👋🏼 Hello Hamilton

Don’t want to make you jealous, but I’m writing to you from the beautiful Berlin, Germany this week! My friend Sarah is picking up Hello Hamilton this week.

We’re covering the best things happening in Hamilton and local news headlines you can’t miss. First time? Join 10,000+ Hamiltonians here.

🎟️ What’s happening in Hamilton this week?

2025 NZ Mountain Film Festival Fundraiser | Thu 4th 6:30pm at Gallagher Academy. Join us for a night of inspiration, breathtaking visuals, and some passion for the outdoors. Tickets.  

Glow in the Dark Paint Party | Thu 4th 7:00pm at The Bank. Ultraviolet lights and neon nights. Prepare to experience Paintvine like you’ve never experienced it before - in the dark! Tickets.  

Greta O'Leary And Moon Goose - River Dark Album Release Tour | Thu 4th 7:30pm at Last Place. Join alt-folk songwriter Greta O'Leary & Whaingaroa folk duo Moon Goose, touring their brand new works 'River Dark' and ‘On the Island Where Our Shadows Lie’, with two special shared shows in the Waikato. Tickets.  

Nature Tour - Mangakara Walk | Fri 5th 9:00am - 1:00pm at Shama. This tour organised by Shama and EarthDiverse is one of the welcoming tours for people who want to explore more about Waikato's public, cultural, and natural spaces as well as community services in Hamilton. Register.  

Bang Bang Bingo Bonanza | Fri 5th 7:00pm at Biddy Mulligans. Bang Bang Bingo Bonanza is back and it's bigger, bolder, and more outrageous than ever before! Tickets.  

Danica Bryant + The Band: The Feast Tour | Fri 5th 7:00pm at Last Place. Join the 'Feast' with Danica Bryant and her iconic three-piece not-a-girl-band! This live show celebrating the release of Bryant's debut album is the band's third national tour, sure to be a pop-rock party for the ages. Tickets. 

Comedy Zone | Fri 5th 7:30pm at Skycity. Come for a great night of comedy, featuring Paul Ego and Justine Smith, two of the most iconic comedians New Zealand has ever produced. Stars of Taskmaster, 7 Days, and much more. Tickets.  

Cake and Coffee - Father's Day Edition | Sat 6th 9:00am - 12:00pm at The Crate Coffee. Come decorate your own cake while enjoying a complimentary barista-made coffee. Use your creativity to make something special to take home for Dad, your husband, or someone you love. Tickets. 

Welcoming Manaaki Village | Sat 6th 9:30am-4:00pm at Claudelands. Get a taste of Hamilton at the Welcoming Village at Claudelands Exhibition Hall B – meet some of our community groups, watch some kapa haka performances, get your face painted and grab some kai! Info.  

Woodlands Antique and Collectables Fair | Saturday and Sunday 10:00am at Woodlands Estate. A wonderful array of goods for sale including, glass, furniture, china, silver, jewellery, heritage linen, clothes, books, heritage tools, crystal, etc. Info.  

Kirtan Experience | Sat 6th 6:30pm at The Meteor. Experience the magic of meditation and music in one unforgettable evening! Let go of any stress with soothing mantras, then let the beat lift your spirit into joyful movement. Register.  

Harmony Waikato Extravaganza | Sat 6th 7:00pm at Gallagher Academy. A feast of four-part harmony from the Waikato's best barbershop choruses and quartets. Tickets. 

Dancing in the Shadows of Motown | Sat 6th 7:30pm at Clarence St Theatre. Don’t miss this 11 Piece Powerhouse band featuring internationally acclaimed artists who faithfully recreate the dynamic live performances of: The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and many more MOTOWN Legends. Tickets.  

Tennis Open Day | Sun 7th 10:00am - 2:00pm at Lugton Park. Come for family fun; no experience necessary! Activities for all ages including coaching sessions and court play, mini games, giveaways, BBQ’s and much much more! Info.  

Explore with Dad | Sun 7th 10:00am-5:00pm at Hamilton Gardens. Bring your Dad and enjoy a free audio guide at Hamilton Gardens – a perfect way to explore the stories, secrets, and beauty of the gardens at your own pace. Info.  

NRLW - One New Zealand Warriors v Brisbane Broncos | Sun 7th 2:00pm at FMG Stadium. Get set Waikato. The New Zealand Warriors Women are coming to Hamilton in Season 2025 with three NRLW fixtures to be played at FMG Stadium through August and September. Tickets. 

Sacred Sounds | Sun 7th 4:00pm at 5 Higgins Road. A special Interfaith concert to celebrate the diversity of local faith traditions in music. Info.  

➡️ A peek at what’s on next week!

Soda Power Lunch with Adam El Agez | Tue 9th 12:00pm at Gallagher Hub, Wintec. Join for a light lunch and inspiring discussion with business founder, Adam El Agez. Adam is the Kiwi creator of The Conqueror - a fitness goal setting app with customers in over 150 countries and revenue of $80 million a year. Tickets.  

