👋🏼 Hello Hamilton

I’m back on FreeFM 89.0 this morning at 8:10! Did you know Free FM’s website has podcasts of all their local shows, including podcasts in Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Bisaya and more? Check them out.

Hey - I’d love to hear from you and I read every message we receive. Are these emails getting a bit long? There’s such a variety of cool stuff happening in Hamilton each week, it gets tricky to narrow it down! Let me know if you’d prefer a shorter hand-picked selection of favourites.

Thanks for reading again today. First time? I’m Ben from Hamilton East 👋🏼 and today we’re covering the best things happening in Hamilton and local news headlines you can’t miss. Join 10,000+ Hamiltonians here.

🎟️ What’s happening in Hamilton this week?

Paint and Wine Night: Luminescent Waterfall | Thu 7th 7:00pm at The Bank. Prepare to experience Paintvine like you’ve never experienced it before - in the dark! Paintvine After Dark is New Zealand’s first glow in the dark paint party! Tickets.  

Ashtanga Yoga Workshop | Fri 8th 5:30pm at Sun Salute Yoga. Get focused with Waiheke based Ashtanga Yoga teacher Stephanie Nelson. Stephanie is offering an intensive workshop of Ashtanga and Yin yoga practice, theory, meditation and breathing. Tickets.  

Comedy Zone | Fri 8th 7:30pm at SkyCity. The Headline act is the amazing Hayley Sproull. Star of the ZM Morning show, Taskmaster, 7 Days and host of this year's Comedy Gala. Support from Paul Douglas and hosted by Ben Hurley. Tickets.  

Parasitic and Friends | Fri 8th 7:30pm at Last Place. Parasitic Infestation presents a night of heavy riffs, intense blast beats and BIG SLAMS. Tickets. 

Champagne Weather | Fri 8th 8:00pm at Nivara Lounge. Songwriting x sound sculpture. Strange and beautiful music for strange and beautiful times. This duo is a blend of music that links maritime Canadian fiddle to Manhattan minimalism. Tickets. 

Pakkalocal: Frat House Vol.2 | Fri 8th 9:00pm at The Back Bar. Get ready for The Ultimate Mallu x Tamil Youth Night – louder, wilder, and bigger than ever before! Tickets.  

The Hamilton Brick Show | Saturday and Sunday 9:00am - 4:00pm at Claudelands Event Centre. Come to the biggest exhibition of LEGO creations in the Waikato and check out the incredible creations and collections from members of the Hamilton Lego Users Group. Tickets.  

Tamahere Lions Best Artisan Market | Sat 9th 9:00am-1:00pm at Tamahere Community Hall. Over 30 indoor and outdoor stalls selling food, coffee, art, craft, gifts, wood and garden items, produce and more. Proceeds to the local, national and international community causes. Info.  

Writing Grief: Workshop with Damien Wilkins | Sat 9th 9:30am-12:30pm at Trust Waikato. Don't miss this opportunity to do a writing workshop with the 2025 Ockhams $65,000 Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction winner Damien Wilkins. Tickets.  

Community E-waste Drop Off Day | Sat 9th 10:00am - 1:00pm at Waikato University. A FREE E-Waste Drop-Off event to encourage responsible recycling and disposal of electronic waste. This initiative is open to all community members. Info.  

Free Yoga Workshop | Sat 9th 10:30am - 12:00pm at Rototuna Library. Discover how physical, mental, and spiritual practices that originated in ancient India can contribute to greater physical and mental health. Register.  

Larry Abreno: Live Painting Demo | Sat 9th and Sat 16th 11:00am at The Meteor. Experience the coffee magic through a live demonstration by Larry Abreno in The Meteor’s Nancy Caiger Gallery. Info.  

Plant and Ride | Sat 9th 11:00am - 2:00pm at Hammond Park. Join for a Nature in the City planting event along the scenic river path where participants can enjoy the beauty of nature while contributing to restoring nature in the city. Register.  

