👋🏼 Hello Hamilton

Sheesh, did we put the winter sheets on this week team? I wasn’t ready for that temperature drop!

A very happy Mother’s Day to all those mums and motherly figures out there - hope you’re treated on Sunday. Or, treat yourself at least!

Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton today. First time reading? I’m Ben from Hamilton East 👋🏼 and today we’re covering the best things happening in Hamilton, some news headlines you can’t miss, and road closures that might impact you. Join over 7,550 Hamiltonians here.

Don’t keep Hello Hamilton a secret. Share the email with friends. And, as always, please send me feedback on the newsletter at [email protected]. I always love hearing from you.

🎟️ What’s happening in Hamilton this week?

Hamilton Job Fair | Thu 8th 1:00-5:00pm at Eagle Recruitment. Vacancies across construction, warehouse and logistics, transport, and automotive. For NZ Residents, citizens, and open work visa holders only. Info.

Social run | Thu 8th 5:30pm from Grantham St Boatramp. Join at Hawks for a relaxed social club run, whether you're keen for a cruisy 5km loop or feeling good for up to 12km. All paces and abilities are welcome. Info.

Quiz Night | Thu 8th 6:30pm at The Keg Room. Five rounds of big-screen trivia that's not too hard, not too easy, but includes content that relates to you and your crew! Info.

NZ Sign Language Interpreted Gallery Tour | Fri 9th 12:30pm at Waikato Museum. It’s New Zealand Sign Language Week. Learn about the exhibitions and artworks with this free NZSL interpreted gallery tour. Info.

Friday Night Karaoke | Fri 9th from 5:00pm at Still Working Bar. A night of music, laughs, and unforgettable performances. Bring your friends, grab a drink, and belt out your favourite hits under the spotlight. Info.

May Dance Party with Hamilton Salsa | Fri 9th 7:00pm at Puu Toi. Shake off the work week with some latin dance! $10 for a night of entertainment. 7pm: beginner friendly dance class, 8pm: music for social dancing (linear & Cuban salsa, bachata, zouk, cha cha cha). Light supper provided. Info.

Country Night at The Don | Fri 9th from 7:00pm at The Don, Waikato Uni. Line dancing & bangers until late. Info.

Standup Comedy Show | Fri 9th 7:30pm at Lido Cinema Centre Place. Join for a night of laughs for the low price of $15 - come see some of the best up and coming comics from around NZ! Tickets.

Live music: Jeannie | Fri 9th 9:00pm at Last Place. Celebrating the release of her new single LAX Jeannie will be bringing the sultry sounds to Last Place. Combining Jazz, funk, Bossa Nova, and Pop, her set will have you covered. Tickets.

Rotary Book Fair | Sat 10th and Sun 11th 10:00am-2:00pm at Te Rapa Racing. Full range of adult and young adult fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi and fantasy, childrens, DVDs and jigsaws. EFTPOS available. Info.

Photography for Young Photographers | Sat 10th 1:00pm at Waitakaruru Arboretum. Tushar Sharma from IMAgEN8 will be joining The Sculpture Park to share new skills with children wanting to find out more about photography. Tickets.

Mother’s Day Cupcake Decorating Workshop | Sat 10th 1:00-4:00pm at Chartwell Cooperating Church. Learn how to pipe and arrange cupcakes into a beautiful edible bouquet in this hands-on Mother’s Day workshop. Perfect for beginners, the class includes 7 cupcakes, all tools and materials, and a take-home box. Tickets.

War In The Waikato fight | Sat 10th 4:30pm at Hamilton YMCA. A professional bout between two of the top female fighters in NZ, and a stacked lineup of corporate fighters taking stage to start the night off. Tickets.

New Found Sound Regionals | Sat 10th 7:00pm at The Meteor. This dynamic event, organised and delivered by young talents, showcases the incredible musical abilities of high school students, with a selection of winners advancing to the grand finals held at a professional venue. Info.

Dumpweed - Blink 182 Tribute | Sat 10th 8:00pm at Nivara Lounge. A night of Blink 182 SoCal punk/rock, spanning from 'M+M's' off 'Cheshire Cat', right through to 'Anthem Part 3' from 2024's 'One More Time'. Tickets.

Live music: Livid (USA) - Scablaw, Snakeway, Drop Off Point | Sat 10th 9:00pm at Last Place. Powerviolence duo LIVID from Kenosha Wisconsin play Last Place alongside newcomers Scablaw and Snakeway as well as HC veterans Drop Off Point. Tickets.

Mother’s Day High Tea | Sun 11th 10:00am, 12noon, or 2pm at The River Kitchen. You are cordially invited to join the Pin-Up Ladies of the Golden Age to Celebrate Mother's Day. Take your place in Society with Bubbles served from the Bar and fresh brewed Tea of Zealong Estate - to be served alongside an assortment of High Tea Delicacies from the Kitchen. Tickets.

Basketball: Trans-Tasman Throwdown | Sun 11th 2:00pm at Globox Arena. Basketball fans are in for an unforgettable showcase as the Trans-Tasman Throwdown makes its debut, pitting Australia against New Zealand in an electrifying series and reigniting one of sports fiercest rivalries. Tickets.