Thrifty Threads | Thu 11th - Sat 13th at The Meteor. Hamilton City Council is partnering with Hospice Waikato to reduce the clothing sent to landfill with a pop-up op-shop experience at The Meteor. Info.  

Welcoming Week Youth Event | Fri 12th 4:30pm at Zeal. Pull up for a free night of live beats, tasty eats, epic spot prizes, and all the good vibes. A chill space to vibe, connect, and celebrate who you are and where you’re headed for young people aged 13–24. Info. 

Confinement: A Night at the Museum | Fri 12th 6:00pm at Waikato Museum. A gathering at the museum for a nibble and drink turns into a heist. What will you do? What will you find? Who will be involved? Tickets.  

Pole Dance Party | Fri 12th 6:00pm at High Above. Lets party…. this fun, beginner-friendly class will teach you a feel-good pole dance routine that’s all about moving your body and having fun. Tickets.  

Bunnings NPC: Waikato v North Harbour | Fri 12th 7:05pm at FMG Stadium. Celebrate the backbone of the region, our tradies - with a brand-new themed match night! Expect spot prizes, giveaways, and a few surprises just for the crew that keeps Waikato ticking. Tickets.  

Waikato Regional Climbing Competition | Sat 13th 8:00am at Extreme Edge Rock Climbing. How good is your climbing? Test yourself against the others, or just have a great day with friends, hanging out with like minded people. Tickets. 

Convergence 2025 | Saturday and Sunday 8:30am at Distinction Hamilton Hotel. The biggest annual event from the Waikato Role-Playing Guild is returning this September! Come for an epic weekend of role-playing, giveaways, and banter. Tickets.  

Te Awa Lakes Sneak Peak & Street Eats | Sat 13th 10:00am - 2:00pm at 21 Hutchinson Road. This special event is your chance to look at houses currently under construction, see the progress on Hamilton’s newest riverside community, enjoy a feast of food trucks and browse unique local market stalls. Info.  

From The Streets 2025 | Sat 13th 10:00am - 3:00pm at Activate Park. Come along for an awesome family day out featuring pop up stalls, food vendors, live music and more! All funds raised go to support the incredible work of Community Link NZ. Info.  

Afrika Bazaar Waikato | Sat 13th 11:00am - 5:00pm at Claudelands. Join for a day filled with colorful performances, authentic African cuisine, stunning artwork, vibrant music, performances and more. Info.  

Goya & EUG Tour | Sat 13th 8:00pm at Last Place. Ten years on and still not deaf, Pōneke post-punks Goya are celebrating a decade of noise with the release of their new album 'Home Turf'. They'll be taking it on the road round the motu with friends and fellow sonic travellers EUG. Tickets.  

29th Annual All Ford Day Display & Swap Meet | Sun 14th 8:00am-3:00pm at Claudelands. Calling all Ford owners, join for the 29th annual all ford day display & swap meet. Tickets.  

Improv Combat | Sun 14th 7:30pm at The Meteor. Improv Combat returns in this four-show season, where a rotating cast of Hamilton’s finest improvisers in makeshift teams will battle against each other to win the favour (and the laughs) of their audience in a refreshing new game show format. Tickets.  

Event organiser? Submit your event to Hello Hamilton.

Always double-check event details haven’t changed since you received this email. Did I forget anything? Flick me an email.

👀 Local news you may have missed

A star-studded lineup of New Zealand’s biggest music acts will be performing on seven stages at the Homegrown festival at Hamilton’s Claudelands Oval. Among the 40 performers announced for March 14 are two of Waikato’s most venerated rock bands, The Datsuns and Devilskin. Read. 

The Hamilton City Mayoral Debate could be the single best opportunity for Hamiltonians to assess the contenders for the city’s top job. This event, at The Atrium on the Wintec campus at 5pm on Monday, September 8, will feature the four main candidates vying to be Hamilton’s next mayor: Sarah Thomson, Tim Macindoe, Rachel Karalus, and Maria Huata. Read. 

Work to replace the water-damaged facade of Hamilton’s Central Library begins next week, with the library’s doors remaining open throughout the nine-month construction. Physical work will begin on 1 September and is expected to be completed by early May 2026. Read. 

Shifting the 12-metre steel and aluminium sculpture, Te Tiaho O Matariki, from Garden Place to Hamilton Gardens cost nearly $28,000. Commissioned by the Hamilton City Council in 2011 for $110,000, it’s now at the Hamilton Gardens Gate 1 entrance to highlight the work and declutter Garden Place. Read. 

Southern Cross Health Trust is offering nine scholarships for University of Waikato student nurses. The scholarships are valued at $10,000 per year for up to three years and covers tuition fees, student wellbeing, clinical placements, exam fees and more. Read.

Southland stunned Waikato 25–10 at FMG Stadium Waikato on Sunday for a famous Ranfurly Shield victory. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa was a standout figure among multiple heroes for the Stags as they revelled in stormy Hamilton weather. Read. 

Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who should try tennis!

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See you next week!

— Ben