Bunnings NPC: Waikato v Wellington | Sat 9th 2:05pm at FMG Stadium. Cheer on the Mooloo Men! Come to the FMG Stadium Waikato as Waikato NPC face off against Wellington. Tickets.  

TMT Fight Night | Sat 9th 4:00pm at Globox Arena. Tag Team – WBC Championship – 4 Man Karp Kun Cup. Witness Aotearoa’s finest fighting athletes go to battle. Tickets.  

Rock Our Ride - Live Music Fundraiser | Sat 9th 5:00pm at The Bank. Get ready for an epic night of live rock, raffles, and racing legends—all in support of Billee Fuller and Avalon Lewis’s journey to the 2025 Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship! Tickets.  

Hip Hop Musical: In the Heights | Sat 9th - Sat 23rd 7:30pm at Riverlea Theatre. From the musical mind that brought you Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighbourhood. Tickets.  

Corrella Skeletons Winter Tour | Sat 9th 8:00pm at The Factory. After a massive summer of festivals and touring alongside L.A.B across Aotearoa and Australia, Corrella are hitting the road this August for their biggest headline tour yet — bringing their new album Skeletons to the stage for the very first time. Tickets.  

Spiral Out - Tool Tribute | Sat 9th 8:00pm at Last Place. After selling out shows across NZ in 2024, Spiral Out finally heads to the mighty Waikato. Come for a 2+ hour setlist that's a sonic odyssey, packed with favorites like The Pot, Vicarious, Schism, Sober and Lateralus along with deep cuts from Tool’s iconic catalog. Tickets.  

Palate Soup Kitchen | Sun 10th 12:00-2:00pm at Palate. This winter, Waikato chefs are banding together to warm local hearts and tums, serving up delicious soup while raising funds for Go Eco’s Food Rescue. Each week different chefs will create a “souperb” dish guests can enjoy for just $25 a bowl. Info. 

➡️ A peek at what’s on next week!

Bingo | Tue 12th 6:00pm at The Keg. Come for a fun night of bingo with good food, raffles and spot prizes for best dressed. Hosted by Northern United Netball, book a table for 6 or come as yourself. Tickets.  

Quiz Night | Tue 12th 6:30pm at Biddy Mulligans. Great prizes and a fun evening for all the family. No minimum or maximum number of team members. Info.  

Tanzos Artist's Lunchtime Showcase | Wed 13th 1:00pm at Gallagher Academy. Now in its third year, TANZOS is delighted to showcase four of the university’s brightest young opera talents in this varied programme of opera favourites, celebrated art songs, and beloved ensembles. Tickets.  

Waikato Lights Up | Wed 13th 7:00 at Hamilton Marist. The pitch is being lit up over the winter months every Wednesday evening so that the community can gather to walk, run or get involved in a casual bootcamp. Have a natter, a cuppa, get out of the house, meet new people and look after your wellbeing. Info.  

Beats By Bingo | Thu 14th 7:00pm at Good Neighbour. Come for a night of musical bingo featuring throw back jams, sing alongs, seat dancing and prize-winning. There might even be a dance off or an air guitar competition. Info.  

Askerne Wine Complimentary Tasting | Fri 15th 4:00-7:00pm at The Hamilton Beer & Wine Co. Askerne is a boutique family owned single estate Havelock North Winery situated in the winegrowing region of Hawke's Bay, Award Winning Wines. Come and see why everyone is loving it. Info.  

Where’s Jai | Fri 15th 8:00pm at Last Place. Where’s Jai is a fast-emerging, high-energy pop rock band from Tāmaki Makaurau, known for chaotic fun and emotionally charged shows. Come to hear their debut album live on stage! Tickets.  

No Scrubs: 90s + Early 00s Party | Fri 15th 10:00pm at The Bank. Calling all Barbie Girls, Teenage Dirtbags and All Stars: join No Scrubs for a 90s and early 00s party that will be larger than life! Dance to the best throwback tunes from 1990 - 2009! Tickets.  

