August brings chilly mornings here in the Tron ❄️

But August also brings Hamilton Book Month with heaps of events for book lovers, Love Bites with 30 Hamilton eateries serving up exclusive creations, and many highly anticipated events like the Hamilton Brick Show, Hamilton Musical Theatre's 50th Anniversary production of EVITA, and the Waikato Southeast Asia Festival at Claudelands.

Don’t let anyone tell you nothing happens in Hamilton! 🤩

The giveaways continue this week, with a new one further down this edition. Congratulations to Hello Hamiltonian Hayden P who won our CatVideoFest comp last week! Have you entered our Hamilton Farmers’ Market giveaway yet? (Instagram, Facebook)

See you out there.

— Ben

Dinner Club is back, and this time we’re dining in Rototuna! 🍽️

Join Hamilton’s coolest way to meet new people. Book your seat, take the quiz, and get matched up with five other strangers for a unique dining experience in Rototuna.

A few days before club night, you'll receive your invite revealing which restaurant your personality-matched group will be dining at. And after dinner, all tables across Rototuna are invited to a surprise afterparty location nearby if you're up for it.

I know it’s been a little while since our last club night, so this one’s highly anticipated and expected to sell out.

🌮 Bottomless Bites - Taco Bar | Thu 6th 5:00pm at The Wayward Pigeon.
Enjoy 90 minutes of unlimited tacos, happening every Thursday this month.

🎭 EVITA | Until Sat 15th 7:30pm at Riverlea Theatre.
Hamilton Musical Theatre's 50th Anniversary production of EVITA. 

🎵 Daniel Champagne | Thu 6th 7:30pm at Gallagher Academy.
Expect jaw-dropping guitar skills and songs that carry the heart away.

🎨 Watercolour Art Class | Fri 7th 9:30am at 2 Seddon Road.
A community art class for adults of all abilities.

📖 Hearts and Pages | Fri 7th 6:30pm at Central Library.
Authors Nalini Singh and Catherine Robertson discuss their latest titles blending romance, murder mystery and suspense thrillers. 

🎼 Silk & Soul | Fri 7th 7:00pm at Clarence St Theatre.
Brings together Jaedyn Randell, NAIA and Makayla for a special live concert experience.

🎶 Courtnay & The Unholy Reverie | Fri 7th 8:00pm at Last Place.
Big riffs, dark atmosphere, and live music played with conviction.

🪡 Mending & Repair Meet | Sat 8th 9:30am - 1:00pm at Riverbank Lane.
Learn practical sewing skills to repair, alter, and extend the life of your clothing and other household textile items.

🌈 Boon Street Art Tours | Sat 8th 10:00am at Garden Place.
These guided walking tours showcase the spectacular murals created through Boon's Street Art Festival. Happening every fortnight. 

🕺 Bed by 10pm | Sat 8th 4:00 - 9:00pm at House on Hood.
A chance for ravers over 30 to relive the peak of the 80s, 90s & early 2000s clubbing scene! 

🚲 Light Up Your Ride | Sat 8th 5:30pm at Garden Place.
Wrap up warm and come for an evening of lights, entertainment, and biking in the central city.

🎸 Sonic Boom - A Concert Experience for Kids! | Sat 8th 6:00pm at Hamilton Gardens.
The excitement of a real rock concert to young audiences, packed with epic singalongs, huge dance moments, and nonstop fun.

💃 The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever | Sun 9th 11:00am at Hamilton Gardens.
An annual global event where fans gather in red dresses to recreate the iconic 1978 music video for Kate Bush’s song. 

🎵 French Masters – Requiem by Gabriel Fauré | Sun 9th 2:20pm at St Peter’s Cathedral.
An eternal favourite of choirs and audiences alike, the Scholars are delighted to bring this cherished work from their library once again.

HAMILTON BOOK MONTH: Every year in August, Hamilton celebrates New Zealand authors and their writing, with events covering different genres and age groups. You’ll notice some events in our lists inviting you to meet authors, listen to them discuss their work, and ask questions. See the full list of Book Month events >

LOVE BITES: Also this month, Hamilton's city centre is serving up something deliciously different with the arrival of Love Bites, a month-long celebration of local hospitality that invites us to explore the central city one scrumptious bite at a time. Discover the 30 participating spots >

WANTED: We’re looking for stories to tell that the mainstream media miss. Know someone doing something really interesting? Seen a business, project, or idea that deserves more attention? If you've spotted something more people should know about, let me know >

BECOME A MEMBER: It costs me around $1,000 a month to produce Hello Hamilton - from online hosting fees and the tech behind the scenes, to paying young local talent. To keep Hello Hamilton human-written, independent, and ad-minimal, please consider becoming a paid member. Support Hello Hamilton >

SCRAMBLE: Last answer was KIRIKIRIROA. What’s this one?

Icy windscreen holding up your morning? Here's how to sort it >

Talk soon,

— Ben Woodgates and Sarah Blake