Events and Shows – Future and Past
Hamfests, Shows, Festivals, and Events
Our area has many Amateur Radio hamfests, Maker shows, technology showcases, and special events. We attend many of these events as exhibitors and others as guests. The listing illustrates some of the many activities which occur.
Are you aware of an event or show that we should attend as a vendor or guest? Send us a comment to have your event included in the list, and maybe the PCBoard.ca / Make-It.ca team can also be an exhibitor.
Saturday April 20, 2024 – Durham Hamfest
The Durham Hamfest is back for 2024. Show will be at the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex, the same location as previous years.
They hope to have a good mix of retail vendors tempting with special deals, manufacturers showing off their latest toys, and fellow Amateurs selling precious treasures. They will serve up complimentary coffee and tea.
We plan to have a couple of tables setup again this year.
Saturday May 25, 2024 – NPARC BIG EVENT Hamfest and Flea Market
The Niagara Peninsula Amateur Radio Club will be holding the annual Hamfest and Fleamarket the last weekend of May. In previous years they have held their event in February, but they are back with a late-spring date. See their Flyer for more information.
This year’s event will be held in Stevensville, Ontario.
We are unsure if we will attend, watch for updates.
Sunday, June 2, 2024 – Central Ontario Hamfest
The KW ARC’s Central Ontario Fleamarket is back. Held on the first Sunday in June annually. The show is held at the Waterloo Regional Police Association Recreation Park.
Indoor tables and tailgating; major vendors, loads of collectibles; free prize draws; tasty refreshments. Easy parking.
The PCBoard.ca team will be attending and will have great deals on Arduino products and the latest in high-brightness LEDs.
Saturday, July 13, 2024 – Ontario Hamfest
One of the larger shows of the year. Has one of the largest outdoor tailgate events around. The event is held in Milton at:
Milton Agricultural Fairgrounds
136 Robert St., Milton, ON L9T1G9
See their Flyer for more information.
Past Events
Fall 2023 – Tandy Assembly
The Tandy Assembly show is back for 2023 and is held in Springfield, Ohio. The conference is focused on Tandy Radio Shack computer systems. Features guest speakers and commercial exhibitors with lots of information shared
Tandy platforms: Coco, Model I/III/4/4P, Model II, pocket computers, Tandy 1000, MC-10, Model 100, and any other computers produced by Tandy in the ’70s and ’80s.
September 30, 2023 – Hamilton ARC Hamfest
The Hamilton ARC held its hamfest on September 30 at the Ancaster Fairgrounds.
Sept 7-10, 2023 – Barrie Automotive Flea Market
The Barrie Automotive Flea Market is back for 2023. An annual event held at Burl’s Creek Event Park, just outside Barrie.
Fall 2023 – London ARC Hamfest
The London ARC group will hold their annual hamfest at the Dorchester Fairgrounds. See their website for more details.
Saturday, July 8, 2023 – Ontario Hamfest
One of the larger shows of the year, held in Milton, occurred on Saturday, July 8.
Past Event – Saturday April 22, 2023 – Durham Hamfest
The Durham Hamfest is back for 2023. This year’s event is at the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex, the same location as previous years, with just a new name (it was the Pickering Recreation Complex).
They hope to have a good mix of retail vendors tempting with special deals, manufacturers showing off their latest toys, and fellow Amateurs selling precious treasures. They will serve up FREE coffee and have light snack items for sale.
May 27, 2023 – MakerFest Mississauga
Join us for MakerFest, where makers, artists, hobbyists, tinkerers, and innovators across the Greater Toronto Area sell their creations, showcase and test-drive new ideas, meet potential collaborators, and learn from diverse and engaged peers.
The PCBoard.ca team will be attending and have some great deals on Arduino products and the latest in high-brightness LEDs..
Saturday May 27, 2023 – NPARC BIG EVENT Hamfest and Flea Market
The Niagara Peninsula Amateur Radio Club will be holding the annual Hamfest and Fleamarket the last weekend of May. In previous years they have held their event in February, but for 2023 they are back with a late-spring date.
This year’s event will be held in Stevensville, Ontario.
PCBoard.ca will not be exhibiting at this event for 2023, rather will be attending the Mississauga MakerFest.
May 19-21, 2023 – Dayton Hamvention
Start planning now for Hamvention 2023. 2022 was a huge year for Hamvention with in-person activities returning along with huge crowds. 2023 will be even more significant. The event is held over three days, May 20 to 22 2022 at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center.
Watch for your favorite vendors on our Booth Tracker and also on the Hamvention Website for the very latest show details.
Sunday, June 4, 2023 – Central Ontario Hamfest
The KW ARC’s Central Ontario Fleamarket is back for 2023. Held on the first Sunday in June annually. The show is back again this year at the Waterloo Regional Police Association Recreation Park.
Well over 40 years and still going strong – bringing together ham radio operators, hobbyists, and enthusiasts just before Field Day and the summer heat. Indoor tables and tailgating; major vendors, loads of collectibles; free prize draws; tasty refreshments. Easy parking.
The PCBoard.ca team will be attending and will have great deals on Arduino products and the latest in high-brightness LEDs.
York Region Hamfest
Brampton Tech Fair 2019
HARC Hamfest 2019
Milton Hamfest 2019
What is a Hamfest
A Hamfest is a convention of amateur radio enthusiasts, often combining a trade show, flea market, and various other activities of interest to amateur radio operators (hams).
Hamfests are events organized by amateur radio enthusiasts for social gatherings and promotion of the amateur radio hobby. Typically annual events are held over a weekend, can last from several hours to days. Most feature a flea market where the attendees buy and sell radio and related equipment. The equipment found at a hamfest can vary significantly from the newest high-tech gear to used, refurbished, or even antique equipment. Haggling or bargaining is the most common means of sale.
Material that was initially sold at great expense to commercial users (such as public safety agencies) can often be found at a fraction of the price. Likewise, accessories that are no longer available from manufacturers may be found, and many sales of complete systems are made to buyers who only need one or two components. Junk boxes are common, frequently containing scraps and remnants from finished projects or equipment long since gone. Some hamfests feature demonstration and sales booths manned by vendors and manufacturers of commercial amateur radio equipment.
Hamfests may also include meetings of amateur radio clubs, seminars on technical, operational, or legal aspects of amateur radio, and license examination sessions.
What is a Maker Fair or Maker Festival
Maker Faire or Maker Festivals are the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth. A family-friendly festival of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement.
Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, the events are an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors.
The shows are primarily designed to be forward-looking, showcasing makers who are exploring new forms and new technologies. But it’s not just for the novel in technical fields; they feature innovation and experimentation across the spectrum of science, engineering, art, performance, and craft.
Each event is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. It’s a venue for Makers to show examples of their work and interact with others about it. Many makers say they have no other place to share what they do. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) is often invisible in our communities, taking place in shops, garages, and kitchen tables. It’s typically out of the spotlight of traditional art or science or craft events. The shows make visible the projects and ideas that we don’t encounter every day.