👋🏼 Hello Hamilton

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First time here? I’m Ben from Pukete and today we’re covering the best things happening in Hamilton and local news headlines you can’t miss. Join 10,000+ Hamiltonians here.

This week’s full of good stuff. If it’s been cut off by your email provider, tap “View entire message” or "Read more" to see more.

🎟️ What’s on in the Tron this week?

Lorna Jane Pop-Up | Thu 30th 8:30am - 6:30pm at Waterworld. Come and shop the latest arrivals with 20% off. Plus be in to win a pair of Lorna Jane’s best-selling Lotus Leggings and a family pass to Hamilton Pools for some summer fun! Info.  

Nerdfest 2025 🤓 | Thu 30th 3:00 - 6:30pm at The Pā, Waikato University. Join for the return of the Nerdfest event — a dynamic tech showcase hosted by the University of Waikato's School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences. Info. 

Sustainability and Circular Construction Waste Tour | Thu 30th 4:00pm at The Waste Project. Keen to cut down waste on your site? Curious how others are doing it? Come check out The Waste Project by Sentinel Homes Waikato — where leftover building materials are being repurposed into fully functional tiny homes. Register.  

Glow in the Dark Paint Party 🎨 | Thu 30th 7:00pm at The Bank Bar. Grab a drink in one hand, a brush in the other and get your creative juices flowing and your brush strokes going with ultra-violet lights, glow in the dark paint and nothing but laughs all night long! Tickets.

Pekapeka Bat Tour | Thu 30th 7:50pm at Hamilton Gardens. Get dressed for Halloween and join the Hamilton Gardens, in partnership with Go Eco, for the first Pekapeka discovery walk of the season. Explore the night-time habitats of the outer gardens. Tickets.   

NZ Tiny House Expo | Fri 31st - Sun 2nd at Mystery Creek Events Centre. For three days only, Mystery Creek transforms into a village of tiny houses, cabins, granny flats, modular homes, and clever builds you can actually step inside. Tickets. 

Waikato A&P Show 🦙 | Friday 31st - Sunday 2nd 10:00am - 2:00pm at Claudelands. Have you ever met an alpaca, pranced with a pony, petted a rabbit? Experience farm-tastic fun, shop unique treasures, and savour farm-to-fork treats. Don’t miss this historically iconic event! Tickets.  

Glow-in-the-Dark Halloween Disco | Fri 31st 3:00 - 5:30pm at Chartwell Shopping Centre. Get ready for a Halloween like no other with a free glow-in-the-dark disco. Includes disco dance party, face painting and entertainment by Enchanted Entertainment. Info.  

Treats in the Park 👻 | Fri 31st 4:00 - 7:30pm at Western Community Centre. Get your costumes ready and prepare for a night of spooky fun featuring 6 treat stations, bouncy inflatable rides, yummy food stalls, live entertainment, a costume contest and more! Tickets.  

Tricks, Treats & Twists | Fri 31st 4:30pm at Made. Collect a map from Mr Twist and follow the trail throughout the centre, collecting stamps and treats along the way! Complete the map and hand in to Mr Twist to receive a bonus mini pretzel or baby soft serve while stocks last. Prizes for best colouring in, best costume and more. Info.  

Light Party | Fri 31st 5:00pm at Reformed Church of Hukanui. Come to the alternative to Halloween, with lots of Carnival games, a glow room, face paint, a bouncy castle, candy floss, lollies and more! Info.  

Halloween: Museum After Dark 🎃 | Fri 31st 6:00pm - 9:00pm at Waikato Museum. Step into Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum after dark for a Halloween adventure like no other. Hear ghost stories around the campfire, follow the trick-or-treat trail, and enjoy free face painting for all ages. Tickets.  

Halloween Party | Fri 31st 6:00 - 10:00pm at Boulder Co. Join for a night of costumes, creepy climbs, and Halloween fun! Dress up for the chance to win prizes. Info.  

Dinner Buddies | Fri 31st 7:00pm at Indian Chimney. Dinner Buddies is a group for people aged 35+ to come together and try out a Hamilton restaurant once a month. A great opportunity to meet different people and taste new food. Register.  

Dumpweed - Blink 182 Tribute 🎵 | Fri 31st 8:00pm at Last Place. The boys have worked tirelessly, nailing down a fine mix of Blink bangers from deep in the repertoire, all the way through to Blink's most recent album. Tickets.  

