👋🏼 Hello Hamilton

Happy Easter! I hope the Easter Bunny visits you this year. I hear he loves the Tron. 🐇

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 live music to check out over the weekend, and news headlines you can’t miss. Join over 7,550 Hamiltonians here.

Remember, if this email cuts off or seems incomplete, your email provider may have clipped part of it. To read the full newsletter, look for a 'View full email' or 'Read more' button at the bottom of this email.

And, as always, please send me feedback on the newsletter at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you and am hoping to reflect on this publication and make some adjustments over the easter break. 🍫

♻️ No changes to kerbside collections over Easter and Anzac Day

Kerbside rubbish and recycling collection services in Hamilton will remain the same during Easter (Friday 18 April and Monday 21 April) and on Anzac Day (Friday 25 April). You should put your bins out by 7am on your normal collection day.

Here’s what to do with common waste over the Easter holidays:

• packaging from Easter treats like chocolate wrappers, cellophane and tinfoil should be put in the red bin

• cardboard chocolate boxes can be put in the yellow bin if the plastic trays are removed

• if you have any unwanted chocolate (who am I kidding…), put it in the green food scraps bin.

Unsure which bin to put an item in? Head to fightthelandfill.co.nz and use the handy sorter tool. Simply type the item into the search bar and you’ll be shown the correct bin.

🎟️ What’s happening in Hamilton this week?

Chill & Chat: Books Galore | Thu 17th 10:00am at Glenview Library. Bring your friends, make new ones, and chat up a storm about your latest book obsessions over a cuppa. Info.

Comedian Joe Daymond - Hope I Made You Proud show | Thu 17th 6:00pm at Claudelands. A rollercoaster comedy show that chronicles his journey from living in his car and cleaning caravans to achieving national fame. Tickets.

Beats By Bingo | Thu 17th 7:00pm at Good Neighbour Rototuna. A night of musical bingo featuring throwback jams, sing alongs, seat dancing and prize winning. Info.

School Holiday Pottery Fun | Thu-Sat 10:00am or 1:00pm at Hamilton Pottery Studio. Let your little artists paint their own ceramic mug and bowl with colourful paints. Book a spot.

Easter Art Expo | Fri 18th 11:00am-5:30pm at Good News Community Centre. Experience the Easter Story through a powerful walk-through art display in English and Maaori. With interactive art, a kids’ Seek and Find comp (with chocolate!), and free hot cross buns, there’s something for all ages. Info.

Easter Egg Hunt at the Museum | Fri-Mon at Waikato Museum. Collect an activity sheet from their kaimahi at the front desk and then hop around the galleries to find the twelve 'Easter eggs' they’re hidden in plain sight. Once your whaanau has completed the scavenger hunt, there will be a tasty chocolate prize to take home and enjoy. Info.

Hamilton Lake parkrun | Sat 19th 7:50am at Innes Common. A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you! Register.

Tamahere Country Market | Sat 19th 8:30am - 1:00pm at 14 Tamahere Drive. An open air market featuring 100 stalls of local produce and products made, grown, and created in New Zealand. Info.

Hamilton Collectables Market | Sat 19th 8:30am - 1:30pm at Claudelands. Discover vintage treasures like records, clothing, books, jewellery, and more. With new stalls each month and friendly sellers. Info.

Mixed Media Playtime | Sat 19th 10:30am at Paperzone. Has it been forever since you got your fingers messy with paints, powders, and all things sparkly? Then it’s time to dust off those supplies (or try something brand new!) and join for a morning of creative play! Info.

Gallagher Chiefs vs Highlanders | Sat 19th 7:05pm at FMG Stadium. This Easter weekend, the Gallagher Chiefs are serving up a feast of rugby action as they take on the Highlanders at home! Tickets.

Ben Elton comedian - Authentic Stupidity | Sat 19th 7:30pm at Clarence St Theatre. Apparently, artificial intelligence is going to render all human life meaningless, but Ben is here to warn you that AI is not the greatest threat that we face; it's Authentic Stupidity! Tickets.

Round The Bridges practice run and walk | Sun 20th 8:00am from Joe’s Garage. Join for one of Hamilton’s most popular runs and walks where they train on the Round the Bridges 6 and 12km courses. Info.

Aerial Hammock Yoga | Sun 20th 12:00pm at High Above Studio. A rejuvenating hammock session incorporating aerial yoga release and restore and mini floating meditation with sound bowls. Info.

Ice Cream Diner Easter Event | Sun 20th at Boof’s. Fun activities like a bouncy castle, movie cinema, competitions, and prizes! Plus, food, ice cream, and beverages will be available for purchase. Info.

Earth Day at Hamilton Zoo | Tue 22nd 9:30am - 4:30pm. The Zoo has a special day planned with activities that highlight commitment to conservation and the environment. And 25% of admission fees! Info.

Dance Fitness Class | Tue 22nd 6:30pm at Rototuna High. De-stress, lose weight, boost your confidence, and connect with the community with fun sessions of dance fitness. Newbies are always welcome. Info.

Paint and Wine Night | Tue 22nd 7:00pm at Good Neighbour Rototuna. Creative night of drinking and painting in the heart of Hamilton! No previous painting experience necessary. Tickets.

