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Attendance numbers 2017 and 2018 Xenia hamfests

Discussion in 'Hamfest Reports & Videos' started by K8MOT, May 25, 2018.

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  1. K8MOT

    K8MOT Ham Member QRZ Page

    Been looking all over for the attendance numbers for the Xenia Hamfests. They said they expected 30,000.
    I went in 2017, it looked more like 5000 at most. Am i wrong ? After everyone's experience's in 2017, i gotta think 2018 was lower. I saw one guy who liked the food venders, we got 1 small french fries and 2 drinks, $22. None of the food handlers wore any sanitary gloves, or hair coverings.
    I was really hopeing DAWA would do good at Xenia, I hope they find a decent place for the Dayton Hamfest. Horse barns and mud pits ain't even close for the best hamfest in the world. 2018 was my first year that i haved missed the event in 32 years.

    Jim
     
  2. KD8DEY

    KD8DEY Ham Member QRZ Page

    2 drinks, and a small fry $22
    I call B.S.
     
    W3UC and WN1MB like this.
  3. ND6M

    ND6M Ham Member QRZ Page

    With your 32 years of experience, you should already know that DARA attendance figures are not released the next day.

    $22,...............you must be a big tipper.
     
  4. K8MOT

    K8MOT Ham Member QRZ Page

    No kidding $22 .... i gave them a tip, but something they couldn't spend
    Don't know why i used DAWA, instead of the correct DARA, must have been my
    Spell checker, that's my story and i am sticking to it.
    I guess i just miss Hara arena. lots of great times there. Met several DX hams i had
    Talked to over the years. It was really great when the computer people were there.
    After they decided to be there on a different date, i went to it. Not crowded at all.
    Most vendors left early.
    Thanks for the help
    Jim
     
  5. KA0HCP

    KA0HCP XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Bottom line: "I didn't go to Dayton, but it was a terrible hamfest and I don't have the figures to prove it!"
     
    WA8FOZ, N1EN, K2HAT and 2 others like this.
  6. K2HAT

    K2HAT Premium Subscriber Volunteer Moderator Volunteer DX Helper QRZ Page


    The prices are listed for the food, and I did not see any vendor with prices near that.

    I bought an extra large chicken wrap sandwich for $9. from Janes trailer, last year if I recall it was $8. I was happy with the sandwich, it is Huge.

    Saturday about 2pm I bought a chicken breast sandwich for $3.50 from a food vendor trailer about 3 spots south of the other one.

    RB had good prices on food, including 2 eggs and cheese sandwich for $4.

    Yes some folks left early because of the rain. I was there Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday flea market spot 9062.

    Thursday, Friday, Saturday because of the rain storms, I had packed up and left before 4 pm, Sunday about 1:30.

    It did not rain constantly, and I was glad to have an ezup type canopy to be under. :)

    Chicken wrap sandwich.

    upload_2018-5-26_8-17-25.png

    Thursday 7:15am. notice I am the first in the parking spots, for my section, I had to move 2 spots West later as I did not notice the markers. Duh. Looking East.
    upload_2018-5-26_8-18-46.png

    Saturday in between rain showers ‎Saturday, ‎April ‎14, ‎2018, ‏‎2:29:14 PM
    upload_2018-5-26_8-16-12.png
     
    KA0HCP likes this.
  7. K4DJM

    K4DJM Ham Member QRZ Page

    There is so much wrong here. DARA was pretty much *forced* to find a new home for this huge event in 2017, and your expectation was pretty much perfection right off the bat. You say that you had hopes that DARA would do well at Xenia, but as they made improvements and "dialed things in" for 2018 -- you didn't show to see them and then gripe about the previous year!

    IMHO, this year the mud issue was 85% mitigated. I'm sure that DARA will take what they have learned and improve things even more next year.

    Horse Barns? An exaggeration for sure. Those exhibit halls have concrete floors.

    I've seen vendors pack up early at Hara when it rained, too. Yes, there was rain this year, but there was plenty of time to cover the flea market when it wasn't raining as well. I covered the flea market at least four times.

    I spent $7 or $8 for lunch both days this year (Sunday was a travel day). This doesn't include the medium churned ice cream I got later ($4 + $1 tip).

    It sounds like you want to hate the new venue. Why openly disparage it though? If you don't like the Xenia event, just don't come.

    73,
    Don
     
    WA8FOZ likes this.
  8. KL7AJ

    KL7AJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    First of all....what's WRONG with horse barns? Hams need to get out of the concrete jungle once in a while. That being said, the food was AWESOME, not only in comparison with Hara arena....but just awesome in general. I LOVE the county fair atmosphere, besides.

    Hara always seemed like something on the way out.....Xenia has the feel of something up-and-coming.....it WILL be better every year.
     
    AE1P and K2HAT like this.
  9. K8MOT

    K8MOT Ham Member QRZ Page

    Ok first there were no prices shown, It was the one in the center of the concrete circle. Also the horse barns in my town have concrete floors.... And Dayton always announced the attendance on Sunday afternoon. It was posted the next day on their site.
    AND STILL NO ATTENDANCE FIGURES FOR XENIA..... I must be another Hillery coverup.....
    Lighten up boys, I do really hope DARA finds a decent venue for the greatest hamfest in the world.
    You really ate that wrap made with bare hands, from a person you didn't know ????????? yuck......
     
