Hamfests are not unique to Lafayette. There are over a dozen different hamfests held within an hour's drive of here. You can find out more information about some of them on our links page. The Family Dinner is always held on the 4th Wednesday in January and serves as the club's program meeting for that month. Some anthropologists speculate that the urge to compete is part of basic human nature.
Hams are no exception.
There are a wide variety of competitions in many areas. For amateur radio, contests serve a dual purpose. Besides being fun, they are an opportunity to improve emergency communication skills. KF9UP and N9LF at the club station during the ARRL November 2000 Sweepstakes. The ARRL has an abundance of information on their Contest Page.