intervals. Most collectors therefore rarely get to more than one (this will be my sixth – having first went to Sipex in Washington DC in 1966 at a youthful thirteen years of age). If you have an opportunity to be near New York this May I think you would really enjoy the show. The exhibits, dealers and commotion are impressive. And seeing how seriously so many accomplished people take this hobby will make you quite proud to be a stamp collector.