RARS Menu ☰

Experience the Largest All-Indoor Hamfest
on the East Coast
and the 2025 ARRL North Carolina State Convention

Brought to you by the
Raleigh Amateur Radio Society

When & Where







April 5, 2025

8:00 AM — 3:00 PM

The Jim Graham Building
North Carolina State Fairgrounds
Raleigh, NC
See here for directions

Door Prizes!


Grand Prize

Yaesu FTDX10 HF Radio

First Prize

Yaesu FTM-500DR FM/C4FM
Dual Band Mobile


“Early Bird” Prize

ICOM IC-2730A Dual Band Mobile

Volunteer Prize

Yaesu FT-70DR Dual Band Handheld Radio

PLUS! Hourly drawings for other fabulous prizes!

See the Door Prizes page for details. Complimentary tickets are not eligible for prize drawings (except that RARSfest Volunteers are eligible for the Volunteer Prize as described).

Cousin's Confections has food and beverages for sale in the restaurant area, including assorted Danish; sausage, bacon and ham biscuits; assorted juices; and fresh brewed coffee for breakfast; and burgers, hot dogs, BBQ pork sandwiches, assorted wraps, soft drinks, and lemonade for lunch! The restaurant opens at 7:30 AM so people waiting in line before the hamfest starts can get a beverage and a snack while they are waiting. Once the hamfest starts at 8:00 AM, the restaurant is accessible only from the show floor.

General Admission


  • $10 during the “Early Bird” period from January 30 through March 29
  • There will be a special prize drawing for people who buy their tickets during the “Early Bird” period
  • $12 after March 29
  • Admission for attendees age 16 and under continues to be complimentary when accompanied by a paying adult
  • Admission also continues to be complimentary for anyone earning their first amateur radio license at our license exam session. Details at the exam session.
  • Use the main entrances to the Jim Graham Building

See here for details and to order on-line from January 30 through March 29, 2025.

Commercial Area


  • For commercial sellers of new amateur radio and related equipment, and non-commercial exhibitors
  • Located in a prime traffic area at the front of the show floor
  • Your choice of attractive 10' x 10' booth space or eight-foot tables in a custom arrangement (space permitting)
  • The Dealer Package with 2025 pricing is available now!
  • Power drops available (bring your own extension cords, distribution boxes, etc.)
  • Reasonably priced
  • Easy setup and take-down—drive to your space!
  • Use the load-in (a/k/a "Flea Market") entrance to the Jim Graham Building

See here for details, including how to request space in the Commercial Area. The deadline for ordering is March 29, 2025, one week prior to RARSfest.

Flea Market


  • For clubs and non-commercial sellers of used amateur radio and related equipment
  • Eight-foot table with two chairs
  • $23 from January 30 through March 29
  • $27 after March 29
  • 120 VAC Power—$25 per connection. Bring your own extension cords (at least 50 feet)
  • Prices do not include admission. You must purchase general admission tickets separately.
  • Use the load-in (a/k/a "Flea Market") entrance to the Jim Graham Building
See here for details and to order on-line from January 30 through March 29, 2025.


Become a RARSfest Volunteer!

We need volunteers! We need volunteers on Friday, the day before the show, to help set up. We need volunteers on Saturday, the day of the show, to help put it on. Without volunteers, there would be no RARSfest. Please give us a few hours of your time and become one of the people who helps make RARSfest a success. Benefits of being a registered RARSfest Volunteer include:

And, finally and perhaps most importantly, helping to ensure the continuation of RARSfest into the future. The biggest threat to hamfests today is the lack of volunteers. Some large hamfests that were suspended during COVID have not come back, due in part to the lack of volunteers. We need your help to keep RARSfest alive.

Go to our Become a Volunteer Page to see where we need help and then click on the SignUp Genius button to sign up in the Volunteer Sign-Up System for the benefits above!


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