Yuma Hamfest

About the Event

The 18th Annual Yuma Hamfest is the site of the ARRL's premier event for the Southwest in 2025, The Southwestern Division Convention. The Yuma Hamfest has two aspects. It is a hamfest for Amateur Radio enthusiasts, complete with commercial exhibits, seminars, license testing and tailgating. For members of the general public, it is a trade show for emergency and disaster preparedness, with informational presentations and displays of emergency supplies and equipment.

There are hourly drawings for door prizes both Friday and Saturday. The numbers will be posted just inside the main Theater Building. You must be onsite to win the door prizes and claim them by 5:00 p.m. Saturday. On Saturday evening, in what has established itself as an annual tradition, the Buzzard Barbecue will be held in the Theater Building. Additional door prizes are given away following the barbecue dinner. And then at the end of the evening, we hold what has become the highlight of the Yuma Hamfest, the Grand Prize drawings.

For several years the Yuma Hamfest focused primarily on amateur radio, especially the emergency communications aspects of that hobby. Starting with the 2009 event, the event was expanded to include all facets of emergency and disaster preparedness. Would you know what to do if your home was without power, telephone service or water for ten days? By attending the Yuma Hamfest, you can find out the answer.

Last, but not least, there is a full seminar program scheduled for both Friday and Saturday. We have a selection of seminars at three different times on Friday and six different times on Saturday, presented in separate buildings on the fairgrounds. Seminar presentations on radio and emergency preparedness topics are planned. A list of seminars and their times can be found on the seminar link for this site.

Schedule of Events:

07:00 am - 09:00 am: Concession Shack - Concession stand open for breakfast.  Youth group earning money for summer camp.
07:00 am - 12:00 pm: Fairgrounds - Arrival and setup of vendor booths and tailgate spots
12:00 pm Fairgrounds - Yuma Hamfest opens
11:00 am - 02:00 pm: Concession Shack - Concession stand open for lunch.  Youth group earning money for summer camp
12:00 pm - 05:00 pm: Legacy Building - Vendor booths open and tickets on sale for dinner and drawings; Hospitality Area open for coffee, snacks and relaxation
12:00 pm - 05:00 pm: Legacy Building
12:00 pm - 05:00 pm: Fairgrounds - Vendor Sales and Tailgating
01:00 pm - 02:00 pm: Seminar Rooms - Seminars (check seminar schedule)
02:20 pm - 03:20 pm: Seminar Rooms - Seminars (check seminar schedule)
03:00 pm - 04:45 pm: 4H Bldg - Amateur radio license testing (VE testing)
03:40 pm - 04:40 pm: Seminar Rooms - Seminars (check seminar schedule)
06:00 pm - 10:00 pm: Friday Night Munchies - Various food trucks will be in the south parking lot 32nd street side of the fairgrounds.  This is a popular local every Friday event.

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