Updated 03/24/2026
04/09/26 – Lake Wales Radio Amateurs (LWRA) – Meeting starts at 7pm – Meetings are at the Lake Wales City Fire Department Station 1, 253 W Central Ave, Lake Wales, FL 33853. Our Polk County clubs are some of the best around and you’ll find a lot of friendly amateur radio operators. Find more information at https://lwra.us
04/13/26 – Lakeland Amateur Radio Club (LARC) – Meeting starts at 7pm. Amateur Radio exams begin at 5:30pm. Meetings at at the Parkview Baptist Church, 509 Parkview PL, Lakeland, FL 33805. You can find more information at https://lakelandarc.org
04/25/26 – TARCFest – Tampa Amateur Radio Club, 7801 N. 22nd St. Tampa, FL 33601. http://www.hamclub.org Gates open 8AM – 1PM. Admission is $5 per person, children under 12 are free. Tailgating is free with paid admission. Food, drinks, and VE Testing.
05/09/26 – East Pasco Amateur Radio Society Hamfest (EPARS) – 0700-1200 – 37745 Church Ave., Dade City, FL 33525. Door prizes, VE Testing. Talk-In on 146.88/- PL 146.2. Free parking, handicap accessible, food & refreshments, ATM machine. Admission adults and kids, $5 donation. Testing from 0900-1030. You must register for exam online at https://hamtstudy.org/sessions/EPARS/
05/15 & 05/17 – Hamvention (Dayton) – No, it’s not a local event, but it is the end-all beat-all amateur radio event. It is considered the largest hamfest in the world. There are folks from our area who visit there. Expect surprises from Icom, Yaesu and other amateur radio equipment suppliers to be there. Now located in Xenia, Ohio with larger indoor spaces for vendors, and the largest tailgate area you’ll ever see, it’s worth the trip if you’ve never been there. It’s not just about buying radios and seeing ham friends you’ve made contact with, but there are some great forums held at this event as well. Learn more about Dayton Hamvention at https://hamvention.org/
08/22/26 – TARCFest – Tampa Amateur Radio Club, 7801 N. 22nd St. Tampa, FL 33601. http://www.hamclub.org Gates open 8AM – 1PM. Admission is $5 per person, children under 12 are free. Tailgating is free with paid admission. Food, drinks, and VE Testing.
10/9 & 10/10 – Melbourne Hamfest 2026 & ARRL Florida State Convention in Melbourne, FL, at the Melbourne Auditorium (625 E Hibiscus Blvd). This event is hosted by the Platinum Coast Amateur Radio Society (PCARS) and will mark the 61st annual celebration of the Hamfest, which has been a Florida tradition since 1965. Admission: $10 for adults (covers both days), free for youth 18 and under. Online Tickets: Available via https://hfpcars.plumtx.com/. Features: Commercial vendors, outdoor tailgate area, amateur radio license exams, forums, youth tech workshops, and special event stations
11/14/26 – SPARC Fest – FREE Swapmeet and Tailgate FREE, Freedom Lake Park, Pinellas Park, FL, 8:00 AM UNTIL NOON, FREE ADMISSION, VE TESTING, TALK-IN ON 147.060 (+), NO PL – more info at https://www.sparc-club.org/sparcfest/