A first-time hamfest is always interesting to attend, because you never know what to expect. This one had a small turnout (not unexpected for the first time), and a really great venue (far better than we expected).
The radio club sponsored by American Legion Post 69 in Columbus, MS had this first-ever hamfest at the American Legion building at 308 Chubby Drive in Columbus. The building was open for setup at 5:30 AM, and the doors opened to the public at 7:00 AM. Several club members helped us unload and carry our gear in, and the same thing happened when we loaded out.
Tables were $5 each, and admission was $5 per person.
The hamfest site was one of the best sites I've seen. It's one huge, open room. The lighting is excellent, excellent, excellent. Very bright, very high light fixtures made the room easy for seeing what was on tables. The floor was a hard surface, so carts rolled easily. The air conditioning worked well.
Concessions included hot coffee, pulled pork, and lots of other local food. I had a hot dog plate (a big, thick hot dog on a bun, potato salad, and baked beans) and a large coffee for a total of $7. The concessions folks were cheerful and seemed genuinely glad to be there.
The barbecue sauce guy was there, and folks flocked to restock their barbecue sauce. No, barbecue is not the same as radio, but here in the South, it's a very, very close first cousin.
No door prizes, and no testing table, but again, it was their first effort. I had the chance to visit with the hosts when it was over, and they have good ideas for next year. One idea is to open to the public a bit later, like maybe 8:30. Based on the timing to attendees on Saturdays, that's a really good idea.
We'll definitely be back to this one next year!
