This NEAR-Fest will be the first at our new location at the Hillsborough County 4-H Fairgrounds in New Boston, NH. This location is 15 miles west of the Manchester, NH, business district, the same distance as the Deerfield location, but West instead of East.
The reason for the permanent change in venue is due to ongoing scheduling conflicts with other events at the Deerfield (NH) Fairgrounds, NEAR-Fest’s home for the past eighteen years.
The hard decision to move the popular New England hamfest was taken by a unanimous vote of NEAR-Fest’s Board of Directors on May 17th, 2024.
In endorsing the decision, NEAR-Fest’s Benevolent Dictator Emeritus, Michael Crestohl, W1RC, aka “Mister Mike,” commented: “This was inevitable. The Deerfield Fairgrounds is becoming increasingly popular with exhibitors, and as a designated agricultural fairgrounds, they must give priority to agricultural events. We had a fabulous eighteen-year run. I am confident that Phil and Kelley, along with their team, will take NEAR-Fest forward at our new location for many years to come.”
Other than the location, nothing else will change. It is still the same NEAR-Fest we have all known and loved since 2007!
