What a week! Waikato River flooding, a new mayor, another show announced at the new Waikato Regional Theatre, Maaori ward here to stay - heaps happening in the Tron.

Have you seen how full the river is? My teammate Sarah captured some great drone footage yesterday afternoon. I shared it on our Instagram and Facebook yesterday - check it out! 💧

First time? Kia ora! I’m Ben from Pukete and today we’re covering the best things happening in Hamilton and local news headlines you can’t miss. Join 10,000+ Hamiltonians here. Let’s get to it!

Speed Dating for Ages 40-54, 50-65 | Thu 16th 7:00pm at Good Neighbour. Join for an exciting evening of speed dating! Speed Daters will be split into 2 age groups which will run simultaneously. Tickets.  

GISH: Live | Thu 16th 7:00pm at The Local Te Rapa. Comedy icon GISH is back with a brand-new show! For over 20 years, GISH has been one of New Zealand’s most beloved comedians, famous for his outrageous parodies that mix six strings with dodgy things. Tickets.  

Moon Goose And Friends | Thu 16th 7:00pm at HANRAD Gallery. Join for an evening of music with folk duo Moon Goose and their musical friends. Tickets. 

CMNZ Series Four Last Songs | Thu 16th 7:30pm at Gallagher Academy. For this special premiere performance, Salina Fisher has arranged the 'Four Last Songs' for NZTrio and celebrated Australian soprano Emma Pearson. Tickets.  

Friday Night Comedy Quickie | Fri 17th 5:30pm at Nivara Lounge. Get your mates together to see several amazing comedians in an open mic setting. Tickets.  

Foundation Hardcore Fest II 2025 | Friday and Saturday at The Local Te Rapa. Foundation Fest is coming in hard this year with a stacked lineup of punk and hardcore. Over two relentless days see 17 of some of the best NZHC. Tickets. 

Beethoven Unwrapped | Fri 17th 7:30pm at Gallagher Academy. Let Opus Orchestra take you on a journey of discovery into one of Beethoven’s greatest works. With guest conductor Brent Stewart as your musical guide, this concert invites you to experience Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in a way you’ve never heard before. Tickets.  

Hamilton Lake Parkrun 12th Birthday | Sat 18th 8:00am at Innes Common. Come celebrate Hamilton Lake Parkrun’s 12th birthday! Please wear bright colours to light up the lake. Info.  

Hamilton Collectables Market | Sat 18th 8:30am - 1:30pm at Claudelands. Every month there's new stalls and exciting treasures to be found. Nothing is new or handmade (unless it's collectable) and a little bit of upcycled/recycled may be found. Info.  

Maungahau Lodge: Walk for a Cause | Sat 18th 9:00am at 281 Duncan Rd. This year, the walk is raising funds exclusively for the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Participants can choose between two trail options, both requiring a moderate fitness level: a 3km or a 10km route. Tickets. 

Vetro Spring Festival | Sat 18th 9:00am - 3:00pm at Vetro Mediterranean Foods. Join for a few hours of entertainment including live music and face painting for the kids, delicious food, instore tastings at Vetro and go in the draw to win a Weber BBQ. Info. 

Lego Buy Sell Swap Day | Sat 18th 10:00am at Glenview Club. HamLUG is bringing you a LEGO® buy, sell, swap day! Bring anything LEGO® related down that you're ready to part with, or come and browse the members extensive inventories for sale. Info.   

Free gelato at Little ‘Lato | Sat 18th from 11:00am at MADE Ham East. The team are giving away 200 scoops of their award winning Pink Wafer flavour - get in quick!

Ride Your Trike | Sat 18th 12:00 - 4:30pm at 801 Victoria St. Join for the Ride Your Trike NZ & Fit IQ Pop-Up Shop Launch – Together We Move! Celebrate movement, inclusivity, and fun at the Hamilton CBD pop-up space. Explore adaptive trikes, E-bikes, and cycling accessories. Info.  

Pipe Works | Sat 18th 2:00pm and 7:00pm at Southwell Performing Arts Centre. Experience the championship sounds of The Hamilton Caledonian Pipe Band and celebrate the Hamilton Caledonian Pipe Band's 100th year at Pipeworks 2025. Tickets.  

