HAM-JAM at NEAR-Fest
Friday at 7 PM. Bring your instrument, your voice, or just your ears. HAM-JAM is our informal Friday-evening acoustic jam session, a long-standing NEAR-Fest tradition and one of the best ways to wrap up the first day of the event.
HAM-JAM in action at a recent NEAR-Fest.
What is HAM-JAM?
HAM-JAM is an open, informal jam session held on the Friday evening of NEAR-Fest. Hams who play music, guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, harmonica, ukulele, upright bass, cajon, and everything in between, get together to swap tunes, trade licks, and share songs.
There’s no set list, no auditions, and no pressure. Beginners are just as welcome as seasoned pickers. If you’d rather just listen and tap your foot, that’s welcome too, and there’s always room to pull up a chair.
Friday at 7 PM
Upper floor of the French Building, on the NEAR-Fest grounds.
Free with a valid NEAR-Fest admission ticket. No separate signup required.
What to Bring
- Your acoustic instrument (electrics are welcome too, but plan on low volume; this is unamplified or lightly amplified)
- A capo, tuner, spare strings, whatever keeps you playing
- A songbook, chord chart, or a couple of tunes you know cold
- A folding chair if you’d like guaranteed seating. Some chairs are provided but they fill up.
- A friend! Non-players are always welcome as an audience.
Good to Know
- No headliners, no schedule. Everyone takes a turn.
- Be kind to your fellow pickers. Announce your key, keep tempos reasonable, and let others solo.
- Requests are welcome and often the source of the best moments.
- The French Building doubles as the licensing exam room during the day. HAM-JAM starts after exams wrap up.
See you Friday night at 7! If you play, come pick. If you don’t play, come listen. Either way, it’s one of the most memorable parts of NEAR-Fest.