  10. K4DJM

    K4DJM Ham Member QRZ Page

    1) The date of the DARA webpage where the 2017 attendance was tallied is June 1, 2017. Check it for yourself here:
    http://hamvention.org/hamvention-2017-attendance-29296/

    2) DARA *has* found a decent venue for the greatest hamfest in the world. There is a whole other thread consisting of folks that attended BOTH years. The general consensus is one of praise for DARA.

    3) You didn't go this year, so you have no knowledge how the food was prepared, or how well DARA handled the event.*

    *) You are arguing from a position of ignorance.

    73,
    Don
     
    WA8FOZ, KC5SAS and WJ4U like this.
  11. K8MOT

    K8MOT Ham Member QRZ Page

    Lighten up Don, it was a joke.
     
  12. K4DJM

    K4DJM Ham Member QRZ Page

    Peace.

    I do encourage you to give the HV another chance. See you next year?

    73,
    Don
     
  13. KF5FEI

    KF5FEI Ham Member QRZ Page

    Haven't been to Xenia yet, but from what I have seen, it is very nice, and they are working very hard to make it better. Way nicer than some of the venues in Texas I've been to. Hara was a big, leaky, stinky, dilapidated, disgusting, run-down s**t-hole -- I've used country outhouses that were better-kept and more pleasant. However, if the hamfest were still there, I'd still go.

    Maybe the OP needs to step up and volunteer his services and tell them what he thinks is right?
     
    W5TTP, WA8FOZ and ND6M like this.
  14. K8MOT

    K8MOT Ham Member QRZ Page

    Ok Don, I will try it again
    73
    ps: I'll buy dinner
     
  15. K2HAT

    K2HAT Premium Subscriber Volunteer Moderator Volunteer DX Helper QRZ Page

    Attendance Holds Steady at Hamvention® 2018
    06/28/2018
    Hamvention® marked another successful year in 2018, General Chair Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ, told ARRL this week. At 28,417 visitors, Hamvention recorded its third-largest attendance ever in its second year at its still-new location in Xenia, Ohio.

    “We had a slight decline in attendance, but we think people were waiting to hear about the upgrades we made, and some upgrades did not happen until the very last moment,” Cramer allowed. “Many were worried about the mud.”

    The drop in attendance amounted to some 900 fewer visitors from Hamvention 2017. Hamvention attendance peaked in 1993 at 33,669, before the 1996 change in date from April to May while it was still being held at Hara Arena. Attendance in 2016 for the show’s final year at Hara was 25,364.

    Cramer said other events in the Xenia-Dayton area cramped lodging availability, but Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) organizers were “very pleased with the results and comments everyone has made this year.”

    Hamvention’s 2018 theme was “Amateur Radio…Serving the Community,” and the event highlighted emergency communication forums — many put on by ARRL — plus a big display of emergency communication vehicles.

    This was a year of “fine tuning the event” through critique sessions with committee chairs and evaluating comments, compliments, and criticisms from first-year Xenia attendees and vendors, Cramer said.

    “From all the information we have received back already this year, from guests and vendors, we believe we have been successful and are working hard to prepare for Hamvention 2019,” Cramer offered. “We expect new additions to the show and finer tuning to make sure our guests keep coming back.”

    Improvements this year at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center included the use of frame tents for some activities. “These were much more stable in the wind and rain — a very big improvement,” Cramer said. “We installed asphalt millings in the Flea Market area to create roads and eliminate the mud we had last year. We will be widening and adding more asphalt millings to the roads this year.” In addition, he said, Hamvention on-site parking eliminated some of the muddier areas and halted the use of tractor-driven people movers, which were creating ruts. “We were not immune to rain, but it took less of a toll,” Cramer added.

    Cramer also touted more on-site food options, expanding the variety and number of food vendors and cutting wait times. More seating was added.

    Other improvements Cramer cited included:


    • More forums and a new forum room.

    • Improved parking access by moving the bus drop-off location closer to the main entrance gate.

    • More off-site parking with better signage to provide easier access.

    • A new Product Showcase to highlight new products.
    Central State University opened its dorms for the event, offering inexpensive lodging that included breakfast and dinner.

    “There was a shortage of rooms this year with the grand opening of the Memphis Belle Exhibit at the Museum of the Air Force,” Cramer explained, “but the Greene County and Dayton Convention Visitors Bureaus kept tabs on rooms and helped direct those who called.”

    Cramer expressed his appreciation to Greene County, Xenia Township, and the City of Xenia, as well as to the nearly 800 volunteers for their assistance. “The Greene County Fair Board has been exceptional in making this our new home,” Cramer said. “We thank all who attended this year’s show and hope to see you again next year.”
    http://www.arrl.org/news/attendance-holds-steady-at-hamvention-2018
     

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