Bluey's Big Play The Stage Show | Wed 23rd across three sessions at Globox. Bluey’s Big Play is a brand-new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy award-winning children’s television series. Tickets.

Origami Workshop | Wed 23rd 10:00am at Central Library. Creations will be Easter and ANZAC themed. Everyone is welcome, and no registration is required. Info.

Zine Pride Workshop | Wed 23rd 10:30am at Dinsdale Library. Zines are short run, self-published magazines that allow your imagination to run wild. This workshop will introduce you to zine-making, including how to make your own 8-page booklet from a single page. Register.

Karaoke | Wed 23rd 1:30-4:30pm at Hamilton Cosmopolitan Club. Come prepared with a song or two that you would like to sing. Setup has the song words and backing vocals to assist you. Info.

Family Quiz Night | Wed 23rd 5:00pm at The Keg Room. Gather your dream team of 4 to 6 players and join for a night of fun, laughs, and family-friendly competition. Book a table. 

Paint your own Ceramic Art | All week at Splashys Studio. Splashy is a ceramic art studio just 15 minutes from Hamilton where all ages can paint their own creations, from kitchenware to fun keepsakes. Info.

Outdoor sculpture trail | All week at Waitakaruru Arboretum. A selection of 30 sculptures displayed within the captivating landscape of The Sculpture Park & Arboretum. Info.

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.

🤩 Hey Hamilton businesses - this spot could be yours!

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.

Our 7,550+ readers are keen to see your business right here. A massive 94% of respondents to a recent poll said they would support occasionally seeing clearly labeled sponsored sections. What are you waiting for?

🎶 Some live music across the Tron

Mesoverse | Kirikiriroa Hardcore #4 Full Noise Edition | Thu 17th 7:00pm. Tickets.

Amuse at Skycity | Forefront | Thu 17th 7:30-11:00pm.

Last Place | Reb Fountain - 'How Love Bends' Tour | Thu 17th 7:30pm. Tickets.

Biddy Mulligans | TimBuck3 | Thu 17th.

Amuse at Skycity | Persons of Interest | Sat 19th 9:00pm-12:30am.

Biddy Mulligans | The Tarps | Sat 19th.

Amuse at Skycity | Ra Charmian Duo | Sun 20th 8:00pm-12:00am.

Amuse at Skycity | Richard Murray | Sun 20th 3:00-6:00pm.

Missing a show? Email me so I can get my act together!

👀 Hamilton headlines you may have missed

Hamilton Gardens earns $2.8m in first six months of paid entry. With over 227,000 visitors welcomed and more than 45,000 MyGardens passes issued since August 2024, the decision to introduce a fee has turned into one of Hamilton’s most successful moves in recent years. Read.

Former MP Jamie Strange decides ‘timing not right’ to run for Hamilton mayor. His exit still leaves a potential leader on the left of the political spectrum: centre-left senior councillor Sarah Thomson, who has all but committed to standing for mayor. Read.

New hotel will make Hamilton “one hell of a host city” Hamilton City Council has sold a prime downtown riverfront site on Victoria Street to Templeton Group, which is planning to develop it into a 25-storey dining and hotel complex. Read.

Hamilton’s new Popeyes opened in Te Rapa on Tuesday morning. The Louisana-style fried chicken store at 675 Te Rapa Rd is one of several locations around the North Island as well as one of near 5000 Popeyes stores worldwide. Read.

Waikato Tainui has teamed up with global trillion-dollar investor Brookfield Asset Management to further develop the Ruakura Superhub. Ruakura is located on land that was returned to the iwi in 1995 as part of its treaty settlement, and the terms of the joint venture recognises that ownership will remain with the iwi “across the full 610ha” precinct. Read.

Another scaffolding section of the Regional Theatre’s new façade was removed last week. The appearance of a fresh section of the restored plaster façade is another visible milestone for in the ongoing construction of the 1300-seat theatre that promises to revolutionise entertainment in the city. Read.

🚧 Street closures this week

• A series of streets around FMG Stadium Waikato will be closed from 2pm or 6pm on Saturday 19 April for the Chiefs game.

• Worley Place (from Ward Street to the shared zone) will be closed for a crane lift on Saturday 19 April from 4am to 8am.

• Kimbrae Drive (from Korikori Green to Bourn Brook Avenue) will be closed for safety improvements from Monday 14 April to Friday 25 April. This is a 24/7 closure.

• One lane of Kea Street remains closed until Thursday 24 April from 7am to 6pm for a footpath renewal. Residents will continue to have access. 

• One lane of Marlowe Place will be closed until Friday 25 April from 7am – 6pm, for footpath and kerb renewal work. Residents will continue to have access. 

• One lane of the below streets remains closed until Saturday 3 May from 7am to 5pm for footpath renewal work: Shakespeare Avenue (from Keats Crescent to the east end of Mardon Road), Keats Crescent, Blake Street (from Keats Crescent to Shakespeare Avenue). 

• Heaphy Terrace (from Boundary Road to Stanley Street) remains closed until mid-May for the Ranfurly Gully wastewater upgrade and construction of the signalised crossing by Hamilton Jamia Mosque. Businesses in the area remain open. 

Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who is gonna eat too much chocolate this Easter! 🍫

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. I always love hearing from you.

See you next Thursday.

— Ben