Hamilton Day brings local love and Halloween thrills to every corner of the city

With more than 1,000 participants, free admission at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, live music, markets, and plenty of spooky family-friendly activities, the four-day celebration returns with a Halloween twist.

The Halloween edition of Hamilton Day will bring together local businesses, artists, performers and community organizations for a four-day celebration of everything that makes the city special.

Running from Thursday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 1, Hamilton Day will feature more than 1,000 participating businesses and a city-wide lineup of shopping, dining, entertainment, tours and family-friendly activities.

And with Halloween falling on Saturday, organizers are embracing the spooky season with a theme of “no tricks, just local treats.”

“It’s the same goals in terms of supporting local business, embracing the community, getting together, but also again, having that Halloween edge to it,” says Katie Stiel, director of strategic initiatives and partnerships at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.

Visitors can learn the choreography to Michael Jackson’s Thriller before performing it as a flash mob at Gore Park, carve pumpkins at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market, or get creative with edible blood, zombie goo and fairy plasma at Ooze Lab.

For those looking for something a little more eerie, ghost tours are taking place on Ottawa Street, in Waterdown and at Whitehern Historic House. There are Halloween concerts and dances, plenty of spooky sales at local retailers, a costume parade at the Hamilton Public Library, community trick or treating, and even a mobile petting farm on Ottawa Street North.

The celebration also offers plenty of opportunities to discover Hamilton’s arts and entertainment scene.

The Hamilton Day Battle of the Bands takes place Saturday night at Bridgeworks, featuring four local bands competing in a free concert presented in partnership with Sonic Unyon.

The Art Gallery of Hamilton is also opening its doors with free admission throughout Hamilton Day. On Sunday, visitors can explore an art and book fair, and take part in a drop-in art-making experience for children and families.

“There's an incredible amount of creativity and community spirit here, and Hamilton Day brings it all into focus,” says Ty Tekatch, the gallery’s head of communications and media. “For us, it's about celebrating that energy and reminding people that the gallery is theirs to enjoy.”

Local businesses are also finding ways to make the weekend their own.

House of Adam and Steve, a 2SLGBTQIA+ event producer, is participating through a series of Halloween-themed events, including the Hamilton Horror Story Halloween Bash at The Staircase, and a special screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, complete with custom mocktails named Brad and Janet and treats from Insomnia Cookies.

At the Tourism Hamilton Visitor Centre on James Street North, House of Adam and Steve is presenting Hamilton Trivia, where participants can test their knowledge of the city’s sports, history, food, and entertainment.

The free, all-ages event takes place Saturday and Sunday, with sessions at 11:30 a.m. focused on sports and history, followed by food and entertainment trivia at 1:30 p.m. each day. Participants can play with friends and family and compete for local prizes.

For founder Steven Hilliard, the events are an opportunity to celebrate the city’s cultural life while creating spaces where people can connect.

“Participating in Hamilton Day is all about supporting the city that supports us,” he says. “Small businesses and local artists are the backbone of Hamilton's culture.”

Dawson’s Hot Sauce on Barton Street is offering a special Hamilton Day gift pack at its storefront.

“Hamilton Day is a day where we can all showcase our stores and help raise awareness about local businesses in the area. It's a great opportunity to take part as a collective and show we're here for the city,” says president Brodie Dawson.

Hamilton Day has grown considerably since the chamber revived the event in 2021, initially as a one-day initiative to help businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The idea, however, stretches back much further.

In 1931, during the Great Depression, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce launched an initiative encouraging residents to spend locally and support businesses facing economic hardship.

When the chamber brought the concept back 90 years later, organizers expected it to be a one-time event. Instead, the community embraced it, and Hamilton Day has grown into an annual celebration spanning several days.

Today, it brings together businesses, performers, arts groups and community organizations from across the city, including all 12 of the business improvement areas (BIAs), and other commercial corridors.

For Stiel, that city-wide participation is one of the event’s greatest strengths.

“We provide the platform, but really the community activates and they make it their own,” she says.

The event marks the conclusion of small business month and is a great kick-off to the holiday shopping season, says Stiel. 

Whether it’s discovering a new storefront, attending a concert, joining a ghost tour or simply enjoying a meal at a local restaurant, the goal is to encourage residents to explore beyond their usual routines.

“Go and explore and experience,” Stiel says. “Don't just show that love to those BIAs you normally go to, the spots you normally go to. Go find some new activities in another amazing Hamilton neighbourhood.”

The full lineup of events and participants is at hamiltonday.ca.