Waikato Diwali Mela 2025 | Sat 18th 5:00pm at Innes Common. Bring along your picnic mats, rugs, or chairs and relax under the stars while enjoying an unforgettable evening of culture, food, and entertainment. Featuring spectacular fireworks, vibrant cultural performances, delicious food stalls and more! Info.  

Hamilton Big Band: Back to Basie | Sat 18th 7:00pm at The Meteor. Join the Hamilton Big Band’s roster of musicians and soloists as they pay tribute to the legendary composer, pianist, and bandleader William “Count” Basie. Tickets.  

Tom Sainsbury - Lessons Not Learnt | Sat 18th 7:30pm at Clarence St Theatre. Tom Sainsbury is a multi-talented comedian, actor and writer best known for his razor-sharp character comedy and prolific work across stage, screen and social media. Tickets.  

Fables - Sundown Tour | Sat 18th 8:00pm at Last Place. Fables celebrate their debut album, Change Is a Slow-Moving Beast, with a tour showcasing their atmospheric blend of ambient country and folk-inspired sounds, weaving dreamy guitar textures and evocative lyricism. Tickets. 

Comedy Double Feature | Sat 18th 8:30pm at Nivara Lounge. The most haunted comedian in all of New Zealand (Callum Wagstaff) and indie darling George Fenn (as Sexy Ghost Boy) are here to split your sides this spooky season, using comedy to defang all of your worst fears. Tickets.  

Waikato Record Fair | Sun 19th 11:00am - 2:00pm at Biddy Mulligans. Biddy Mulligan's presents their inaugural Waikato Record Fair. Situated in their covered outside area next to the main bar and in the back bar, it's going to be big and it's going to be juicy! Info. 

WBOP Master Athletics “Have a Go” | Sun 19th 11:30am - 3:00pm at Porritt Stadium. Come and have a go with track, high jump, javelin, shot put and more! Info.  

Annual Interfaith Service | Sun 19th 5:00pm at Lady Goodfellow Chapel. This year’s event will include brief contributions from Bahá’í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh faith and belief communities. 1-hour service, followed by a half hour of networking, mingling and snacks. Info.  

Laughing Yoga | Tue 21st 9:30am at Western Community Centre. More contagious than a cough or sneeze, laughter relaxes the whole body. Come along, try something new, you will feel great and have a bit of a laugh! Info.  

Little Morning for Your Little Ones | Tue 21st 10:00am - 12:00pm at Chartwell Shopping Centre. Little ones can squish, stretch, and create their very own glitter slime. Info.  

Come Craft | Tue 21st 10:30am at Glenview Library. Join for some fun and inspiring craft sessions designed for adults with some experience. Create a different Christmas-themed craft each week, from cards and gift boxes, to decorations and more. Info.   

Mark Making: Asemic Art | Wed 22nd Oct - Sat 8th Nov 11:00am at The Meteor. Gareth Schott is a Professor in Media and Creative Technologies at Waikato University. This work celebrates traditional inscriptional technologies (in this case the humble pen) and its capacity to produce new aesthetic forms from everyday conventional practices (e.g. handwriting). Info.  

Whiskey Club Hoorah | Wed 22nd 6:00pm at Wonderhorse. Come say G'day and Goodbye for one last Whiskey Club before Wonderhorse moves. It'll be a banger, and you already know it will be. Tickets.  

Hamilton Property Roadshow | Wed 22nd 6:30pm at Skycity. Tired of watching others build wealth while you’re stuck on the sidelines? Learn how to build considerable wealth through property. Info.  

Annual Art Competition & Exhibition Opening Night | Thu 23rd 5:30pm at ArtsPost Gallery. Join the Arts for Health Annual Art Competition and Exhibition, their biggest fundraising event of the year. It’s a fantastic way to develop as an artist, and connect with like-minded people, all while supporting Hamilton’s creative community. Tickets. 

Magic of Oz | Thursday and Friday at The Meteor. Experience L. Frank Baum’s 13th Oz novel, ‘The Magic of Oz’, on stage! The students of Wing Valley Youth Theatre Programme bring the characters and the stage to life! Tickets.  

