Waikato taniwharau. He piko he taniwha, he piko he taniwha.
There's always something new to discover in the heart of Hamilton city. Let us be your guide as you rediscover the charm, culture, and character that make our city centre unique.
Over 30 classes per term, tutored by experienced artists with Fine Arts degrees and/or teaching degrees. Classes are a maximum of 8 students so you have a high quality experience.Workshops run from time to time at WSA and to book simply click on the Workshop tab to take you to any coming up.
Over 30 classes per term, tutored by experienced artists with Fine Arts degrees and/or teaching degrees. Classes are a maximum of 8 students so you have a high quality experience.Select the class you want to enrol into. The majority of the classes run for 8 weeks each term.
Children’s classes have all materials supplied. Adults classes have the first lesson’s materials supplied and then the tutor will let you know what you need to bring.
Alison is still floating!
"What an incredible honour to be named Business Person of the Year at the 2025 Wedding Industry Awards NZ.
Celebrating 25 years in business feels especially meaningful surrounded by so much support. I'm grateful to my incredible team— their dedication, creativity, and heart make all the difference. To my former colleagues and cherished friends, your encouragement has meant more than words can say.
I've been privileged to have been chosen by our beautiful clients, letting us be part of their love story.
Here’s to continuing to do what I love in an industry that celebrates love".
Feeling so grateful — and so lucky
Alyson
Join Goldsmiths Gallery Designer Jewellers as they celebrate their 25th anniversary, the week of 23rd to 28thJune 2025.
Goldsmiths Gallery started their journey at 426 Victoria Street, Hamilton, then moved to 441 Victoria Street, Hamilton and then moved once again to 427 Victoria Street, Hamilton, (as well as having their store at Chartwell Shopping Centre from 2014-2023). With each move came a bigger and more beautiful store.
Their exceptional workmanship has not changed over the last 25 years! While the manner of making Jewellery has changed their love for their craft has not. Their retail store is filled with stunning pieces, and they do repairs, custom CAD manufacturing, remodeling, hand-makes, all completed instore. It’s a one stop Jewellery shop.
They are incredibly grateful for the loyal customer support they have received over the past quarter-century and would love for you to celebrate with them.
Go instore and wish them a happy birthday. They will have a different surprise for you each day...including a guess the dollar value of the gold bar and go into the draw to win it!
There are also incredible specials- 15% off Gold; 20% off Diamond Rings;30% off Sterling Silver!
It's their way of saying thank you for being a part of their story.
Whether they’re ordering a “pretty insane” amount of steak or bringing in a mechanical bull, Hamilton venues are preparing for a full-on Fieldays week.
With crowds set to descend upon Mystery Creek from Wednesday until Saturday, bars, pubs and restaurants are gearing up for an influx of customers - whether its cockies or the “logistics and sales force” that comes with them.
And it’s not the only sector affected - out-of-town High Court judges won’t be brought in during a busy week which has already prompted warnings about traffic snarl-ups.
At Furnace Steakhouse in the CBD it’s all hands on deck, with a wagyu steak at Furnace being cooked by head chef Matt Gemmell.
Welcome to Beeji Food and Desserts — Hamilton Central
At the heart of Hamilton Central, Beeji Food and Desserts stands as New Zealand’s premier pure vegetarian and vegan-friendly Indian boutique restaurant. They take pride in offering an authentic culinary experience, staying true to the rich flavors, traditions, and diversity of Indian cuisine.
Their carefully curated menu showcases a wide range of pure Indian delicacies, thoughtfully prepared using time-honored recipes and the freshest ingredients. From vibrant street food classics to royal Mughlai dishes, and from wholesome vegan options to indulgent desserts — every plate tells a story of India’s rich culinary heritage.
Why Choose Beeji:
Hamilton Boys High School Marae
Wharenui & Wharekai
NZIA Waikato BOP Architecture Award 2025 - Education
PAUA Architects were engaged by the HBHS Board of Trustees to design a school marae.
The brief was to provide a new marae complex that the school can be proud of, with integrated learning spaces within the whare. Consultation with the Kiingitanga was instigated by the kura.
The site area is restricted, in the shadow of the 11m high gymnasium building at the west side, and surrounded by the existing rugby fields to the east and south of the site. This leaves little available natural grass atea space to the north.
Working with the traditional form of a marae, and a limited material selection to conform with the school guidelines, we attempted to provide a modern interpretation that pushes the envelope slightly to allow for the accomodation of class room and storage facilities.
The koorero of Taane ascending to the heavens to search for knowledge was the starting point for the design and shape of the wharenui, which has a roofline rising to the north, representing the striving and pushing higher, representative of the school and students’ desire to succeed.
