👋🏼 Hello Hamilton

Coming to you from Rome, Italy, this week! It is hot. How’s it back home? My friend Sarah is picking up Hello Hamilton again 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?

$5 Sale | Thu 11th - Sat 13th at 169 London Street. Dress For Success Hamilton is having a $5 sale! Gently used high-quality women’s clothes, accessories, and shoes will all be $5. All proceeds go back to charity. Info.  

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. 

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.  

Talents of the Pacific Academy | Fri 12th 7:00pm at Clarence St Theatre. Enjoy an exciting evening of Pacific dance, singing, and storytelling from the students of Talents of the Pacific Academy. Tickets.  

Bunnings NPC: Waikato v North Harbour | Fri 12th 7:10pm 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.  

The Country Superstar Experience | Fri 12th 8:00pm at The Factory. Join for a boot-stompin', hat-tippin' party like no other, where the spirit of the Wild West meets the best of country music! Featuring Luke Combs & Morgan Wallen Tribute Act. 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: Convergence! Come for an epic weekend of role-playing, giveaways, and banter. Tickets.  

Waikato Gaelic Football Championships | Sat 13th 9:00am - 4:30pm at Hamilton Marist Rugby Club. See one of Ireland's national sports, Gaelic Football, played here in Aotearoa. Come cheer on the local Waikato Club, Naomh Críostóir, against multiple teams from Auckland in the Waikato Gaelic Football Championships. Info.  

Shama SuperSHEro Workshop | Sat 13th 10:00am at Settlement Centre. Join for a special SuperSHEro session to learn how voting works in New Zealand and why your voice matters. This is your chance to feel confident, informed, and empowered to take part in shaping the future. Register.  

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.  

Beginner West Coast Swing Dance Workshop | Sat 13th 6:00pm at 145 London Street. Come learn the basics of West Coast Swing dancing at a beginners workshop. No partner or prior dance experience needed. 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’re taking it on the road round the motu with friends and fellow sonic travellers EUG. Tickets.  

Seventh Wonder Performs Fleetwood Mac | Sat 13th 8:30pm at Clarence St Theatre. Experience one of the world's premier celebrations of Fleetwood Mac with Seventh Wonder. 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.  

Spring Musical Theatre Showcase | Sun 14th 2:00pm at Gallagher Academy. Join the Scot Hall Voice Studio Adults, Teens, and Kids Musical Theatre Classes for an exuberant, joyful Musical Theatre Showcase Performance. 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.  

➡️ A peek at what’s on next week!

September Little Morning for Preschoolers | Tue 16th 10:00am at Chartwell Shopping Centre. Bring your little ones along for a morning bursting with colour and fun! Enchanted Entertainment will be hosting a rainbow of spring themed activities. Info. 

Beers, BBQ & Blue Stories | Tue 16th 6:30pm at The Keg Room. Join for a night of great food, cold drinks, and powerful yarns. Hear from two men of the Keg Family, both prostate cancer survivors, as they share their journeys and raise awareness for the 1 in 8 Kiwi men diagnosed in their lifetime. Tickets.   

Lunchtime Recital: Ben Baker | Wed 17th 1:00pm at Gallagher Academy. Internationally acclaimed violinist Ben Baker presents a captivating programme that bridges centuries and continents. Tickets. 

Gaelic Football and Hurling Training | Wed 17th 6:15 - 8:30pm at Hamilton Marist Rugby Club. Come give Hurling and Gaelic Football a go in a welcoming and friendly environment at Naomh Críostóir, Waikato's only Gaelic Games club. Hosted weekly on Wednesday nights. Info.  

Kirikiriroa Open Mic | Thu 11th 5:00pm at Rototuna Library. Whether you’re a seasoned performer looking for like-minded people, or performing to an audience for the first time, Kirikiriroa Open Mic is for you! Info.  

