👋🏼 Hello Hamilton

Congratulations Madison Claridge from Fairview Downs! You’re the lucky winner of the Reggie’s party party. Now you’ve gotta choose which nine mates you’re inviting over to enjoy it - harder than choosing who makes the wedding guest list I’d say!

Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton today. First time? I’m Ben from Hamilton East 👋🏼 and today we’re covering the best things happening in Hamilton this week, news headlines you can’t miss, and more. Join 8,000+ Hamiltonians here.

Stay safe this long weekend ❤️

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⭐️ No changes to kerbside collections over Matariki

Put your bins out on their usual collection day by 7am, as there are no changes to kerbside rubbish and recycling collections over the Matariki long weekend (Friday 20 June).

Last month, Hamiltonians saved 387,000kg of food scraps and 236,000kg of glass from landfill.

We can now further reduce our waste going to landfill by recycling plastic and metal caps and lids at two local supermarkets: New World Te Rapa and PAK’nSAVE Mill Street.

Caps are unable to be recycled through kerbside recycling because they are too difficult to sort (due to them being small and light).

🎟️ What’s happening in Hamilton this week?

O-Studio Open Day | Thu 19th 2:00-6:00pm at 18 London Street. Come and check out the brand new O-Studio Hamilton before it officially opens to the public. See the float, sauna, and ice bath recovery spaces and enjoy exclusive giveaways, opening day deals, and wellness goodies. Info. 

Writer's Den | Thu 19th 5:30pm at Hamilton Central Library. If you share a passion for writing, come to the writer’s den, share your work, and receive feedback and support on your writing journey. Info. 

Boulder Co Hamilton Quiz Night | Thu 19th 6:30pm at Boulder Co. Bring your squad and flex that general knowledge from pop culture to random facts. Register. 

The Big Night Out | Thu 19th 7:00pm at The Meteor. Come for a midyear showcase from the Theatre students of Te Kawau Toi Wintec Music and Performing Arts degree. Tickets 

Matariki Festival | Friday and Saturday at Waikato Museum. The Maaori New Year is a time of renewal and celebration in Aotearoa New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster. This year, Matariki will be acknowledged with two days of whaanau fun at Te Whare Taonga. Schedule.

Te Parapara Koorero | Friday and Saturday at Hamilton Gardens. Join their friendly guide for a short koorero (talk) in Te Parapara Garden this Matariki weekend and see how Aotearoa’s first gardeners adapted their tropical crops for a colder climate and learn how local ancestors lived on this whenua (land). Tickets.

Open Studio: Two artists, two mediums | Fri 20th 10:00am-3:00pm at 158/2 Gillard Road. An open studio is an invitation to step inside the creative process of an artist, to see works in progress, finished pieces and the stories behind them. Join Jennie for an inspiring behind-the-scenes look at where art comes to life in their country studio. Info.

Maanawatia a Matariki 2025 | Fri 20th 3:00-7:00pm at Innes Common. A family-friendly evening filled with live music, entertainment, food, markets and more! Wrap up warm and rally your whaanau and friends to celebrate the rising of the star cluster Matariki. Info.

DEVILSKIN - Re-Evolution NZ Tour | Fri 20th 6:30pm at The Factory. Phenomenal multi-platinum rockers DEVILSKIN are fired up and ready to bring the heat. With a new album in the making, the beloved NZ rockers are full of enlivened energy, and psyched up to reconnect with the most passionate, hard rock fans across the country. Tickets. 

Jordan Luck Band | Fri 20th 8:00pm at Last Place. Packed with all the classic Exponents hits you know & love… the JLB party will be rocking & rolling. Tickets. 

Hamilton Collectables Market | Sat 21st 8:30am-1:30pm at Claudelands. Welcome to the 54th Collectables Market at The Barn. This market showcases a wide range of collectables, records/vinyl, vintage clothing, china, jewellery, artwork and lots more. Info.

