👋🏼 Hello Hamilton

Hey you! Welcome back to Hello Hamilton. 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. First time reading? Join over 5,200 Hamiltonians here.

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🎟️ Events on in the Tron this week

We Have Boys at Home show | Thursday 27th from 6:00pm at English Flower Garden, Hamilton Gardens. Besties Meg and Jay go on a Summer road trip from Hamilton to Napier to meet Meg’s long-distance boyfriend for the first time. Over a year later, the pair reunite, and decide to stage a play about their journey. What could possibly go wrong? Tickets.

Hang Out With Horses For Women | Thursday 27th 6:00-8:00pm at Hope Rising Farm. For women seeking time out, tranquility, and a creative space. Socialise with other women while relaxing outdoors with beautiful ponies. Tickets.

The Hamilton Arts Festival Hub | Thursday - Sunday at Hamilton Gardens. Soak up the festival vibes, enjoy some amazing kai and music, and mingle with friends and whaanau at the Hamilton Arts Festival Toi Ora ki Kirikiriroa Festival Hub. Info.

Harvest Helpers: Community Fruit Tree Pruning | Friday 28th 3:30-5:00pm at Pukete Neighbourhood House. Come along to the working bee to learn how to care for fruit trees; when and how to prune and then practice your technique. Info.

Murder Mystery: Murder at the Party | Friday 28th from 6:00pm at Sisterfields. Grab your crew and get ready to vibe at a soulful & sassy R&B themed drag show, where lip sync performances meet your favourite old-school R&B classics and the latest hits. Tickets.

Rita Menu Presents: Soul Sisters R&b Drag Show | Friday 28th from 9:00pm at Biddy Mulligans. The venue is locked down, and together you and your friends must hunt for clues, solve all the puzzles, and see if you can identify who the killer is! Tickets.

Modern God show | Friday and Saturday from 7:30pm at The Meteor. This high-powered show, straddling the realms of contemporary dance and physical theatre, delves into the intricate web of global internet culture and the evolving complexities of the virtual world. Tickets.

Let’s Learn About Coffee | Saturday 1st 9:00am-1:00pm at Fraser High. Always wondered how the coffees are made? What would be the profitability of this thriving business? Join the course at Fraser Adult Community Education to get your answers and make some popular café beverages. Tickets.

Hamilton Lake reservoirs drop-in sessions | Saturday 1st 10:00am-12:00pm at The Verandah. To increase the supply of drinking water and capacity for firefighting for our growing central city, we’re planning to build new reservoirs next to the existing Ruakiwi Reservoir. Come and chat with the HCC team, have your questions answered, and see draft concepts of the new reservoirs. Info.

Free FM Chalk Fest | Saturday 1st 10:00am-2:00pm at Civil Square. Free FM are taking over Civic Square once again for the annual chalk art festival during Children’s Day. You[re invited to take part in this free event by creating chalk art in the central city, with prizes up for grabs. Info.

Premier Series: Magic the Gathering | Saturday 1st from 10:30am at Gaming DNA. Bring your best Standard deck and compete against other local players in this high-level event for League Table points and event prizing. Info.

Rugby & Rhythms music festival - Chiefs Manawa and Gallagher Chiefs double header | Saturday 1st from 12:00pm at FMG Stadium. Featuring Kora, Ladi6, Muroki, Hollie Smith, Bailey Wiley, White Chapel Jak, Dan Sharp - plus food trucks, bars and two action packed Super Rugby games! Tickets.

Boon & Love the Centre Street Art Walking Tours | Saturday 1st 2:00-3:00pm starting at the Central Library. Embark on an exciting journey to explore the hidden and not-so-hidden gems of Hamilton Kirikiriroa, the undisputed mural capital of Aotearoa. Tickets.

Outdoor Movie Night | Saturday 1st from 3:00pm at Heaphy Terrace. Fancy dinner and a movie? Come down to Food Trucks on Heaphy, to see a free movie on an outdoor screen. Info.

Hamilton Children’s Day Events | Saturday and Sunday. Free bomb platform use, spot prizes and face painting on Saturday 1:00-3:00pm at Gallagher Aquatic Centre. Inflatable races, spot prizes, face painting, outdoor games and more on Sunday 1:00-3:00pm at Waterworld. More events.

The Elixir Of Love Opera | Sunday 2nd at Clarence Street Theatre. NZ Opera & Opus Orchestra present one of the most beloved operas ever written, now adapted for a family-friendly audience. Tickets.

