It was soooo good to meet heaps of you at Dinner Club @ Reggie’s last night! 🍕 It was buzzing! Stay tuned for some pics - they’ll make you jealous if you didn’t get to go along…

Gosh, the foggy mornings are making a return! The season sure is changing. 🥶

Packed edition today, as always. Enjoy!

— Ben Woodgates

P.S. If this edition looks like it’s been cut off by your email provider, just tap “Read more” or '“View entire message” to see the full version. Or read it online here >

Meet Hannah from Lang’s Little Bakery - serving up delicious 100% gluten-free, coeliac-safe treats. 🧇 Find them every Sunday at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market, 8am–12pm at Gate 3, The Barn, Claudelands. Watch the video on our Instagram > or Facebook >

You’ve probably noticed it in Hamilton lately - that fine, webby fluff drifting through the air, sticking to your washing, or catching you straight across the face on a walk…

It’s spider ballooning season: a phenomenon involves millions of young spiderlings (baby spiders!) releasing silk threads to catch wind currents. 🕸️

Around Hamilton, ballooning usually kicks in through autumn, especially after a stretch of warm weather followed by a bit of rain. The recent wet weather has probably prompted it.

During the summer, the spiders will have been raising their young. Now, as it starts getting cooler, the young have matured and are looking for new places to live! 🕷️

When the air currents and the electrical currents are just right, the spiders release their silk soaring into the air, and that can be dispersed a long way. One Australian spider is said to be able to balloon its silk across the Tasman! 💨

These spiders are harmless - they're just going about their little spidery lives. No spiders have wings, but this is a way that they can fly. Cute. But I hope they don’t land in my hair!!

🗺️ THE HAMILTON MAP: You’ve probably seen our sleek platinum framed artwork of Hamilton… time to get one of your own? Get yours >

🐶 PETS: Feefee is a gorgeous ginger and white boy with a soft heart and a gentle soul. Adopt Feefee >

🏡 PROPERTY: 5 bed, 3 bath, turfed tennis court, heated salt-water swimming pool, spa pool, gymnasium, wine cellar and a kitchen centred around a 4.3 metre polished granite island bench. Dream here >

🤔 COOL IDEAS: I’m on the look out for the next great thing in Hamilton. We’ve got the platform, time, resources, and connections to get great ideas off the ground. Fun event, product or service idea? Tell me about it >

👀 JOIN THE TEAM: I’m looking (slowly and patiently) to grow the Hello Hamilton team. Put your hand up >

🧩 LAST WEEK’S SCRAMBLE: LIGHTNING. Reply and let me know what it is this week!

🕺 It’s official: Homegrown will return to Hamilton in 2027 after organisers hailed this year’s event as an “outstanding” success. Festival chief executive Andrew Tuck confirmed the event will again take over Claudelands Oval on April 3, with plans for it to be even bigger next year. Read.

🚦 New traffic lights in Te Rapa are paving the way for a new Pak’nSave, with construction set to begin on May 4. Funded by Foodstuffs, the lights at the Wairere Dr and Karewa Pl intersection are required to allow traffic access into Karewa Pl. Read.

To make sure the new signalised intersection is safe for drivers, the speed limit on Wairere Drive between Pukete Road and Arthur Porter Drive has been lowered from 80km/h to 60km/h from today. Read why >

🙌 Hamilton’s 2026 Youth Council has officially kicked off. The 12‑member Youth Council met on Wednesday 22 April, marking the start of their term and a year focused on bringing rangatahi (youth) voices into Council conversations. Read.

📉 New data shows Hamilton’s gully erosion problems go much further than first thought, with LIDAR revealing gaps in the current “one-size-fits-all” approach to gully erosion setbacks. At present, a standard six-metre buffer is used across the city, with building work within that zone requiring geotechnical assessment. Read.

🏡 A half-billion-dollar project to unlock one of Hamilton’s biggest future suburbs has wrapped up early and under budget, paving the way for thousands of new homes in Peacocke. After eight years of construction, the 243-hectare area is now fully enabled for development, with capacity for around 7400 houses over the next three decades at a total cost of $503.1 million. Read.

Sunset Market | Thu 30th 4:30 - 9:00pm at Te Rapa Racecourse.
A new weekly Thursday night market.

Tom Scott | Fri 1st 7:00pm at BNZ Theatre.
Off the back of the release of his Aotearoa Music Chart-topping album ANITYA!

Next to Normal | Fri 1st - Sat 9th 7:30pm at The Meteor.
A 2008 American rock musical.

Orange Bike Ride - Dutch Week | Sat 2nd 8:00am at Zenders Cafe & Venue. A free, family-friendly event featuring 5km, 15km, or 55km rides, plus activities and entertainment. Dress in orange, decorate your bike, and enjoy great food and coffee.  

