The 50th annual Tampa Bay Hamfest December 12th and 13th, 2025

The 50th annual Tampa Bay Hamfest will be held December 12th and 13th, 2025

https://fgcarc.org/

 

admission tickets cost $13.00 at the gate and at the Service Desk in the Expo Hall.

This year’s Tampa Bay Hamfest will again be held at the Strawberry Festival facilities in Plant City, Florida. The Hamfest will open to the public at 1 PM on Friday, December 12th, 2025, closing at 6 PM and will run through Saturday, December 13th, 2025, opening at 8 AM and closing at 3 PM. Please see the event details under the ‘Venues and Hours’ and the ‘Testing, Forums, etc.’ pages under the menu.

Again, the Tampa Bay Hamfest will be the West Central Florida Section Convention of the ARRL, American Radio Relay League. ARRL will have a location and will have representatives available to answer any questions you may have.

Exhibits and commercial vendors will be located in the Expo Hall. The general public parking and the only entrance is at the intersection of Berryfest Place (was Lemon St.) and West Palmetto Avenue. The Tailgate area (see below) will be the large grassy field adjacent to the Carriage House.

Set your GPS to N28.01563 and -82.14407 to locate the entrance to the facility on Berryfest Place and W. Palmetto Ave. in Plant City. The ticket booth is just past the public parking.
https://fgcarc.org/general-information/

 

I shall be out in the tailgate section with the Sun City Center ARC table ( KE4ZIP ). We don't have as much as we usually do from the
club or SK estates but some members will bringing their sale items. Stop by and say hi.

 

I also shall be out in the RV / Tailgate section with some stuff for sale.

In talks with the Hamfest staff I understand there may not be outside power available this year.
Apparently the Festival grounds is constructing a new building and outside power is turned off in the area. The most they could tell me is "we will find out if power is available when we get there".
Hamfest staff did advise if you prepay for outside power, ($10) and its not available on hamfest days they will refund that expense.

73,
Tom - N1UXA
Surfside Beach, SC

 

Weather forecast looks decent, a little cool Saturday morning!

 

Plan on being there Saturday!