The Madison Area Repeater Association 2024 Hamfest will be on April
13th and features vendors of new and used equipment for Amateur Radio, Electronics, Computers, computer parts and software. Come their huge Flea Market in the Mandt Community Center’s spacious 26,000 sq ft main hall. VE testing starts at 10:00 AM. Vendor space is sold on a “first come, first served” basis.
Location: Mandt Community Center (same location since 2000)
GPS: North 42.91157, West 89.21647
Address: 499 Mandt Parkway, Stoughton, WI
Directions: Take US Hwy 51 S from Madison to downtown Stoughton, WI. Turn South on 4th Street and the Mandt Center is 3 blocks ahead on the left.
Talk in: MARA’s Wide Area Repeater 147.150 (+600) pl 123.0
Parking: free
Tickets: purchased on the website $8 per person; $10 at the door, cash only
8′ Vendor tables: Purchased by March 25th, $20; after 3/25: $25
Chairs: $5
AC Service: $30
Admission tickets are NOT included in the price of tables
Hamfest tickets, and vendor table space can be purchased at the MARA website: www.w9hsy.org.
Their fest flyer can be found at: https://w9hsy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MARA-Hamfest-Flyer-2024-1.pdf.
As a seller, I regularly publicize hamfests through multiple craigslist cities. It works. I’ve seen attendance go up.
I’ve also been to many hamfests where the number of unoccupied tables is higher than it should be. MARA has been shrinking over recent years. Tables cost more, chairs have to be paid for, the risk is increasing. Something needs to change
I’ve approached many hamfest coordinators with the idea that they frame their events as public outreach instead of conventions for the faithful (who are greying fast). Makers, hackers, all sorts of hobbyists like robotics clubs, train, hi-fi, antique radio, computer, scanner listeners… have interests that overlap parts of ham radio. These are pools of hobbyists who could be attracted to a hamfest. Why not broaden the net? Some of these new attendees may decide to become hams.
For example, Madison has two maker facilities, The Bodgery and Sector67. A flyer on their doors and a few inside for people to pick up will be seen by people whose core interests intersect with what happens at a hamfest. Who knows, maybe a few might want to become hams.