Dress for Success $5 Sale

hen this compelling, candid and remarkable memoir was released last month it was New Zealand’s top-selling non-fiction book.  Join us in-store on Thursday 11th June from 5.30-7pm for the Hamilton launch of award-winning journalist Sally Wenley’s memoir The Crash (Massey University Press).  Sally will talk about her life and her book and will be available to sign copies for you.  
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If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to hamilton@poppiesbooks.co.nz by Tuesday 9th June.
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“In 1987 Sally Wenley was the driven, fun-loving and at times naughty sports prefect of her Hawke’s Bay school with everything to live for. When a bus crashed on a school trip, five people were killed and she became a paraplegic, her sporting dreams in tatters. Now an award-winning radio reporter, in this engaging, uplifting and at times hilarious memoir she looks back at the angry, defiant, risk-taking younger self who used alcohol and arrogance to mask physical pain and trauma. And, for the first time in 40 years, she also looks squarely at the accident. As she explores what happened, and acknowledges that the bus crash also devastated other lives, she comes to understand why she was so driven to escape the limitations of her wheelchair and she counts her blessings.”

—Andrea Molloy, Massey University Press

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Couldn’t be more thrilled to present legendary DIY grindcore band TEST touring throughout the North Island of New Zealand for the first time this June.
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For the uninitiated, TEST is a Brazilian duo formed in 2010 by João Kombi (guitar and vocals) and Barata (drums), two veterans of São Paulo’s underground scene. Known for their intense live performances, notable collaborations with artists like Iggor Cavalera and Deafkids, and a fearless musical approach, the band has established itself as one of the most inventive names in the Brazilian alternative scene.

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From the deathgrind band initially known for playing outside of major heavy metal concerts, fueled by a old school VW van-powered generator, Test has gone a long way since 2011, when the band started playing on the streets. Since then, the band has shared stages - inside the venue this time, be it as opening band or headlining - with artists such as Mr Bungle, King Diamond, Napalm Death, Carcass, Cannibal Corpse, Exodus e Brujeria, Mayhem, Mortician, Dillinger Escape Plan, to name a few. Speaking of name-dropping, some famous Test fans include Shane Embury, Napalm Death’s bass player, and the brothers Max and Iggor Cavalera - Iggor, by the way, has chosen Test’s drummer on the top 10 drummers of all time.
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Aside from performing with well-know heavy metal artists, Test also took part in two of the major extreme music festivals worldwide: “Obscene Extreme”, in the Czech Republic and Mexico, and “Maryland Deathfest”, in the US. With a steady recording and playing live pace, Test turns sixteen years old with 19 albums (full-lenghts, EPs and split-album with bands from different parts of the world, like Nepal [Chepang], U.S.A. [Cloud Rat, Ixias] and China [Struggle Session]), two feature films, more than ten thousand records sold and more than one thousand shows in all states of Brazil, as well as twenty one foreign tours (Asia, Europe, North America and South America).

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Doors open 2pm

Gig starts 2.30pm

Under 19 $10 +BF

General release $20 + BF

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Our Annual Fieldays Party is back, fundraising for the Hamilton Young Farmers Club, come enjoy a beverage, a yap, a boogie and enjoy a night out!

Biddy Mulligans, Hood Street Hamilton

Friday 12th June 7pm

$10 entry

Spot prizes to be won

Fundraising for Hamilton Young Farmers club

Band- Sound Cartel

Top Dog challenge starts at 8pm,

Teams of 4 race in a mystery food challenge

Who will come out on top

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Introducing the Main Exhibition of COW 2026 — City of Wonder.
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As the central exhibition anchoring this year’s programme, the Main Exhibition brings together artists, designers, and creative practices responding to the evolving identity of Hamilton.
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Spanning contemporary art, design, spatial interventions, and immersive experiences, the exhibition will transform the city centre into a platform for encounter, imagination, and dialogue.
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More to be revealed soon.
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25 September — 4 October 2026

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