Historical Fiction Workshop | Sat 16th 9:30am - 12:30pm at Trust Waikato. Monty Soutar offers tips from his own experience writing the Kāwai series to encourage both beginning and practising fiction writers to get their manuscript started or finished. You are guaranteed to leave the session motivated to get on with it. Tickets.  

Oceania Cup 2025 | Sat 16th 6:00am-6:00pm at Globox Arena. Come for the inaugural Oceania championship, a groundbreaking fitness competition that unites the vibrant cultures of the Pacific nations! Teams from across Oceania will come together to showcase their strength, endurance, and teamwork as they compete in a series of challenging CrossFit events. Tickets.  

Badminton Open Day | Sat 16th 10:30am-3:00pm at Eastlink Badminton Stadium. Nepal New Zealand Waikato Friendship Society is excited to invite all badminton enthusiasts to join a Badminton Open Day! Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, come along for a fun day of friendly games, networking, and community spirit. Info.  

The Tamahere Winter Gala Ball | Sat 16th 6:00pm at the Hamilton Gardens. Come for an unforgettable evening that will feature an arrival drink, canapés, a delicious dinner, live entertainment and dancing! There will also be a live auction, a silent auction, and raffle draws, all to raise funds for the Tamahere Model Country School. Tickets.  

Azaadi Beats - Bollywood Musical Tribute | Sat 16th 6:00pm at Maui Street Event Centre. Join for a vibrant evening filled with music, dance, food, and patriotic spirit featuring a heartfelt musical tribute to India's Independence Day in true festive style. Tickets.  

The Black Flames | Sat 16th 7:00pm at Biddy Mulligans. It’s been 30 years since Aaron Gascoigne stormed Hamilton stages fronting local rock legends ColdShock — a band that left its mark on the city with raw power, sweat, and sound. Now he’s back, and this time, he’s bringing fire, brass, and a full-blown musical machine. Tickets.  

Meeple Meet-Up Games Afternoon | Sun 17th 2:00-6:00pm at Melting Moments. Enjoy an afternoon of board games, beginner and advanced players welcome! Enjoy a yummy drink, snack or dessert while you play and meet others. Info.  

Event organiser? Submit your event to Hello Hamilton.

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👀 Local news you may have missed

Hamilton’s Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park is edging closer to becoming a fully fenced wildlife sanctuary, with funding for the predator-proof fence now just shy of its $3.3 million target. The project will transform the 65-hectare site into the city’s first fully enclosed ecological sanctuary, a safe haven for native species. Read.

Hamilton Zoo’s earnings are on the rise as despite having fewer visitors, they’re each spending more. It’s the fourth year in a row that the zoo has exceeded revenue targets, bringing in $3.1 million this year. Read.

The candidates for Hamilton’s 2025 local election have now been finalised. A total of 52 candidates have put their names forward for election – including 12 mayoral candidates. Read.

Hamilton’s Deputy Mayor Angela O'Leary says Garden Place needs an overhaul, and selling or partnering could be the way to go. Speaking to the Waikato Times, she said the space had become a “barren hole” and that no amount of beautification would solve its problems. Read.

If you’ve headed down Hood St recently, you’ve probably wondered what’s with the big white towers around the light poles. It’s part of a project to spruce up the central city. New street furniture is also popping up along the main street, and further work will include lighting, a clean for pavers and tables, and getting rid of dead trees. Read.

Hamilton City Council is calling on the community to shine a light on everyday heroes. Nominate someone who inspires you. There are fantastic people out there doing amazing things for our community. It could be a neighbour who brings people together, a youth leader creating positive change, or an organisation who inspires with their work. Nominate.

Waikato’s creative talent has taken centre stage at the 2025 Showquest national finals, with two local schools claiming major honours and several more recognised for excellence in the country’s largest student performing arts competition. Hamilton-based Tai Wānanga Ruakura took first place nationally with their piece Mareikura. Read.

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

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See you next week!

— Ben