Tina 🕺 | Fri 31st 8:00pm at Clarence St Theatre. Get the electrifying concert experience of Tina Turner, brimming with iconic hits from the 60s, 70s, 80s & 90s. Featuring the powerful, raspy vocals, high-intensity dancing and thrilling stage presence of South African Caroline Borole live on stage. Tickets 

LSKD Hamilton Store Opening | Sat 1st 8:30am at Centre Place Shop 62. Come celebrate the opening of LSKD in Centre Place and be first to shop exclusive LSKD gear, store-only deals, and gifts from their brand partners! Info.  

Halloween Flash Day | Sat 1st 10:00am at Paradiso Tattoos. Come to Paradiso Tattoo’s 4th annual Halloween flash day for walk-in tattoos plus a $200 voucher for best dressed. Info.  

Hamilton West Cemetery Tour 🪦 | Sat 1st 10:00am at Hamilton West Cemetery. Join local historian Lyn Williams as she shares the surprising stories behind the headstones at one of Hamilton’s heritage cemeteries. Info.  

Plant Sale 🌿 | Sat 1st 10:00am - 2:00pm at Hamilton Gardens. Friends of Hamilton Gardens' monthly plant sale - great range of plants at great prices. Info.  

Hamilton 2025 Model Railway Exhibition | Saturday and Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm at Hamilton Gardens Pavilion. Come along and have a look with a variety of tracks and layouts, in different scales and with different themes. Tickets.  

Pasifika Fiafia Kirikiriroa Festival 2025 | Sat 1st 10:00am - 4:00pm at Fairfield Intermediate School. This year the celebration is outdoors! Enjoy more performances, a variety of stalls and a vibrant showcase of diverse cultures. Info.  

Halloween Night Run | Sat 1st 2:00 - 8:00pm at Hamilton Model Engineers. Enjoy model railway fun for all ages! Prizes for best dress plus food trucks onsite. Info.

Hamilton Gardens Scarecrow Festival | Sun 2nd 11:00am - 3:00pm at Hamilton Gardens. Get creative and enter a scarecrow to be put on display in the Kitchen Garden, and don't forget to come along to see them all displayed and vote for your favourite. Info.  

Gourmet In the Gardens 🧺 | Sun 2nd 4:00 - 8:00pm at Hamilton Gardens. Come along with the whole family and listen to the local live music while dining from the lineup of local food trucks. Bring your picnic blankets, chairs, and sunscreen. Info.  

Spring Gala Concert | Sun 2nd 7:00pm at St Peter’s Cathedral. Come to help fundraise for earthquake strengthening. Featuring Madison Nonoa, soprano, Gabriella Schuitemaker, violin, and Gracie Francis, piano. Info.  

👀 A peek at what’s on next week!

Kickstart Your KiwiSaver | Tue 4th 7:30am at Made. Join for a free breakfast and coffee while meeting Milford Kiwisaver Plan Experts to discuss topics like the importance of setting financial goals. Register.  

Yarn 'n' Yack 🧶 | Tue 4th 2:00pm at Glenview Library. Join for a cozy crafternoon! Bring your knitting, crochet or stitching project, and enjoy the company of fellow craft enthusiasts. Info.  

Melbourne Cup Bottomless Brunch | Tue 4th 2:00pm at Keystone. Celebrate Melbourne Cup in style with a four-course menu specially curated by award-winning chef Andrew Clarke - paired with Keystone’s extensive range of bottomless drinks. Book.  

TEDxUniversity of Waikato | Tue 4th 6:00 - 10:00pm at Waikato University. From the loss of native species and advent of new AI chatbot companions, to the perils of ageism and confusing social media slang, TEDxUniversity of Waikato will showcase the breadth of the University’s research. Register.

AI to MVP: Supercharging Your Startup Journey 🤖 | Wed 5th 5:00pm at The Long Room. Join for an energising face-to-face session with Chris O’Neill, AI and Fintech Lead at Creative HQ, as he explores how founders can harness the power of AI to accelerate their startup journey. Tickets.  

Interactionz Gumboot Friday Fundraiser | Thu 6th 12:30pm at Chartwell Cooperating Church. Come along dressed in your best for a Gumboot Rally Scavenger Hunt! Drinks and nibbles provided. Please bring a donation for the Gumboot Friday fundraiser. Info.