The Op Shop Car Boot Sale | Sat 2nd 9:00am - 1:00pm at 15 Ruakura Road.
Stalls, food and drink - including a sausage sizzle, barista coffee, and a bouncy castle!

📚 Ages of Pages | Sat 2nd 9:30am - 4:00pm at Claudelands Events Centre.
Meet 140 authors and vendors, buy books and have them signed in person. 

Poetry Writing and Workshop | Sat 2nd 11:00am - 2:00pm at 25a Devon Road.
Art and Activism - a workshop for anyone wanting to build confidence and share their voice.

🎶 Split Enz - Forever Enz Tour 2026 | Sat 2nd 7:00pm at Claudelands Events Centre.
Experience the classic songs that defined an era, live.

High Altar / Commodore 65 / Tooms | Sat 2nd 8:00pm at Last Place.
An intense crackle of spectral sounds, a shed-punk vibe, and a two-piece music band. 

💅 Nail Central Expo | Sun 3rd 9:30am - 5:00pm at Hamilton Distinction Hotel.
Their third expo - a trade only show with goody bags and a give away to be won. 

Bookbinding Workshop | Sun 3rd 10:30am - 2:00pm at The Sculpture Park.
In this workshop you will learn how to easily create unique handmade books using binding techniques that don't require specialist tools. 

Fountain City Country Music Club Open Day | Sun 3rd 12:30pm at Hamilton Workingmen's Club.
Come down and enjoy 4 hours of country music. 

You know how you're reading this right now? So are thousands of other Hamiltonians. Wouldn't it be awesome to get your business or event in front of thousands and thousands and thousands of people right here in Kirikiriroa? Let’s talk >

🖼️ Latest Artpost Exhibitions | Mon 4th 9:00am at Artpost Galleries.
On until 11 April at Artspost. Becoming Air, Elemental, Form & Whenua, Face to Face to Cosmos. 

Hoedown Showdown | Mon 4th 11:00am at Hamilton Central Baptist Church.
John Denver, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash - packed with the greatest hits.

🪐 May the Fourth – Join the Rebellion | Mon 4th 3:30 - 5:00pm at Rototuna Library.
Photo ops in front of the Millennium Falcon (thanks to a green screen), hands-on themed papercraft, and high-speed podracing on the PlayStation.

🎨 Paint and Wine Night - Beneath the Blue | Tue 5th 7:00pm at Good Neighbour.
Join for a creative night of drinking and painting in the heart of Hamilton!

From Frontlines to Headlines - Lisette Reymer | Wed 6th 7:30 - 9:00am at Gallagher Hub.
Join the May Inspire event, welcoming a multi-award winning journalist.

🥐 Pop Up French Patisserie | Wed 6th 9:00am - 12:00pm at Brown Lightening Bros.
Savour the most-loved Lemon Meringue Tart, Basque Cheesecake, and more.

🎵 Big League EP Launch | Wed 6th 6:00pm at Last Place.
Melbourne indie rockers make their return to NZ.

HaHaHamilton Comedy Lounge | Wed 6th 8:00pm at Nivara Lounge.
Featuring Callum Wagstaff, Katrina McGuinnes, Mihir Ro, Kia Barnes and more!

🎼 Resurgence - New Zealand Symphony Orchestra | Fri 8th 7:30pm at BNZ Theatre.
Music Director Emeritus James Judd and the NZSO perform.

Rock Tenors - Anthems Reloaded Tour | Fri 8th 7:30 at Clarence St Theatre.
A seismic surge of power, nostalgia, and pure ‘ROCK’manship.

🎶 Noah Nite - Get What I'm Given Single Release Tour | Fri 8th 8:30pm at Last Place.
Tamaki-based Noah Nite are playing their first show in Hamilton. 

🔋 Recycling and E-waste Drop-off Day | Sat 9th 8:00am - 1:00pm at Beetham Park.
Just drive through and drop off selected items for free.

🏎️ Revcon | Sat 9th 12:00 - 8:00pm at Claudelands.
A brand-new era in automotive lifestyle culture - immersive twilight experience.

🕺 Don't Call Me 90s | Sat 9th 8:00pm - 1:00am at The Back Bar.
A night of only the biggest and best dance floor moments from the 90s.

Mother's Day High Tea | Sun 10th 11:00am - 2:00pm at The Sculpture Park.
For all the lovely Mums, Stepmums and surrogate Mums in your life.

🎤 Hello - A Tribute to Adele | Sun 10th 3:00 - 5:00pm at Amuse Bar & Kitchen.
This Mother’s Day, join for an afternoon of singing and dancing.

Alright, get out there and have a great week!

— Ben Woodgates and Sarah Blake