In a surprise announcement, the organisers of the National Hamfest today released a statement amateur radio community that the National Hamfest was cancelled for 2023.
The directors of National Hamfest (Lincoln) Ltd said in their announcement that this years event was to temporarily moved to a location in Peterborough in October, but that the operators of the venue had pulled the plug on the event; the reason was not specified.
As one would have expected so late in the year, an alternative venue and/or date was impossible to find at this late stage. Whilst the usual venue, Newark Showground, offered them a weekend in July, it was felt that the proximity to the summer holidays would result in reduced patronage by the dealers and exhibitors and footfall by the visitors. The risk of a financial loss under these circumstances was not one the organisers were willing to take and it was, therefore, with a very heavy heart they had to announce the event’s cancellation.
However, the good news is that next years event, to be held once more at the Newark Showground, is to take place at its more normal time of the year, late September – making camping a more viable proposition for visitors again. The middle of October last year was a bit on the chilly side. Furthermore, they have promised that the 2024 National Hamfest will be bigger and better, than when, though, they did not specify.
So the dates to put in your diary for 2024 are the 27th & 28th September – see you there hopefully.