👋🏼 Hello Hamilton

You know summer’s getting away from us when the fog begins to roll in! Welcome back foggy mornings.

Hello to all our new friends! Across some social media posts and the word getting around the office at work, we’ve grown by over 700 members since the last issue. Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton.

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 6,100 Hamiltonians here.

One last thing before we get into it: 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.

🎟️ What’s happening in Hamilton this week?

Speed Friending Event | Thursday 27th 12:30pm in Chartwell. A fun event in which you will get a limited amount of time to talk to each person, get to know them, and start new friendships. Info.

Club run, walk, and burger night | Thursday 27th 5:30pm at Hamilton Lake. Join the Hamilton Roadrunners for a run or walk followed by a burger dinner served to you by the HRR committee. Info.

Hang out with Horses | 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 ponies. Tickets.

Spanish Sips with Soph | Friday 28th 4:00-7:00pm at Hamilton Beer & Wine Co. Rounding off their March Friday Night Tastings with an exceptional array of Spanish wines from St. Vincenets Cave. Info.

Emo Drag Show | Friday 28th 9:00-11:00pm at Biddy Mulligan’s. Relive the magic of the early 2000s, where black nail polish, studded belts, and oversized hoodies ruled the world, with a night filled with the sounds of your teenage dreams, featuring Paramore, Panic! At The Disco, and The Pretty Reckless. Tickets.

Hamilton Gardens Trail fun run and walk | Saturday 29th 9:00am from Hamilton Gardens. Both the start and finish line are sat within the gardens with the course meandering throughout the gardens out towards the Waikato River. 6km, 12.3km, and 17.2km run and walk options. Enter.

Boulder Co Hamilton 1st Birthday | Saturday 29th 9:00am-8:00pm in Te Rapa. Free learn-to-climb classes and exciting competitions with local climbers testing their skills on brand-new routes. Info.

Relay For Life | Saturday 29th 9:00am-9:00pm the Waikato University. A 12-hour relay raising awareness and funds for the Cancer Society, where team participants move around the track, keeping their batons always moving. Join a team.

Circus in the Centre | Saturday 29th 12:00-2:30pm in Garden Place. Learn skills such as juggling, hula hooping, spinning plates, and more, with all equipment provided on-site. Free session designed to promote community connection while supporting physical and mental wellbeing in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Info.

Boon Street Art Walking Tours | Saturday 29th 2:00-3:00pm from 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, with over 60+ stunning murals adorning the streets and hidden alleyways. Register for free.

Summer Sounds: Jazz at the Hamilton Gardens | Saturday 29th 2:00-4:00pm at the Hamilton Gardens. Sun season maybe slowly coming to an end, but we're not ready to give up on the vibes just yet - come join for a free concert at the beautiful Hamilton Gardens! Enjoy a picnic with some classic jazz, latin, and classic pop hits with a view of the turtle lake. Info.

Rail Fest 6 | Saturday 29th 2:00-11:30pm at The Local Te Rapa. Get ready to rock out at Waikato's largest heavy metal and rock festival, celebrating its 6th birthday in style, featuring an epic lineup of local and tribute bands, DJ sets, and a great cause to support. Tickets.

Bed By 10pm Daytime Clubbing | Saturday 29th from 4:00pm at House on Hood. Fancy going out for a dance but not keen on sacrificing the next day? Bed By 10 is a chance for ravers over 30 to relive the peak of the 80s, 90s & early 2000s clubbing scene. Tickets.

Hamilton Farmers' Market | Sunday 30th 8:00am-12:00pm at Gate 3 Claudelands. Your authentic farmers' market - fresh seasonal fruit & vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, eggs, milk, bread, honey, condiments - buy local, support local. Info.

Five Films for Freedom | Sunday 30th 3:00-4:15pm at Waikato Museum. London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival and the British Council celebrates global stories every year in support of LGBTQIA+ people across the world. Info.

Gourmet in the Gardens | Sunday 30th 4:00-8:00pm at Hamilton Gardens. The last one of the season! Info.

Quiz Night | Monday 31st from 7:00pm at The Cook. Every Monday night! Info.

Kirtan Meditation | Tuesday 1st 6:00-7:00pm at the YWCA. Relax and experience refuge for the heart in transcendental sound. An evening of Kirtan meditation followed by vegetarian refreshments. Info.

The Cook 5km Run | Tuesday 1st registration 5:30pm from The Cook. Along the Waikato river path. Last one of the summer series! Info.

Quiz Night | Tuesday 1st 7:00-9:00pm at Smith & McKenzie Steak House. Believe It or Not quiz night, every Tuesday. Book.