The three pop-outs at each side of the building represent the three baskets of knowledge, and feature a brick pattern articulating the concepts of the three baskets.
Whare Ako Completed 2024
Warm up your winter with our mouthwatering menu for group dining!Get a group of friends together or perhaps the gang from work and enjoy a welcome drink on arrival followed by a sumptuous spread.
Welcome beverage on arrival
(House wine, beer or tap, non-alcoholic drink)
Sharing Boards
Bread rolls
Baked brie and honey
Walnut and rosemary crackers
Seared tuna, marinated cucumber with gingerand wasabi dressing
Roasted root vegetables
Steamed broccoli with garlic butter andtoasted almonds
Garden salad
Sous vide lamb with mint jus
Apricot and bourbon glazed champagne ham
Passionfruit and kiwifruit pavlova
Steamed fruit pudding with custard
$75 per adult
$39 per child (5 - 16 years)
Under 5 Free
(Minimum 10 people)
RSVP
07 9578009
Warm up your winter with our mouthwatering menu for group dining!Get a group of friends together or perhaps the gang from work and enjoy a welcome drink on arrival followed by a sumptuous spread.
Welcome Beverage
House wine, beer or tap, non-alcoholic drink
Starters
Seasonal vegetable soup
Assorted bread selection
Meat platter
Seafood
Steamed tiger prawns
Half shell mussels
Cool Salad Selections
Seseme slaw with crispy noodles
Pumpkin, chorizo, walnut and feta
Broccoli, sundried tomato and orzo pasta
Carvery
Maple glazed champagne ham
Hot Selections
Salmon, Steak, Chicken, Gnocchi
Steamed & roasted vegetables
Sweets
Fruit Crumble, Pavlova,
Ice Cream, Fresh Fruit Salad
$89 per adult
$42 per child (5-12 years)
Minimum 25 People
Bookings are essential
07 9578009
Don't organise another boring work event! Book in for a Team Builder at Bowl & Social and really wow everyone (and maybe even get a pay rise!)
The Team Builder Package includes;
All this for only $48 per person!
(minimum eight people)
Kumar Kitchen have extended their Te Rapa offering by opening an additional restaurant in Victoria Street.
The Vegetarian menu is extensive and includes:
Chaat - Burgers - Momo - Soup - South Indian Dishes - Indo Chinese Dishes - Desserts
Along Hamilton’s riverside, where craft cocktails meet bold, modern cuisine, there’s one dish that’s quietly taken on cult status.
At Mr Pickles, the vibe is all urban polish with a side of playfulness - but the star of the show is pure comfort: a plate of golden fried chicken, slathered in sticky chilli garlic caramel, kissed with Szechuan heat and topped with Kewpie mayo.
In a venue designed with Melbourne inspiration and a killer river view, this dish stands out not for flash or fine-dining finesse, but for its unpretentious joy.
It’s the reason people keep coming back. Some even drive down from Auckland for a hit of the ‘sticky chicken’, says bar manager Javiel Duncan.
With two restaurants already in Auckland Nan Hot Pot have now expand into Hamilton offering a fun and interactive dining experience!
Nan Hotpot, a proud ambassador of traditional Chinese hotpot culture, bringing the rich, bold flavors of China to your table. Specialising in premium broths and a truly immersive dining experience
How hot pot works:
Choose Your Broth: Start by selecting your preferred broth.
Select Ingredients: Pick a variety of ingredients to cook in the broth.
Cook: Once the broth is boiling, place your ingredients in the pot to start cooking.
Every year in August, Hamilton Book Month celebrates New Zealand authors and their writing, with events covering different genres and age groups. Readers from the Waikato and beyond are invited to meet authors, listen to them discuss their work, and ask questions. With activities and events for all ages, all month, this is a local celebration you won't want to miss.
Visit their website for the full schedule of events.
Opening: 5.30 - 7.30pm
Thursday 14th August 2025
Exhibition Date: 14th August - 13th September 2025
In Reflex, Sarah Munro invites viewers into a quiet, instinctual space — where watercolor becomes not a tool of control, but a collaborator in uncertainty. These works arise from a process of immediate, unfiltered response: to memory, to mood, to the body’s own rhythm.
Watercolor, with its fluidity and resistance to overworking, mirrors Munro’s interest in what lies beneath conscious thought. Each brushstroke is a reflex — quick, unrehearsed, and honest. Color seeps, bleeds, and settles in ways that cannot be entirely predicted, revealing the tension between surrender and intention that defines her practice.
Rather than plan or perfect, Munro listens. She listens to the way water moves, how pigment pools or vanishes, how gesture meets gravity. The result is work that feels ephemeral yet grounded—at once fleeting and deeply rooted in presence.
