With classic games, exciting challenges, and modern favourites, there's something for everyone to enjoy, and win big prizes.
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Textiles: with a focus on embroidery techniques.
4 Week Textile Art Class Starting Wednesday 3rd June
Students will learn everything from basic back-stitching, button sewing, decorative stitching to more advanced darning techniques.
As we cover mending, upcycling fabric scraps and practicing our design work, the students will work towards designing their own final work that showcases all of the techniques they have learned.
Price $90.00
The results were clear, “the public has spoken’’ - Motorists will again be able to park for two hours free of charge in the city centre.
On Thursday, after months of calls from retailers, shoppers and motorists, Hamilton City Council voted 12 to 2 to reinstate the two-hour free status, from July 1.
Two-hour free parking for on-street parking in the CBD was first introduced in 2017 but cut down to just one-hour in 2023.
As part of his mayoral election campaign Mayor Macindoe proposed the reintroduction of two hours free on-street short stay parking in the central city from July 1, 2026 (the point that the one-hour free offering is due to be removed).
The move was then included in the draft 2026/27 Annual Plan budget.
During the subsequent consultation period, 1053 people responded to the on-street short stay free parking question, with 88% supporting two hours free parking.
Hamilton Central Business Association general manager Vanessa Williams has been a regular at HCC public forums campaigning for the two-hour reintroduction, and is thrilled that “this is no longer a talking point.’’
“I think, for the general public, it reduces a barrier to coming into town. So it just makes it easy and people want easy, particularly now when there are so many hard things about society at the moment, there's no need to make parking one of those hard things.’’
Jim Beam Homegrown boosted Hamilton’s coffers to the tune of $10m in its first year back in the city - and organisers say the festival is set to only get bigger from here.
After glowing reviews from attendees and residents alike, the success of the country’s largest Kiwi music festival has now been mapped out economically.
An independent analysis by consultants Fresh Info found the one-day event drew 25,000 attendees to Claudelands Oval including more than 17,885 people from out of town, pumping almost $10m into the local economy.
In total, the event generated more than 24,648 visitor nights and $4.8m in tourist spending across accommodation, hospitality, retail and transport.
Hamilton City Council general manager destinations, Sean Murray, told the Waikato Times Homegrown had lived up to “high” expectations and delivered benefits far beyond the festival’s gates.
Hotels, motels, and other accommodation providers in and around Hamilton were booked out for the event, he said.
“It basically generates new business for people that would not have otherwise come to the city on that day.”
There’s something magical about walking down a laneway in a city anywhere in the world.
It makes you feel like you’re discovering a space that not everyone knows about. More often than not, a laneway develops its character through word-of-mouth, the collective vibe created by the sum total of offerings down the lane.
When places with individual personalities sit alongside each other, they create something new: a destination and a feeling that you need to be part of what’s on offer.
While main streets tend to stay fixed in their character, laneways are more changeable. They move with the times, adopting a chameleon approach, attracting like-minded or complementary businesses, shifting from one vibe to another almost seamlessly. Casabella Lane is the perfect case study.
In the early years, around the mid2000s, this slightly tucked-away treasure was Hamilton’s go-to for fashion and brands. Names such as Bella Boutique, Annah Stretton, and Red Currant graced the shopfronts, drawing shoppers seeking designer clothing, shoes and homewares. It held this reputation for several years before becoming a more culturally curated space with the rise of the artists.
The lane transformed into a creative sanctuary. Already anchored by Gordon Harris, supplier to budding and established artists, new tenancies The Art Studio and The Pottery Studio moved in, bringing with them the smell of paint, the whir of pottery wheels, and an entirely different energy. Same location, completely new vibe.
Today, Casabella Lane has evolved once again, this time into a hospitality haven. Recent additions include Iris Cafe, where the grab-and-go options are just as tempting as the stay-and-linger menu. Then there’s Scran, serving up homemade local and Scottish fare in a retro fitout that’s as charming as the food is hearty. For those navigating dietary requirements, Hello Rosie delivers gluten-free meals and sweet treats that don’t compromise on flavour, while Bamboo Sweets provides those luxurious chocolatier moments we all deserve. Add long-time favourites Kino Sushi, Basil Thai and Vietnamese Kitchen into the mix, and you’ve got yourself quite the international dining experience.
Of course, hospitality isn’t the whole story. Still keeping true to its retail origins, Zebrano, Sills, Parlour and Renting with SB carry on the designer wear tradition, while Poppy’s Bookshop offers that perfect browse-and-relax atmosphere. Health, beauty and wellness are well represented with Natures Spa, Heidi Christian Hair, Blush Hair, Spa & Co and Varda hairdressers. And let’s not forget the jewel in the crown, Midas Jewellers, adding genuine sparkle to the lane.
If you haven’t visited recently, we recommend popping in and reconnecting with the fabulous vibe and tenancies at Casabella Lane.
©HamiltonCentralBusinessAssociation
