The Hamvention Executive Team announced on July 15 that attendance at Dayton Hamvention® 2019 was 32,472. This marks the highest attendance recorded since Hamvention moved in 2017 from Hara Arena to the Greene County Fairgrounds and Exposition Center in Xenia, Ohio. This year’s attendance also approached an all-time Hamvention high. Attendance at the show peaked in 1993 at 33,669, before the 1996 change in date from April to May while Hamvention was still being held at Hara Arena. Last year, Hamvention welcomed 28,417 visitors in its second year in Xenia. Attendance in 2016 for the show’s final year at Hara was 25,364. Hamvention hosted the ARRL 2019 National Convention, and both embraced the theme of “Mentoring the Next Generation.”

“Our early indications were that 2019 would be a big year, and it lived up to our expectations,” Hamvention General Chair Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT, said. “Our more than 700 volunteers worked hard to ensure that we presented a great show for our visitors. It wouldn't have been possible without them. I also want to thank all our vendors and visitors and hope they will all be back next year.”

Hamvention officials suggested that a small factor behind the increased attendance could have been the free admission on Sunday. Sunday-only tickets accounted for some 800 of the total attendance. The open admission day was an effort to allow local non-hams to experience Hamvention, and free Sunday admission is expected to be continued next year, Hamvention officials said.

Assistant General Chair Rick Allnutt, WS8G, said that amateur operators from all US states and territories and 60 other countries attended Dayton Hamvention 2019. According to Allnutt, comments received about the show were overwhelmingly positive.

Gerbs said the Agricultural Society, Greene County, Xenia Township, and the City of Xenia cooperated in making Hamvention 2019 a success.

The world’s largest Amateur Radio exposition, Dayton Hamvention is sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) every third full weekend in May. Hamvention 2020 will take place on May 15, 16, and 17.