Surprising Secrets to Peak Performance with Belinda Beatty | Wednesday 2nd 6:45-8:00am at Wintec. Learn strategies to build a resilient, precise, and high-performing team or business, making excellence a part of every business, every day. Tickets.

Free Spot Checks and Melanoma Education | Wednesday 2nd 10:00am-4:00pm at Seddon Park. A unique opportunity to receive a five-minute and non-invasive spot check from a trained melanoma Nurse Educator and learn life-saving advice and information about melanoma. Info.

Blackcaps V Pakistan 2nd ODI | Wednesday 2nd 11:00am at Seddon Park. An all-new season of cricket is on at Seddon Park with the BLACKCAPS taking on Pakistan in Hamilton. Tickets.

Student Concert | Wednesday 2nd 1:00-2:00pm at Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts. The students will be performing a selection of solo instrumental works and participating in dynamic chamber ensembles. Tickets.

LinkedIn Local Hamilton business networking | Wednesday 2nd 5:30-8:30pm in Rotokarui. Learn from the success stories of local businesses and connect with other local business professionals. Info.

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

🎶 Some live music across the Tron

Biddy Mulligan’s | Shotgun and friends | Thursday 27th 7:30pm. Info.

Last Place | Onanizer World Tour Of Aotearoa | Thursday 27th 8:00pm. Tickets.

Amuse at SkyCity | Crossroads | Friday 28th 8:00pm. Info.

Nivara Lounge | Search For Yeti | Friday 28th 8:30pm. Tickets.

Biddy Mulligan’s | Sean Lurman and band | Friday 28th 9:00pm. Info.

The Helm Bar and Kitchen | Joe Mcnamara and live band | Saturday 29th 4:00pm. Info.

Last Place | Faceless Burial (AUS) | Saturday 29th 8:00pm. Tickets.

Amuse at SkyCity | After Hours | Saturday 29th 8:30pm. Info.

Biddy Mulligan’s | Persons of Interest | Saturday 29th 9:00pm. Info.

Biddy Mulligan’s | Ladies Sing The Blues | Sunday 30th 3:00pm. Info.

Amuse at SkyCity | Josh Pow | Sunday 30th 3:00pm. Info.

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

👀 Hamilton headlines you may have missed

Hamilton bus passengers can expect to pay higher fares - potentially double - as the Government pushes for public transport users to cover more of the cost of services. An example under Waikato Regional Council’s preliminary modelling was that “a single zone Hamilton urban fare could increase from $2.40 to up to $4.10 using the Bee Card, or from $4.00 to $9.50 using cash”. Read.

Hamilton Zoo 19-year-old giraffe dies during routine health check. Head veterinarian Richard Sim said there was always a risk with anaesthetic treatments on large animals but the zoo needed to correct some hoof disease and do a teeth inspection. Read.

State housing provider Kāinga Ora wants a court to overturn planning restrictions that prevent the building of multi-storey state homes in heritage housing areas like Hamilton East. Currently development in those zones is restricted by Hamilton City Council’s Plan Change 9. Read.

The fancy new ACC Centre developed by Tainui Group Holdings on Collingwood St has been awarded the city’s first 6 Star NABERSNZ rating by the New Zealand Green Building Council. It’s the highest possible and recognises outstanding energy use and efficiency of office buildings. Read.

After a secret 15 months of negotiation, Hamilton Airport announced it was going international again in September last year. But the story nearly came undone thanks to Kermit the dog, a 13-month-old black labrador. Read.

City Council opens public consultation on how Hamilton should provide water services in the future.  The city wants to form a joint waters company with Waikato District Council to build and manage water infrastructure. Have your say.

🚧 Roadworks and closures this week

• Rototuna Road (from Caversham Drive to Resolution Drive) will be closed Friday 28 March from 9am – 3pm, for maintenance work on a cell phone tower.

• One direction of Duke Street (from Greenwood Street to Ellis Street) remains closed from 7am – 6pm until Sunday 30 March, for footpath and kerb renewal work. 

• One lane of Boundary Road (between the Heaphy Terrace roundabout and Marne Street) is closed between 7pm – 7am every evening until the end of March for the Ranfurly Gully wastewater upgrade. Traffic can still move through the area in both directions, and Heaphy Terrace is open.

• A series of streets around FMG Stadium Waikato will be closed on Friday 4 April for a Super Rugby game, from 2pm or 6pm until 11pm.

• One lane will be closed 7am – 6pm on Lynwood Place from until Wednesday 16 April, for footpath and kerb renewal work. 

• Parts of Shakespeare Avenue, Keats Crescent, and Blake Street will have one lane closed from 7am – 5pm until Saturday 3 May, for footpath renewal work.

Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who is enjoying the slightly cooler mornings and nights as summer slips away!

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