Eid Al Adha | Sat 21st 11:00am-4:00pm at Claudelands. Bringing together all the different Muslim ethnicities of NZ to celebrate the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan. From free games, entertainment, to food stalls, featuring cuisines from over 35 different ethnicities that make up the Muslim community; there's something for everyone to enjoy. Info.

Blues & Brews | Sat 21st 12:00-9:00pm at Brewaucracy. No need to feel blue, there are Blues-themed mini-quizzes with prizes from midday, and Hugo & The Hurricanes will be performing from 5pm. Info.

Magic vs. Mystics - Hobbiton Cup | Sat 21st 4:00pm at GLOBOX Arena. It's the battle of the bombays as last year's Champions, the Northern Mystics head down the Waikato Expressway for this Round 7 clash. Tickets. 

James Roque – Champorado | Sat 21st 7:30pm at The Meteor. Kiwi-Filipino comedy veteran James Roque serves up an hour of his trademark sweet-and-salty stand-up. Tickets.

10 Years of STATIC | Sat 21st 8:00pm at Last Place. To celebrate 10 years, STATIC are inviting you to come throw down on the Last Place floor with them and their good friends, The Boondocks, Cootie Cuties and Kiero. Tickets.

The Addams Family - St Paul's School Product | Sat, Sun, Tues and Wed at Southwell Performing Arts Centre. Come and see St Paul's students bring this iconic family to life, performing show-stopping numbers like 'When You're an Addams', 'Pulled', and the unforgettable 'Crazier Than You'. Tickets.

Yarn 'n' Yack | Tue 24th 2:00pm at Hillcrest Library. Join for a cozy crafternoon! Bring your knitting, crochet or stitching project, and enjoy the company of fellow craft enthusiasts. Info. 

Hamilton Mantra Evening - Kirtan Meditation | Tue 24th 6:00pm at YWCA. Relax and experience refuge for the heart in transcendental sound. An evening of Kirtan meditation followed by vegetarian refreshments. Info.

Paint and Wine Night: Snowy Mountains | Tue 24th 7:00pm at Good Neighbour. Come for a creative night of drinking and painting in the heart of Hamilton! The concept is simple - take a brush in one hand, a drink in the other and paint a masterpiece - no previous painting experience needed. Tickets. 

Mentoring is for Everyone | Wed 25th noon at Wintec. Learn more about the value of Mentoring, hear from a live case study, and meet Mentors and Business owners in the Waikato. Tickets.

Event organiser? 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 history: from the archives

📍1906: Looking south down Victoria Street from near Collingwood Street. 

On the right is Alexandra Buildings, its street level stores occupied by a tailor, land agents, hairdresser & tobacconist. Further along is the Waikato Meat Mart, and the Hamilton Hotel can be seen on the east side of the street.

And here’s that same view today!

👀 Hamilton headlines you may have missed

Jetstar’s new flights between Hamilton and Sydney (four days a week) and the Gold Coast (three days a week) have begun. On Monday, as the airline’s A320 aircraft arrived from Sydney to clear, sunny weather. The arrival marks the first time Hamilton has handled international commercial flights in almost 13 years. Read.

The Gallagher Chiefs face the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final this weekend in Christchurch. Yesterday, it was announced cowbells (which are synonymous with Waikato rugby) would be banned from the final. Head to cowbell.co.nz to ring a virtual one instead. Read.

Beercycle, the party-on-wheels pub crawl that's already become a fixture in Auckland and Christchurch, is now officially rolling through the streets of Waikato. The Dutch-made 15-seater bike, complete with music, lights and a lively host, lets groups cycle between bars while soaking in the city’s nightlife. Read.

Census data shows about 22,000 commute into Hamilton from the city for work. That’s about equivalent to the population of Cambridge, and makes up a big chunk of the city’s workforce. The flow goes both ways for Hamilton - about 13,100 Hamiltonian’s head out of the city borders for work, with 2,740 a day heading from to Auckland. Read.

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Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who might not have discovered the cool kids club (us) yet.

Please direct 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.

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See you next Thursday, 8am! Have a great long weekend.

— Ben