SMCARA Tailgate — October 17, 2026
The St. Mary’s County Amateur Radio Association (SMCARA) will host its annual Tailgate on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department, 24801 Three Notch Road, Hollywood, MD. Now marking over 50 years of supporting amateur radio in Southern Maryland, SMCARA invites hams, vendors, and the public to a morning of buying, selling, testing, and connecting over shared interest in amateur radio, public service, education, and technology.
Vendor and tailgater setup begins at 6:30 am, with the event open to the public from 7:30 am to 11:00 am. Admission is $5 for ages 10 and up, and the morning will include a 50/50 raffle and door prizes. Amateur radio license exam testing will be offered on-site from 8:00 am to 11:00 am for anyone looking to earn or upgrade a license.
Farm.Fork.Soul will be on hand providing breakfast and lunch throughout the event. Vendors interested in indoor or outdoor space can reserve a spot by PayPal to treasurer@SMCARA.org (friends/family option, memo noting call sign and indoor/outdoor space) or by mail to SMCARA Tailgate, P.O. Box 364, California, MD 20619.
Talk-in on the day of the event will be available via the 147.195 MHz repeater (positive offset, PL 156.7) and 146.52 MHz simplex. For the latest details, visit smcara.org, the SMCARA groups.io page (smcara.groups.io), or email Public@smcara.groups.io.
