[CQ-Contest] Dayton soon to be world's #2 hamfest

[Scott Robbins]

>>==>DAYTON HAMVENTION REPORTS ATTENDANCE UP SLIGHTLY FOR 2005

>>Dayton Hamvention 2005 General Chair Gary Des Combes, N8EMO, told
ARRL >this week that attendance was up by 542 this year over last. The
total >"official" attendance was 20,411, compared to 19,869 for 2004.

>Dayton Hamvention 2000--the last year Hamvention hosted an ARRL
>National Convention--logged 28,804 attendees, up modestly from the
>previous year. The all-time attendance record for Dayton Hamvention
>reportedly was 1993, when 33,669 showed up.

Dayton Hamvention attendance is down 30% over 5 years ago is how I read
that - which is very, very bad news for vendors and for the overall
future of the event.  Combine that with events being held off site and
the sharp decline in the flea market area and it's even worse than the
attendance numbers make it appear.  

I've been attending Dayton as a vendor for 10 consecutive years - I did
not speak to one other vendor that indicated sales reached record
levels or anything approaching it in 2005.  Costs rise, hassle to
vendors continue, attendance is way down from 5 years ago, sales are
flat.  

We are on the verge of Dayton becoming the #2 world hamfest. 

The announced attendance for the 2004 Friedrichshafen ham fair, which
is a much more professionally run event in a modern facility, was
18,000 last year.  http://www.darc.de/referate/ausland/index.html 
 
To keep a national event vibrant, it needs to change - and there is no
change imminent while continuing to hold Hamvention at Hara Arena.  

Scott Robbins W4PA
 

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