Years ago, Sun 'n' Fun was largely a homebuilt fly-in event, and homebuilt parking was full year after year. Over the years, though, homebuilt attendance faded (for no obvious reason) and the homebuilt parking area was more empty than full. Now they market the event as the Aerospace Expo and for their aviation high school -- which is pretty amazing, by the way. Some vendors told me a few years back that it cost more to exhibit at SnF than at Oshkosh, for less sales.

So, no, it is no longer much of a homebuilt event. And although I've not been closely tracking antiques, I think those are down at SnF over recent years, also. Then again, antiques are way down at Oshkosh, too, as many dedicated antiquers have flown west.

Seems to me like this is just reality-based decision making. Relatively few homebuilts attending, put the resources to better use.

I was considering going for my first time this year, but this makes it sound like homebuilts are not a prominent part of the show? That was my main reason for going.

Im planning on going this year at least two days. If you haven't been, you should go for sure. Staying home because there a fewer homebuilts seems counter productive. There is always something to see and do.
Since my 7 isn't ready, I plan on taking the 170 down.

Maybe the reason fewer and fewer homebuilts attend SnF is because how they treat the homebuilt crowd. I use to attend every other year or so, but swore off after the way homebuilt owners were treated when the tornado passed through the homebuilt parking area several years ago. They would not allow owners to go to their aircraft. They hired someone to move the damaged aircraft out of sight, and then had the gall to send a bill to the owners for the move, and to clean up any oil or gas spilled on their precious ground. I was planning to go that year but was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict. Lucky me! I would have told them to stick their bill where the sun doesn't shine! I see their treatment of EAB hasn't improved.

Having been to Osh a few times before, I went to SnF for the first time in 2018. Essentially just a mini Osh for me. In a week at Osh you will not see and do it all. SnF just requires a couple days. It seemed that most homebuilts arrive in the am and leave in the pm. Only one "field" vs the many "fields" at Osh. Homebuilt parking was almost empty by the end of the day. I enjoyed the show very much but am going to Osh this year again, not SnF.

One small consolation, the new homebuilt parking area will not have to shut down during the airshow.

Truth in lending, if I weren't local I probably wouldn't take the time off to travel very far to S-n-F either. I prefer Osh for lots of reasons, but I still like S-n-F, warts and all. I guess it helps to look at S-n-F today as a large regional GA fly-in vs something E-AB centric regardless of how it got started. AirVenture suffers from some of that too, but it's so large that it's not quite as apparent. YMMV....

Homebuilt Camping
 

I have not seen any mention of Homebuilt camping, but in past years the HBC area has been very accommodating. No need to bring any food or drink supplies as they supply breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a modest cost/ donation. Although fairly far east of the main area, there are frequent trams running. A few of us from EAA 66 in Fort Myers will be staying a couple nights, some all week.

Been there
 

I had been planning to attend this year, but no longer due to personal reasons.
We flew there in 2000 with our 6A, tail to tail parking, lots of homebuilts.
Those were the good years in my opinion.
This year?s cancellation means the money I would have spent on travel is still in my pocket. The amount coincides with the cost of the radio I want to buy for my new project, so... in a weird way I?m getting a radio for free, sort of.
Still a win somehow.
Dale

I go every year, Oshkosh too. I love to get away from the north in early spring, and really look forward to this one more than Oshkosh - although I wouldn?t miss that either. This year I will be a volunteer at SNF, and looking forward to the opportunity. Experimental aviation is still the driver of this event, even if you don?t feel as welcome as you do at Airventure.