Parent Support Group | Monday 3rd 10:00am-12:00pm at Columbus Coffee Ruakura. Grab a free coffee and chat with other parents and carers who know what it’s like to care for a disabled child, a neurodiverse child, or a child with health impairments. RSVP.

Operatunity Concert: From Phantom to Les Mis | Monday 3rd 11:00am-12:45pm at Hamilton Central Baptist Church. Featuring the best of 70s and 80s musicals: Phantom, Les Mis, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, Grease, Cabaret and more. Tickets.

Waikato Business Masterclass | Tuesday 4th 10:00-11:30am at Wintec. Unlock the power of partnerships and take your business to the next level. Soda and Maisey Harris & Co are hosting a 1.5-hour masterclass with multi-award-winning global partnerships expert, Polina Changuleva. Tickets.

HaHaHamilton Comedy Lounge | Wednesday 5th 8:00-10:00pm at Nivara Lounge. Mr Steve Henry is your MC introducing a stella lineup of Comedians featuring Shaun O'Neil, Flynn Beetham, Mason Devcich, Mike Healy, Chey Johanson, Andre Hayden, Mick Andrews & Katrina Clark. Tickets.

Kirikiriroa Festival of Weird 2025 | From Wednesday 5th in Garden Place. Experience a week-long celebration featuring street theatre, live music, captivating installations, and a whirlwind of creative expressions that push the boundaries of art. Info.

Treasures in the Landscape sculpture exhibition | All week at Waitakaruru Arboretum. A selection of 30 sculptures will be displayed within the captivating landscape of The Sculpture Park & Arboretum. Info.

Always double-check event details haven’t changed since you received this email. Did I forget anything? Flick me an email.

🎶 Live music across Hamilton

Nivara Lounge | DJ GOLDFINGER | Thursday 27th 7:00-10:00pm. Info.

Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts | The Petersens | Thursday 27th 7:30-9:30pm. Tickets.

Biddy Mulligans | Shotgun and friends | Thursday 27th.

Rhododendron Lawn, Hamilton Gardens | Late 80's Mercedes | Friday 28th from 8:00pm. Tickets.

Nivara Lounge | Wize Red Live | Friday 28th from 8:00pm. Tickets.

Mesoverse | DEATHRO | Friday 28th from 8:30pm. Tickets.

Last Place | Xile | Friday 28th. Tickets.

The Factory | Tim Ripper Owens | Friday 28th. Tickets.

Biddy Mulligans | Tim Armstrong and band | Friday 28th.

Last Place | Ringlets, Louisa Nicklin, Jazmine Mary | Saturday 1st from 8:00pm. Tickets.

Nivara Lounge | Vanessa Tottle | Saturday 1st from 8:30pm. Tickets.

Amuse at Skycity | Fuse | Saturday 1st from 8:30pm.

Biddy Mulligans | The Gaffers | Saturday 1st from 8:30pm.

The Back Bar | ROOM:One40 Launch Party | Saturday 1st from 9:00pm. Info.

Rhododendron Lawn, Hamilton Gardens | Katchafire | Sunday 2nd from 7:00pm. Tickets.

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

👀 Hamilton headlines you may have missed

Chiefs to unveil surprise new skipper for Super Rugby Pacific clash against Brumbies. After four different captains were used in the record win over the Crusaders in Hamilton last Friday night, there will be yet another new face at the helm at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday evening: Tupou Vaa’i. Read.

First batch of future pharmacists welcomed at Waikato University. The new Master of Pharmacy Practice is an accelerated pathway to becoming a pharmacist for students with a bachelor’s degree in molecular sciences. Up to 25 students are part of the two-year programme hoping to address the chronic shortage of pharmacists in the Waikato. Read.

Hamilton Arts Festival resumes with music, theatre - and coffee. Resuming after a two-day break following a packed weekend of events, the festival roars back into top gear with the kind of line-up that makes the phrase “spoiled for choice” an understatement. Read.

Hamilton to Whakatāne flights now on Sunair’s schedule. There’s now a direct return flight five days a week. The new service is run by Sunair with a Piper Aztec 6-seater and will be the fourth destination out of Hamilton by the company, joining Gisborne, Whangārei and Napier. Read.

Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who needs to catch out one of the many Hamilton Arts Festival events this week!

Have any suggestions for what you would like to see in future editions? Reply to this email ([email protected]) and let me know! I’d love to hear from you.

See you next Thursday.

— Ben

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