Reflex is not a narrative. It is an impulse. A visual record of the moment before interpretation, before language. In this body of work, Munro explores what happens when we trust the immediacy of the hand, the weight of the brush, and the quiet logic of the unconscious.
Han Chao - Hanrad Gallery
Artist Statement:
I am a studio-based painter in Hamilton, New Zealand and an academic specialising in creative practice research in painting and embodied cognition. I have exhibited in New York, Italy and France. Since 2018, I have taught art theory and supervised Honors and Masters-level creative practice research at Waikato Institute of Technology. My doctoral studies explored how painting activates embodied cognition and I am committed to developing this research in both my painting practice and teaching.
Sarah Mitchell Munro
The Bruce Springsteen Experience is an international-level show dedicated to honouring the timeless music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Featuring a full nine-piece lineup, this captivating performance delivers an electrifying blend of visual and audio excitement. Audiences are consistently wowed, with standing ovations being the norm.
As 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic "Born to Run" album, The Bruce Springsteen Experience will perform the album in its entirety, along with a selection of The Boss's greatest hits. This special celebration promises to be a remarkable tribute, allowing fans to relive the magic of Springsteen’s music like never before. Don't miss this unforgettable experience!
Saturday Night Fever defined the disco era and the high-energy second act delivers chartbuster after chartbuster from the Bee Gees, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Yvonne Elliman, The Trammps, Graham Bonnet and others – Night Fever, Jive Talkin’, Disco Inferno, Stayin’ Alive, More Than A Woman, Emotion, Warm Ride, If I Can’t Have You, How Deep is Your Love, You Should be Dancing and so much more.
Saturday Night Fever was the biggest selling sound recording between 1977 and 1980 with highest daily sales of 200,000 USA copies, and topped the popularity surveys of Billboard, Cashbox and Record World.
Awarded the Album of the Year Grammy in 1979, the release stayed in the Top 200 for 29 consecutive months and made Barry Gibb the first solo songwriter in history to have three consecutive #1’s and four songs in the Top Ten simultaneously.
Saturday Night Fever has since been added to the American National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress as “culturally, historically and aesthetically significant”. Stayin’ Alive continues to make history as it features the first drum loop ever recorded on a pop music track and the Brooklyn Shuffle moves are still in evidence on the dance floor.
After humble beginnings in a garage, to a record-breaking rise to the top of the podcast charts, Aotearoa’s favourite trio — Jordan Vaha'akolo, Brook Ruscoe, and Marc Peard — are taking The Morning Shift to the people. This August and September, they’ll be bringing eight massive shows across Aotearoa and Australia in their first-ever LIVE tour.
Real people, real talk and now real life. Expect all the stuff you love from the podcast: deep kōrero, big laughs, a few tears, spontaneous/questionable singing, plus whatever Jordan decides to overshare that night. The live show brings the podcast to life, with that signature Morning Shift energy that turns commutes into therapy sessions and takes gym workouts to another level.
The Morning Shift is more than a podcast, it's a community. Having now ticked over two years of being #1 in your hearts (sometimes #1 in the charts), their podcast has become a staple for thousands of New Zealanders who tune in daily.Whether you’re a Day One Shifter or just joined the movement last week — this is your moment.
Rally the crew, book the babysitter, and get ready for a night that promises to shift you.Thanks to Nando’s, who’ve helped take this dream from the garage to the stage.Shift Nation, we on.
The Black Flames are ready to burn the house down.
It’s been 30 years since Aaron Gascoigne stormed Hamilton stages fronting local rock legends ColdShock — a band that left its mark on the city with raw power, sweat, and sound. Now he’s back. And this time, he’s bringing fire, brass, and a full-blown musical machine.
The Black Flames are an 11-piece supergroup fusing rock, funk, and soul — the brainchild of Netherworld Dancing Toys founder Nick Sampson, alongside longtime collaborators Tim Robinson and Steve Shaw.
Up front:
Gascoigne — Waikato-born and battle-tested — a showman with the grit of rock and the heart of soul.
Beside him: Moana Richardson — a phenomenal young soul vocalist whose star is rising fast. Taking on the mantle once held by Annie Crummer, Moana brings undeniable power, grace, and soul well beyond her years. She’s the real deal — and she’s just getting started.
On guitar and vocals, Nick Sampson — the songwriter behind some of New Zealand’s biggest anthems (and yes, For Today is in the set).
In the engine room: Steve Shaw (The Loving Arms) on bass, Tim Robinson on drums, and Michael Larsen (ex-Jan Hellriegel band) on keys.
Overhead? A horn section that slaps — five of NZ’s finest from The Instigators, Wonderfish Collective, The Alibis and more — razor-sharp and loud as hell.