Paint & Pals 🖌️ | Thu 6th 6:00pm at Rainbow Hub. Rainbow Hub Waikato & CaliLou's Tattoos are super excited to partner up and deliver Paints & Pals! A guided art class designed to foster creativity, relaxation, and community. Tickets. 

RMHC Charity Quiz Night | Thu 6th 7:30pm at Biddy Mulligan’s. All entry proceeds will go to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Presented by the Parry Group of Restaurants - 5 Cross Roads, Hamilton East & Chartwell. Register. 

Twilight Market | Fri 7th 5:00 - 8:00pm at Forest Lake Gardens Village. Join the fun with lots of local stalls, food trucks and entertainment! Info.  

Comedy Zone - Irish & Scottish 🤣 | Fri 7th 7:30pm at SkyCity. Hamilton's premiere regular comedy show returns in November with the legendary Booze & Craic shows. A night of Irish & Scottish comedy hosted by Dubliner, Alan McElroy and featuring Samantha Hannah, David Stuart and Shane Mulvey. Tickets.  

Indica - Is It Summer Yet | Fri 7th 8:00 - 11:30pm at Last Place. Waikato based five-piece Indica brings a bit of rootsy reggae, a bit of rock energy, and a bit of ska bounce to the stage. They’ll be joined by bass-heavy fusion duo Tipas, and indie/rock/reggae band Rèver for a night of good vibes music and good company. Tickets. 

Gypsy Fair | Saturday and Sunday 9:00am at Claudelands Park. The Gypsy Fair is a nationwide travelling event, bringing family fun, live music and an unbeatable vibe. Info.  

Armistice at the Museum | Sat 8th 10:00am - 4:00pm at Classic Museum. Join in commemorating the end of World War 1 and see the large range of military vehicle displays and militaria displays. Info.  

Peter and The Wolf 🎭 | Sat 8th 12:00pm at The Meteor. Hamilton City Brass presents Peter and the Wolf, an interactive musical adventure about a brave boy, a cunning wolf, and a few surprising animal friends. Tickets. 

Fashion For A Cause | Sat 8th 6:00pm at The Atrium, Wintec. Join for an unforgettable evening of fashion with heart at Fashion For a Cause, proudly presented by Rudra Entertainment and Rupal Solanki in support of St. John New Zealand. Tickets.  

Burlesque Royale: Monarchs of Music | Sat 8th 6:00 - 9:00pm at Biddy Mulligans. Step into a glittering palace of sequins, rhinestones, and seduction as Burlesque Royale: Monarchs of Music takes the stage! This alluring revue pays tribute to the crowned legends of popular music. Tickets.

Kick for a Cause ⚽️ | Sun 9th 12:30 - 4:00pm at Cambridge Football Club. Waikato’s charity football event is returning for the second time to support the Salvation Army. See Ben from Hello Hamilton on the pitch! Info.

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.

📰 Local news you may have missed 

Hamilton has retained its title as New Zealand’s fastest-growing city, with its population rising 1.4% to 192,100 in the year to June 2025. The city added 2,600 people through a mix of international migration and natural increase, outpacing Auckland and Christchurch, which both grew by 1%. Read.

Labour Weekend came thundering to a halt across Waikato with Metservice recording 2686 lighting strikes across the region between 9pm Monday and 9am Tuesday. Thunderstorms extended all the way across Raglan to Whakatāne, with heavy rain also hitting the Waikato overnight. Read.

Connor Maxwell survived a stroke and meningitis as a little boy and was once called the “unluckiest, most luckiest” kid by doctors at Starship Hospital. On Labour Day, he ran 12 laps around Hamilton Lake to raise funds for Starship, helping other kids like him. Read.

A new exhibition opening Friday at Hamilton East’s Welcome Swallow Gallery will showcase 21 paintings and drawings celebrating architecture from around the region and beyond. Titled Design is Everything, the collection includes a poignant image of the Chateau Tongariro and possibly the first painted depiction of the Waikato Regional Theatre. Read.

New Touch n Go kiosks are set to make parking in Hamilton’s central city faster and easier. Hamilton City Council has installed 38 new kiosks in response to customer requests for simpler, app-free ways to register and pay for hourly parking in the green and yellow zones. Read.

Thanks for reading Hello Hamilton today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who should hang out with Hamilton’s night flyers!!

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.

See you next week!

— Ben and Sarah