Hamvention finds new home

Greene County officials announced Monday that the annual Hamvention event will relocate to the fairgrounds in Xenia after the Hara Arena closes.

Greene County Agricultural Society Board of Directors made the announcement in partnership with Greene County Board of Commissioners, city of Xenia and Greene County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Since 1952, Hamvention, a multi-day convention of ham radios, has been sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association.

“We are so excited to be working with the Dayton Hamvention to bring an event of this caliber to the Fairgrounds and Expo Center,” said Alan Anderson president of the Greene County Board of Commissioners, in a release. “Spend time with this group of professionals and volunteers and their passion for running a first-class event immediately becomes abundantly clear.”

The annual economic impact of this event is about $17 million, in hotel stays, restaurants, gas stations and local merchants.

“We appreciate and value all the time and effort of the many partners, in particular the Greene County Agricultural Society, the Greene County Board of Commissioners and the Greene County Convention and Visitors Bureau, has put into helping Hamvention find the right venue to continue our long history here in the Miami Valley,” said Ron Cramer, general chairman of Hamvention, in a release.

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