Forest & Bird + Go Eco: Celebrating Environmental Action | Thu 18th 7:00pm at The Link. This event brings together passionate speakers from local initiatives who are making a real difference. Come hear their stories, connect with others who care about te taiao, and explore how we can collectively uplift nature and community wellbeing. Info. 

NZMCA Motorhome, Caravan & Leisure Show | Fri 19th - Sun 21st 9:00am at Mystery Creek. Come for a complete RV experience with industry leaders offering a huge selection of everything imaginable to make your outdoor lifestyle complete, or simply offer expert advice. Tickets.  

Spring Solstice Silent Disco | Fri 19th 6:30pm at Hayes Common. Ready to kick off spring with a bang? Hayes Common’s third silent disco of the year is about to hit you like a burst of fresh air! Tickets.  

Cheer Factor 2025 | Saturday and Sunday 9:00am at Claudelands. Join for a high-energy weekend as top cheerleaders from across New Zealand compete for the title of Cheer Factor Champion. Tickets.  

Sailing Open Day | Sat 20th 11:00am - 3:00pm at Innes Common. Come along and join the Hamilton Yacht Club to give sailing a try, or to have a chat about Youth & Adult Learn to Sail Courses! Info.  

Ms Aotearoa Whakawahine/ Trans Pageant | Sat 20th 6:30pm at The Meteor. Continuing on from the original Pageant in 1996,3 Taamaki Makaurau (Auckland) Ms Aotearoa. Tickets.  

Standup Comedy Show | Sat 20th 7:30pm at Lido Cinema. Come see some of the best up and coming comics from around NZ! Tickets.  

Kora | Sat 20th 8:00pm at The Factory. KORA are back - and sound bigger, deeper and more electrifying than ever. With a long-awaited new album on the horizon, and a tour to match, the iconic Aotearoa band is set to reawaken the hearts of fans both old and new. Tickets.  

Missae Splendore | Sun 21st 4:00pm at St. Peter’s Cathedral. The Hamilton Civic Choir along with the Rotorua District Choir presents Missae Splendore. A special Waikato-BOP collaboration concert of “Lux Aeterna” by Morten Lauridsen, “Miha” by NZ’s own Takerei Komene, and so much more. Tickets.  

Pre-Navratri Festival - Garba Night | Sun 21st 6:00pm at Maui Street Event Centre. Hamilton is set to experience an unforgettable Pre-Navratri celebration with an evening full of music, dance, food, and community spirit. Tickets.  

Event organiser? Submit your event to Hello Hamilton.

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👀 Local news you may have missed

Kirikiriroa Hamilton, it’s time to have your say — voting is now open for the city’s next mayor and council, as well as whether to keep or remove the Kirikiriroa Maaori Ward. Voting packs, including voting papers, a return envelope and candidate information, will begin arriving in letterboxes. Read. 

CBD leaders say Hamilton’s ‘front door’ needs a facelift, and councillors are asking whether developers could help fund improvements to Victoria Street. At Tuesday’s economic development committee meeting, business leaders pointed to Dunedin’s $110.3m George Street redevelopment as a model for what Victoria Street could be. Read.  

Hamilton, keep an eye out — a tiny box in Norris Ward Park is now the city’s quirkiest and NZ’s tiniest gallery on wheels. Parked beside the Arts for Health space on Seddon Road, it was officially opened on August 27, and the people of Hamilton are being urged to keep their eyes peeled for this pint-sized cultural gem. Read.  

Announcements are coming “very soon” for both the opening date and the opening shows at the new Waikato Regional Theatre. Now nearing the end of its construction phase in the southern end of Victoria St, the $80 million facility is due to open its doors either later this year or early next year. Read.  

As the setting sun illuminated a near-capacity crowd in Wintec’s atrium, four politicians competed to paint the sunniest picture of Hamilton’s future. Whether the city’s business and civic leaders left any clearer on which of the four - Sarah Thomson, Tim Macindoe, Rachel Karalus or Maria Huata - should lead remains to be seen. Read.  

Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who should give Gaelic football a go!

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See you next week!

— Ben