Hamilton East and the CBD enjoyed a big splash of colour as the Boon Street Art Festival made its return to the city for the eighth time. Video / Danielle Zollichofer
One of Hamilton’s iconic events, the Boon Street Art Festival, celebrates two significant milestones this year: its 10th anniversary and the city’s 100th mural.
Bradley said coming from Wellington, he was used to having street art around, but upon moving to Hamilton he found there was not much of that here. He said he also felt Te Awa The Base had driven a lot of people away from the CBD.
“The city needed some love.”
Bradley said the first festival had been very “modest”.
“It was mostly just us inviting our mates to paint ... We did it in one weekend and no one really knew that we were doing it, so people came to work on Monday and went like ‘oh, what is this’.
“It was never really the plan to establish a long-running festival.”
Fast-forward to 2025, and Boon has become just that.
It is a firm staple on the Hamilton event calendar, with walls not only in the CBD, but in Hamilton East, Dinsdale and Frankton shining in new colours.
Bradley said he was proud of the development.
“It literally changed the face of the city. I feel like Hamilton has become a prouder place; it’s no longer the little brother of Auckland.
Boon Street Art Festival 2023: Hamilton artist Alice Alva painted her mural next to Hayes Common with the help of four volunteers. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
“[Boon has] done a lot for people’s engagement with the arts; it brought the art to the people.”
The name Boon, which is an old word for blessing, favour or something helpful, came from Bradley’s partner, Stephanie Christie, a poet.
“We didn’t want to be generic like ‘Hamilton Street Art Festival’ or so, we wanted it to have its own identity.”
Hamiltonians are in for a new dose of art from March 13-16, after the festival took a break from murals to give sculptures a stage last year.
As part of the anniversary event programme, school groups and the community are invited to help local artist Alice Alva paint Boon’s 100th mural in Lovegrove Lane in Hamilton East.
The festival programme also features a birthday party with food trucks, face painting, creative markets and live music, a design-a-mural competition for children at Waikato Museum, a mural scavenger hunt, workshops and a silent disco.
For the first time, businesses that want to support local art can sponsor one of the murals by “purchasing” it for $3500.
The Boon Street Art Festival is a firm staple on the Hamilton event calendar, with walls not only in the CBD, but in Hamilton East, Dinsdale and Frankton shining in new colours. Photo / Amanda Ratcliffe
Besides receiving the blueprints for the artwork, the buyers would be promoted on social media and featured on a plaque with the artist’s name, a brief artwork description, and the buyer’s logo.
Individuals wanting to do something a bit more hands on behind the scenes are invited to email volunteers@boonarts.co.nz because the team are still looking for passionate, team-oriented volunteers to bring the festival to life.
For more information about the festival go to boonarts.co.nz or go to their Facebook and Instagram page @BoonArts for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Boon Street Art Festival 2025 schedule
Thursday, March 13
Mural scavenger hunt
Kids' design-a-mural competition at Waikato Museum
Community wall painting in Lovegrove Lane with Alice Alva – School groups only
Boon Street Art Festival X Hayes Common early-morning silent disco (lLimited tickets via hayescommon.co.nz)
Mural scavenger hunt
Kids' design-a-mural competition at Waikato Museum
Community wall painting in Lovegrove Lane with Alice Alva – School groups only
Saturday, March 15
Community wall painting in Lovegrove Lane with Alice Alva – everyone welcome
Mural scavenger hunt
Kids' design-a-mural competition at Waikato Museum
Street Art Decks workshop with Brya Rose (limited tickets via bryarose.co.nz)
Boon Street Art Festival Birthday Party in Lovegrove Lane (free, family friendly event with pop-up Bootleg Brewery, food trucks, face painting, creative markets and live music)
Sunday, March 16
Community wall painting in Lovegrove Lane with Alice Alva – everyone welcome
Mural scavenger hunt
Boon X Waikato Museum events (street art workshop, live music, design-a-mural competition winner announcement and mural scavenger hunt draw)
