Greater Louisville Hamfest Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 34444
Louisville, KY 40232-4444
About the Greater Louisville Hamfest Association, Inc. and Our History
The Greater Louisville Hamfest Association, Inc. (GLHA) evolved from a group of dedicated Amateur Radio enthusiasts from the Louisville area wishing to start a Hamfest in the area. The first hamfest in Louisville was on Sunday, August 2, 1959 at Parkway Field (the ballpark of the Kentucky Colonels). The hamfest was established from a radio club formed for the purpose of starting the Hamfest - The Kentuckiana Radio Club.
In 1982 GLHA was formed as a separate corporation from the Kentuckiana Radio Club. On March 24, 1982 GLHA received its Certificate of Incorporation of Non-Stock, Non-Profit Corporation making it the Greater Louisville Hamfest Association, Inc. The purpose of the Corporation is to enhance the pastime of Amateur Radio. The Board of Directors at that time consisted of Chairman Guy E. Partridge, Vice Chairman J. Fred Klink, Secretary Terry Rowe, Treasurer M. D. Hill and Louis E. Bard (Registered Agent). On April 20, 1984, in accordance with IRS Code Section 501(c)(4) GLHA became a tax-except organization.
With only volunteer help, the purpose of GLHA is to promote the Greater Louisville Hamfest. There are no paid personnel and since GLHA is not affilliated with any club all proceeds of each hamfest go toward funding the following year's hamfest.
Each year, GLHA strives to provide the best hamfest in the best facility for the least cost to participants. Your attendance helps us achieve this goal and we always welcome your constructive comments.
On Sunday, July 31, 1960 the Greater Louisville Hamfest Association sponsored the second Louisville hamfest at General Electric's Appliance Park. Two stations were set up in G.E.'s Monogram Hall for talk-in. About 800 people from 6 states attended. Inside Monogram Hall, the hamfest took on a county-fair look with exhibits on new radio equipment, lectures and entertainment. Prizes were awarded for the best homebrew radio components, the best mobile sets and the best-designed QSL cards.
Throughout the years, the Greater Louisville Hamfest took place in many different places. For some years we met at the Kentucky National Guard on Crittenden Drive, while Otter Creek Park was the place to be in 1972 for the hamfest.
From 1977 through 1988 the GLH was held at the Kentucky State Fair and Exposition Center. The attendance was around 3000 amateur radio operators in 1979 and drew more than 5000 hams in 1985 when Space Shuttle Challenger Astronaut Tony England was a guest speaker.
In 1989, the Commonwealth Convention Center became the location of the 2-day Greater Louisville Hamfest through 1994. It was in 1992 that GLHA teamed with the Kentucky-Indiana PC User's Group for the hamfest and included workshops on ham techniques, shareware demonstrations and seminars from Microsoft Corp. and WordPerfect Corp.
The hamfest returned to the Kentucky State Fairgrounds from 1995 until 1998. In 1999 the Bullitt County Fairgrounds was the home of the Greater Louisville Hamfest until 2003.
Beginning in 2004, The Greater Louisville Hamfest moved to Paroquet Springs Conference Centre in Shepherdsville, where it continues as a yearly event on Saturday after Labor Day.