Mother’s Day experience at Hamilton Gardens | Sun 11th 2:00pm. Celebrate Mother's Day with a guided highlights tour through the Enclosed Gardens, ending with a delicious high tea in the Summerhouse. Tickets.

Paint and Sip Mother’s Day special | Sun 11th 2:00pm at The Cocktail Cart in Made. It’s the perfect Mother’s Day Gift and it’s all about celebrating the mums (and having a damn good time doing it). Bring your mum, borrow one, or just treat yourself to an afternoon of painting, cocktails and cake. Tickets.

Bubbles & Bublé | Sun 11th 4:00pm at The Meteor. A jazzy Mother’s Day soirée with the Hamilton Big Band. Grab a drink from the bar, sit back and sip as the band takes you through hits from the swing era and beyond. Tickets.

Nirvair Pannu live | Sun 11th 7:00pm at Clarence St Theatre. For the first time ever in Hamilton—get ready for an electrifying night of music, energy, and excitement as Nirvair Pannu sets the stage on fire! Tickets.

Confident Job Hunting course | Tue 13th 6:00pm at Fraser High School. Whether you're a young job seeker, changing careers, or returning to work, this interactive workshop will equip you with the skills and confidence to stand out in today's job market. Tickets.

A Choral Mosaic | Wed 14th 1:00pm at Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts. The University Chamber Choir presents a vibrant kaleidoscopic programme of sacred music, spanning centuries and continents, from the melodies of 14th-century Europe to the contemporary sounds of the 21st century. Tickets.

Free Motorcycle Maintenance Course | Wed 14th 5:30pm at Boyd Motorcycles. This workshop is designed to give you some basic knowledge about how to maintain your bike and some practical tips for punctures when on the road. Tickets.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society First Tasting | Wed 14th 6:00pm at Wonder Horse. This exclusive event at Wonder Horse offers a first taste of new Scotch Malt Whisky Society outturns. Whisky expert Alex will guide you through a tasting of four unique drams, perfectly paired with canapés from Mr. Pickles. $60 per person. Tickets.

Michael Jackson History Show | Wed 14th 7:00pm at Clarence St Theatre. Showtime presents this spectacular music tribute and full-scale stage production honouring the one and only King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Tickets.

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.

👀 Hamilton headlines you may have missed

Hamilton the new home for Homegrown, city expecting an economic boost of around $3 million from 15,000 out-of-town concert goers when Homegrown rolls into the city. The festival began its life as X*Air, an extreme sports event at Claudelands, before moving to the Wellington waterfront and developing into the nationally recognised Jim Beam Homegrown. After 18 years of calling the capital home, Homegrown will be returning to Waikato. Read.

Hamilton City Council is set to replace the ageing and damaged facade of the Garden Place Hamilton Central Library building in a six-month project starting in August. The current facade of the 1970s building is at the end of its life, with years of water damage in difficult-to-access areas ruling out ‘quick fixes' as an option. Read.

Support for shared Hamilton City-Waikato District water services were backed by nearly 75% of submissions to city council. It’s proposed the two councils would form a joint water services council controlled organisation (CCO) and take over the management of drinking and wastewater services from 2026-27. Stormwater would be managed by each council, under contract to the CCO. Read.

A 300m wall of graffiti greeting passengers as they fly in to Hamilton Airport is getting a mural-makeover, just in time for international flights. With the international flight date looming, an agreement has finally been reached to share the $50,000 cost of a mural to cover the wall of graffiti overlooking the regional airport runway. Read.

A proposed “gamechanger” Sunday service for Te Huia would be part-funded by Auckland if Waikato Regional Council had its way. There’s a little over a year left in the trial of the inter-regional rail service, meaning start-up funding from NZ Transport Agency is due to dry up mid-2026. Read.

The old Housing Corp building at 500 Victoria St is getting revamped inside and out under owner Primeproperty Group. The all but empty office building in the prominent CBD spot has its first new tenant lined up as a $4 million refurbishment continues. Read.

A motocross accident and a mission to walk again are part of the story behind the new NextStep gym for people with disabilities. The gym is run by co-owners Casey Brady and Aaron Balsom, who brought it in from the United States. Read.

🚗 School speed limit changes

Variable 30km/h speed limits were introduced around 12 Hamilton schools from the start of Term 2 on 28 April 2025, and they operate during school pick-up and drop-off times. Outside of these times, the speed limits are either 40km/h or 50km/h.    

These changes are in response to the Government’s new speed limit rules which have impacted roads around schools nationally.     

New variable speed limit signs clearly state when the variable speed limit applies, and electronic signs were installed on busy roads or areas where it would be difficult for drivers to notice the signs. 

For details and maps of the affected areas, visit hamilton.govt.nz/schoolspeedlimits  

Thanks again for reading Hello Hamilton. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who needs to invest in an electric blanket for winter.

As always, reply to this email ([email protected]) if you have any suggestions for what you would like to see in future editions of Hello Hamilton.

See you next Thursday!

— Ben

P.S. If you’re a local business doing great things, we’d love to hear from you. We’re open to thoughtful partnerships that bring value to our readers, support the Hamilton community, and keep Hello Hamilton free for all.