Their brand new single launches live on the night.
And it’s not just The Black Flames lighting up the room — opening the night are two of NZ’s most exciting young bands:
Pocket Watch — a gritty, high-energy crew with killer riffs and youthful swagger.
The Rain — indie rock with soul, heart, and hooks that stay with you long after the lights go out.
This isn’t just a gig — it’s a homecoming.
A new chapter.
And a chance to dance like it's 1994 again — but bigger, tighter, and groovier than ever.
A celebration of Afrikaans with Bobby van Jaarsveld, Ruhan du Toit and Corlea Both with JD Mars.
This is three hours of great Afrikaans music by the best from South Africa. Kom kuier saam in jou taal by Afrikaans is Lekker. Moontlik gemaak deur die ondersteuning van Afriforum Wereldwyd.
Hamilton’s own Berkley Normal Middle School turns up the volume with Disney’s Camp Rock The Musical!
Mitchie, Shane and their friends square off against rival Camp Star in a winner-takes-all showdown bursting with guitar-driven anthems, energetic choreography and hits like “This Is Me,” “Can’t Back Down” and “We Rock.”
Packed with humour and heart, this 70-minute, family-friendly production proves that friendship beats fame and music shines brightest when shared. Enjoy high-energy performances and irresistibly catchy pop-rock numbers, brought to the stage by Berkley students. Book now and join the jam!
Disney’s Camp Rock The Musical is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are supplied by MTI.
SkyCity Hamilton this August presents the very best in Local and International Stand Up comedy once again.
Their headline act this month is the amazing Hayley Sproull. Star of the ZM Morning show, Taskmaster, 7 Days and host of this year's Comedy Gala, we are honoured Hayley will be at Hamilton's newest and best comedy club.
Support will be from one of Hamilton's finest exports, Paul Douglas. The master yarn spinner has been one of the busiest comedians in New Zealand since he broke onto the scene 10 years ago with commanding performances on The Comedy Gala and 7 Days.
“There are many ways to enjoy pleasure and laughter as a human being, one of the easiest is watching Paul Douglas” - Dai Henwood
The show will be hosted by the hairiest and best known faces in NZ comedy, Ben Hurley.
R18
General Admission: $43.28 each ($39.00 + $4.28 fees)
Step inside a compelling visual narrative that challenges society’s assumptions and celebrates the power of change. RAW Beauty is a transformative photographic master’s exhibition curated by Annah
Stretton, bringing to light the stories of waahine with lived experience of incarceration not as statistics, but as women of deep strength, mana, and untapped potential.
In this collection of striking portraits and personal reflections, the exhibition directly responds to the historic injustice of the state mugshot imagery captured and circulated without agency or consent. Here, those same women reclaim their image, voice, and future on their own terms.
The work has been developed in partnership with the waahine of RAW (Reclaim Another Woman), a pioneering social initiative that supports high-risk women to exit cycles of offending, poverty, and dependence. RAW offers a long-term, wraparound model of care that includes education, employment, and whaanau reconnection, walking alongside women both during and after their time in prison.
11am – 12.30am
1pm – 2.30pm
3pm – 4.30pm
5pm – 6.30pm
7pm – 8.30pm
Ticket Price
Non-Members Ticket Price - $50
Bookings for a Table of up to 4 Guests
Choose from 40+ available wines to taste
8 different countries and over 20 different regions
Taste up to 15 different wines & Specialty Products
No BYO. Food availability at venue
Parking available on site
Book a table for up to 4 people
Exclusive Event Only offers available on the day
Limited seats available. Register early to secure your preferred day & session time.
The Wine Community Members (and guests) - FREE
No Large Group Bookings. Maximum 1 Table per group
After months of hard work, Bruce Cooper and I are proud to share The View from Poets Corner – a short film packed with creativity that brings Bruce’s poetry to life.
Premiere Night – Saturday 9 August
Nivara Lounge, Hamilton
Doors 7PM | Screening 8PM
Koha/donation entry – everyone welcome
Join us for the very first public screening, with a live poetry reading from Bruce and music from the incredible one-man band Mike Conlon.
Come grab a drink, hear the words, and see the film on the big screen for the first time.
Big Thanks To Hamilton City Council, The Creative Communities Scheme, and Creative Waikato for Funding and Support in the Development of this Film
About the Film.
Bruce Cooper, a Māori street poet from Fairfield, shares four raw and reflective poems inspired by the signs and stories of Poets' Corner. Filmed with a DIY spirit, it blends lo-fi charm and poetic grit – with cardboard props and handmade sets bringing Bruce’s words to life. Honest, creative, and rooted in place, The View from Poets' Corner turns everyday struggle into spoken word theatre.
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