Dougfest 3 | Friday and Saturday 6:30pm at Last Place. This is the largest lineup yet, with 15 bands joining from Wellington to Auckland, plus favourite MCs and hosts Thief n Zard are joining the party as per always. Tickets. 

Queen: It's a Kinda Magic | Fri 24th 8:00pm at Clarence St Theatre. Immerse yourself in the spectacle, grandeur and energy of the world’s greatest Rock band with Queen: It’s a Kinda Magic, celebrating the legacy of Queen and Freddie Mercury. Tickets.  

Re:Circle Kids Market | Sat 25th 10:00am - 2:00pm at Re:Circle Hamilton. In support of Recycling Week 2025, Re:Circle is excited to host their very first Kids’ Market Day! At the market, children will not only get the chance to buy and sell but will also learn the importance of looking after our planet. Info.  

Yoga for Healthy and Happy Life | Sat 25th 10:30am at Rototuna Library. Come and discover how physical, mental, and spiritual practices that originated in ancient India can contribute to greater physical and mental health. Register.  

Deepawali & Ankut Utsav | Sat 25th 6:00pm at Bill Gallagher Hub. Hamilton Mandir celebrates the radiant festival of: Deepawali and Ankut Utsav. Come along with your family and friends for an evening filled with light, devotion, colour, and celebration. Info. 

South African Party | Sat 25th 6:00pm - 1:00am at Patrons Brewing Co. Hamilton, are you ready?! The motherland’s calling and we’re answering with the biggest, boldest, most electrifying night of the year! Four DJs. One dance floor. Endless energy. Tickets.  

By The Way… a Red Hot Chili Peppers Tribute | Sat 25th 8:30 - 11:00pm at Nivara Lounge. Come and celebrate the music of the Red Hot Chili Peppers with By The Way, NZs latest and greatest tribute band. Tickets.  

Hamilton Festive Mela | Sun 26th 11:00am at Whitiora School. Shopping and food stalls, kids activities, hina and nail art, DJ, cultural performances, and more! All welcome to this vibrant multicultural celebration. Tickets.

Breathwork Community Workshop | Sun 26th 4:00 - 7:00pm at Sun Salute. Through the power of Breathwork, you’ll breathe into the joy that is your birthright, letting go of self-judgment and perfectionism to embrace fun, silliness, and a lighthearted spirit. Tickets.  

Fundraising Comedy Show - Breast Cancer | Sun 26th 6:00pm at Hamilton Cosmopolitan Club. Join for a feel-good Sunday evening packed with smiles, giggles, and a brilliant line-up of four comedians (mostly the ladies — and they’re seriously funny!). Tickets. 

Blindspott | Sun 26th 7:30 - 11:30pm at The Factory. Blindspott will be live in Hamilton promoting the Volumes album. Playing hit singles Coming Home and Burn Me Alive, this promises to be a show not to miss. Tickets. 

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River paths close as Waikato River water level nears peak not seen since 2017. Significant rainfall and increased flows from Lake Karāpiro led to increased river levels in the city with some sections of river paths closed. Read.

Former Hamilton West MP and current city councillor Tim Macindoe has been elected as Hamilton’s new Mayor. He’ll lead a new-look council with several fresh faces - but the list of who’s in and who’s out isn’t finalised yet, with final results out on Friday. Read.

New Hamilton Mayor Tim Macindoe says he won’t be a slash ‘n’ burn Mayor, with libraries, pools, and the zoo not going anywhere - but jobs may be cut as he focuses on balancing the books. He added the council has “probably grown too big” and may need to shrink over time, with technology like AI streamlining some roles. Read.

Hamilton to keep the Kirikiriroa Maaori ward, by 13,600 votes to 13,010. The binding poll on Maaori Wards was compulsory for most councils in New Zealand. Read.

Three of Aotearoa’s iconic bands, Th’ Dudes, The Mockers, and Stellar*, are joining forces for the Ready To Roll nationwide tour. The show will bring classic Kiwi rock hits and a night of nostalgia to the new Waikato Regional Theatre on January 29. Read.

Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who needs a good laugh this weekend at the comedy show!

See you next week!

— Ben and Sarah