Australasian band Crowded House is coming to Hamilton. Photo / Elroy Finn
Australasian band Crowded House is coming to Hamilton. Photo / Elroy Finn
● Pacific Rose Bowl Festival, community event, now until November 10 at Rogers Rose Garden, Hamilton Gardens
The annual rose trial for introduced and New Zealand-bred roses where the public can vote for the Rose of the Year is back for 2024. This is quite an unusual rose trial as the vast majority are judged by panels of experts. All members of the public are very welcome to attend and vote for their favourite 10 roses. Free event.
● Steampunk Festival, now until November 10 in Thames
Steampunk the Thames invites the community to their ninth annual Steampunk Festival, which is held under the theme Mad Hatter this year. The event includes competitions, games, a Steampunk fashion show and a Steampunk parade on Saturday at 11am. The parade procession then will travel down Pollen St to Cochrane St and then back to Pahau St for after-parade entertainment. For more information, visit steampunkthethames.co.nz.
● Waihī Vegetarian Festival, food event, November 10, 10am-3pm at Waihī Academy, 132 Landlyst Rd, Waihī
The Waihī Vegetarian Festival is back for its seventh year with lots of delicious vegetarian and vegan food, live performances and fun activities for the whole family. Admission is free, dogs on leashes are very welcome.
● The Great Kiwi Summer Festival, community event, November 9-10, Mighty River Domain, 601 Maungatautari Rd, Cambridge
The Great Kiwi Summer Festival brings together a variety of events to provide two-days of family fun and entertainment on the shores of Lake Karapiro. The line-up will include an Illuminate Light and Sound Show, Cambridge Hunting and Fishing Outdoor Expo, Armistice in Cambridge and BMX Big Air Championships. Tickets online via humanitix.
The annual Steampunk Festival will kick off in Thames this weekend. Photo / Creative Coromandel
● Gordonton Christmas Market 2024, November 16, 10am at Gordonton Hall, 1024 Gordonton Rd, Hamilton
The Annual Gordonton Christmas Market is back with indoor and outdoor stalls, food, coffee, and music. Free event.
● New Zealand Jetsprint Championship round 1, motorsport event, November 16, 10am at Meremere Sprint Bowl, SH1, Drag Way, Meremere
This is the final final event at Dragway, Meremere, with the speedway track preparations having been slow so the organisers are grateful to have one more last hurrah at Meremere where 1600 horsepower machines go from stationary to 130km/h in less than two seconds, pulling six G-Force on 180-degrees corners. Bring your picnic blanket, gazebo, camping chairs and chilly bin. There will also be food stalls. Tickets online via Eventfinda.
● Lugtons Round the Bridges, sport event, November 17, 8am at Garden Place, Hamilton
Every year thousands of runners and walkers descend upon Hamilton City Centre for one of New Zealand’s oldest contested events. Established in 1945 by the Hamilton Harrier Club (now known as Hamilton City Hawks), Lugton’s Round The Bridges started out as a road race to showcase some of NZ’s top athletes. Nowadays the event welcomes people of all ages, shapes and sizes with finisher’s medals for every participant and on-course musical entertainment.
● Crowded House, concert, November 22, 7pm at Claudelands Event Centre, Hamilton
New Zealand rock band Crowded House is on tour across New Zealand and Australia, supporting their new album Gravity Stairs. Tickets online via Ticketek.
Urzila Carlson is coming to Hamilton.
● NextGen NZ Championship Taupō Season Opener, motorsport, November 22-24 at Taupō International Motorsport Park
The inaugural round of the NextGen NZ Championship will be held in Taupō. The racing line-up includes GR86, Summerset GT New Zealand, the GTRNZ, Pirelli Porsche, Mazda Racing Series, and Super V8. Tickets online via nextgennz.co.nz.
● The Little Big Markets Whangamatā Summer Series, November 24, 9am-2pm at Williamson Park, Ocean Rd, Whangamatā
This monthly summer market will include a range of gourmet street food vendors, as well as a selection of stallholders, live music and lots of free activities to entertain the little ones. Free admission.
● Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge, sport event, November 30, Tongariro North Domain, Tongariro St, Taupō
The Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge – New Zealand’s largest cycling event – is all go for November celebrating its 46th running. There’s exciting news in the mountain bike category this year. Apart from the traditional Huka Steamer (60km) and Huka Teaser (30km) MTB events, the event also announced the introduction of the Tineli Huka Hundy (100km), a new category this year.
● Hamilton Christmas Tree Lighting Festival, November 30, 5pm at Garden Place, Hamilton
Get ready for an unforgettable night as we light up the Christmas tree for the first time. There will be food trucks, characters, face painting, balloon art and live entertainment! Free event.
