Welcome back! Happy new year, friends. I’m hitting send from the beach today… in Fiji! Whether you’re at home in Hamilton or hanging out further afield this holiday season, I hope you’re staying safe and sun-smart. This week’s edition is packed, but unsurprisingly light on events. Hope you enjoy and I’ll see you out there (when I’m back next week).

After a couple of trial dinners, The Hello Hamilton Dinner Club is kicking off with a bang this month! Our first official dinner club night is on Jan 23. Take the quiz, get matched, and come out to meet some new friends!

Book your seat here!

💃New Years Day Picnic & Dance | Thu 1st 3:00 - 7:00pm at Hamilton Gardens. Come join the crew at the Hamilton Gardens for an afternoon of dancing. No partner or dance experience is needed. Info.  

🌻Pick Your Own Flowers | Saturday and Sunday 9:00am - 12:00pm at Tomtit Farm. Pick Your Own Flowers at Tomtit Farm is a relaxed, family-friendly experience where you can wander the gardens and pick your own seasonal blooms straight from the field. Info.  

GLOtron! | Saturday and Sunday 10:00am - 3:20pm at Centre Place. GLOtron! is a magical maze of glow-in-the-dark storyscapes, which create an utterly original world for all ages to explore. Tickets.

Hamilton Farmers' Market | Sun 4th 8:00am at The Barn, Claudelands. Your local authentic farmers' market - fresh seasonal fruit & vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, eggs, milk, bread, honey, condiments - buy local, support local. Info.  

🍦Gourmet in the Gardens | Sun 4th 4:00 - 8:00pm at Hamilton Gardens. A beautiful family dining experience on the Rhododendron Lawn in the stunning Hamilton Gardens. Info. 

🧗‍♀️Summer Holiday Programme 2026 | Every weekday from Mon 5th 8:00am - 6:00pm at Boulder Co. Each day is stacked with fun themed activities, plenty of climbing, and a safe, supportive environment to burn energy, learn new skills, and make friends. Tickets.  

Escapist Ladies’ Night Board Game | Tue 6th 6:00 - 10:00pm at Escapist Escape Rooms. Come join for a fun evening with other ladies, and play pink board games with flowers and cute animals if that tickles your fancy. Tickets. 

Bites and Beats Hamilton! | Fri 9th - Sun 11th at Claudelands Park. Enjoy mouthwatering food trucks, live music, boutique retail stalls, desserts, and free family activities - including lawn games, outdoor kids’ movies, and giveaways. Tickets.  

🧘‍♂️"From Resolution to Reality" with Stambha | Fri 9th 6:00 - 9:00pm at Mantra Lounge. Gear up for the New Year 2026 with Kirtan, a plant based feast and yoga wisdom with speaker Stambha Bhava. Tickets.  

The Ninja Run | Sat 10th Jan - Sun 1st Feb 9:00am - 7:00pm at Claudelands Oval. The Ninja Run - NZ's most epic inflatable obstacle run. 14 epic inflatables over 5km, music, food, a 13m waterslide and outdoor games. An unforgettable summer adventure for all ages. Tickets.  

Bargain hunters turned out for Boxing Day sales in Hamilton, with large crowds at The Base while Centre Place had less avid shoppers. However, a marketing expert says the long-standing post-Christmas tradition is losing ground as Black Friday grows in popularity. Read.

Motorists heading in and out of Hamilton over the New Year period are being urged to plan ahead, with NZ Transport Agency warning of delays on key routes despite the holiday roadworks moratorium now being in place. The busiest spots are expected to be on SH25 around Tairua township, on SH1 between Tīrau and Karāpiro and on SH2 between Pōkeno and Matamata. Read.

Maree McRobbie’s 54-year supermarket career charts the evolution of grocery shopping in New Zealand, from ink-stamped price tags and memorising hundreds of item prices each week to managing hundreds of online orders. Now 70, the Hamilton Woolworths team member has no plans to retire, saying she still enjoys the job she first started as a teenager on the checkouts in the 1970s. Read.

That’s all for today, team!

— Ben and Sarah