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April 6 was the 2024 edition of the Memphis Freefest. held at the Municipal Building in Bartlett, TN.  This hamfest is usually in March, but due to a scheduling error on the part of the building manager, it had to be April 6. The Southeast is blessed with some really good hamfests, but the Memphis Freefest is one of our favorites.  Vendor tables are free, and participant entry is free.  All the money they raise comes from the sale of door prize tickets, and any money left over after expenses goes to LeBonheur Hospital for Children. A one day hamfest,...

Over the winter we learned that the Black Warrior Hamfest (i.e., Tuscaloosa) will no longer happen.   This is a real loss to the ham radio community in the Alabama/Mississippi area.  Their venue was a really well maintained school gym, with good lighting and great air conditioning.  The host club provided a crew to help vendors unload and reload their vehicles, and one couldn't ask for a nicer bunch of folks.  They had a good Mexican food truck (Al Pastor's) for lunch the last time we were there, and the lunch was memorable. Fat Cat always enjoyed going to this hamfest,...

Hamfest naming conventions are funny things.  The Memphis Freefest is actually in Bartlett, TN, and the Birminghamfest is actually in Trussville, AL.   Trussville is a really good town for a hamfest.  The Trussville Civic Center is well located, and comfortable roomy for a hamfest.   The March 15/16 event opened to vendors (all vendors this year were of the flea market variety) around noon Friday, and the doors opened to the public at 4:00, and closed at 7:00.  Saturday was 8:30 until 3:00.  There was an average crowd Friday night, a good crowd Saturday morning, which (as is the custom) petered...

  A lot of hamfests had their dates changed in 20024, including Jackson.  Usually the end of January, the Jackson Hamfest moved to the first weekend of February in 2024, due to a venue scheduling conflict.   The new Trade Mart facility was a grand location as usual, Load-in for vendors started around noon Friday, and the doors opened to the public at 4:00 Friday and  lasted until 7:00 that evening.  Saturday the event was 8:00 until around 3:00 in the afternoon. The flea market and vendor tables were very full, with only a few vendor tables not sold.  The crowds...

Nov. 4, 2023 was the annual Papa Jack's Trade Day in Tupelo, MS.  In contrast to previous years, the weather was dry, and the crowd was maybe a bit larger than in recent years.  The event began being populated around 7:00 in the morning, officially opened at 8:00, and wrapped up around noon.  As usual, the host club provided tables, doughnuts, and coffee.  This year one of their members also brought a wonderful, steaming hot bean soup, and passed out bowls of that, which was a treat on a chilly day.