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Celebrating all things Hamilton / Welcome Message
City Life

PRIDE: Kenadie, how do you shake off judgment?

Welcome to the first monthly column from Hamilton drag queen Kenadie St. James! Read on for the best bad advice you’ve ever had! Hamilton, your problems are officially about to get WORSE. 💋 Local drag legend Kenadie St. James is serving up catastrophically bad life advice in her…
Arts + Culture

Festival season: Summer on parade

Here is your hot 2026 summer festivals guide for Hamilton and Burlington. You’ll find everything from inaugural events to two local traditions that are turning 50 years old this year! Our summers may be short but fortunately for us, the list of local festivals is long. Spend warm-weather…
Arts + Culture

THE PLAYLIST

Born Ruffians – Beauty’s Pride For a band that once felt like it might combust from sheer nervous energy and mileage logged, Born Ruffians have aged in a surprisingly graceful, and still charmingly unpredictable way. Beauty’s Pride finds the long-running Toronto/Hamilton group loosening their grip on that early, jittery urgency…
Made in Hamilton

OPINION: Election 2026 is the time to build

The last municipal election saw just over 35 per cent of eligible Hamiltonians vote. We must do better this time because this city needs to deliver on its potential.  October 2026 will define Hamilton’s next chapter. We are entering a municipal election that will shape how our…
City Life

7 2SLGBTQIA+ leaders you should know

In honour of Pride in June, we asked inspiring local advocates and community leaders about their work, why marking Pride matters, what needs to change at the local level, and their greatest wish for the communities they serve. These are just seven Hamiltonians who champion 2SLGBTIA+ people locally.
Arts + Culture

Silverstein never stands still

Twenty-six years,13 albums, and a million records sold later, and the Burlington-born hardcore/punk band continues to defy the odds. Silverstein began making music during a fertile period in heavy guitar rock. The turn of the millennium saw guitar rock genres splinter into even more subgenres as bands borrowed…
Arts + Culture

PRIDE: Queer and crafting in Hamilton

QUARTZ: Queer Art Hang at the Art Gallery of Hamilton and Queer Craft Club at Hamilton Craft Studios offers an oulet for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to gather and create. If you are queer and into crafting, you have two options to let your creative flag fly and…
Food + Drink

ON THE MENU: WHAT’S OPENED AND CLOSED ON THE LOCAL RESTAURANT SCENE

Here's a list of what has come, gone and changed in Hamilton and Burlington in May. Launched & opening soon Chubby Tiger (2016 Victoria Ave., Burlington) Early reviewers have described the cuisine at Chubby Tiger as reminiscent of food court Canadian Chinese fare, with…
Arts + Culture

Cadence Weapon wants you to stop scrolling and start listening

Rollie Pemberton, aka Cadence Weapon, is done with treating music as background filler. In his new book Ways of Listening, the Hamilton rapper explores the transition from record bins to algorithms and reimagines how we can reclaim a deep connection with music in the age of streaming. When…
Arts + Culture

For Spoons, ‘Old Emotions’ are new again

Burlington band that had a string of hits in the 1980s, is releasing a new album and taking on a new musical sound. By Jenna Yeomans and Stephen Metelsky  Nov. 1, 2025. The bottom of the 11th inning of the World Series at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. The Jays…
Arts + Culture

incite: Delivering on a mission

Since the incite Foundation for the Arts was formed in 2011, it has donated $11 million to local arts organizations. On its 15th anniversary, the incite Foundation for the Arts is reaffirming its mission to revolutionize support for the arts in the greater Hamilton community.  incite strives to…
Food + Drink

Delicious and Indigenous

There are a growing number of notable food options in Six Nations, along with a beloved Indigenous-owned diner in Hamilton. Six Nations & Beyond  Just south of the city, not far from the edges of Hamilton, is the community of Six Nations. With a whole variety of…
Arts + Culture

Hamilton’s music scene: What is and what could be

Music writer Dylan Hudecki asked Hamilton’s music insiders for their opinions about how to keep the local music scene thriving and reinventing itself. Think of it as a suggestion box to turn up the volume on Hamilton. Hamilton’s music scene continues to thrive as one of Canada’s most…
Food + Drink

DINING DISTRICTS: A Locke on food

This interesting west Hamilton street is ever-evolving, with newcomers joining long-time eateries to make for a true foodie destination. On the whole, my visits to Locke Street have all been linked to food. It must be said that I can think of over a dozen eateries that closed…
City Life

CITY VIEW: A Hamilton storyteller

Annette Hamm is about to retire after being part of the CHCH News team since 1986. We talked to her about her career and what Hamilton means to her. ANNETTE HAMM is retiring next month after a 40-year career at CHCH. She's spent the last 21 of those…

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HAMILTON CITY Magazine’s mission is to tell the stories that celebrate the city’s past, present and future by featuring stunning photography, illustrations and world-class writing. It’s your city. It’s your magazine.


City Life

Reason for the season: Where you can help those in need during the holidays

There are so many worthy organizations doing wonderful work for the vulnerable in our community. Giving Tuesday is a great time to kick off – or ramp up – your charitable giving this Christmas season! Christmas means so much to so many. It’s a time of miracles, celebration,…
Food + Drink

Brothers Burger: A family affair

Martin Jose owns a burger empire in Manila with his two brothers and chose the food court in Hamilton’s Jackson Square for the first Canadian location. At Jackson Square the halls are decked, buzzing with holiday shoppers. When hunger hits, many head to the food court where they…
Arts + Culture

INCITE FOUNDATION: Beyond the Frame

The incite Foundation for the Arts supports the contributions and innovative work of the Art Gallery of Hamilton. The incite Foundation for the Arts has contributed more than $9 million to 50 Hamilton-area organizations in grants from $2,500 to $300,000 since it was founded in 2011. It is…
Arts + Culture

A Christmas Story, The Musical is all about nostalgia

The Theatre Aquarius family holiday show is big and ambitious but also focused on the heart and magic of the yuletide season. If there was any question that nostalgia for simpler times is high right now, A Christmas Story, The Musical at Theatre Aquarius opening next month answers…
Arts + Culture

Dundas-filmed prison comedy series Pink Is In now a movie

Wacky comedy about a dysfunctional administration in a low-budget institution celebrates its many connections to Hamilton. A dozen episodes of zany prison comedy Pink Is In have now been reworked into a feature film that is making its debut at The Westdale on Nov. 27. Pink Is In…
Made in Hamilton

JACKSON SQUARE DENTAL CENTRE: MEET DR. SAMER AKKAD

With a commitment to patient-centred care, Jackson Square Dental Centre offers a comprehensive range of dental services designed to meet the unique needs of our community. ADVERTORIAL Dr. Samer Akkad is owner of Jackson Square Dental Centre. How long have you been a dentist?I graduated from Aleppo University…
Arts + Culture

Veteran musician, composer finds his way home for show honouring Gordon Lightfoot

Bruce Ley grew up in Hamilton, kicked off his musical career on a stage at Westdale high school and played in some well-known local bands. He returns to the city for  “Early Morning Rain.” Hamilton native Bruce Ley, who has had a long and varied career in music,…
City Life

Hamilton fencer eyeing next summer Olympics after historic medal

Eleanor Harvey visited with guests, gave a fencing demonstration and answered questions from journalist Steve Paikin at an event celebrating her bronze-winning performance in Paris. Canada’s first Olympic medallist in fencing, Hamilton native Eleanor Harvey, says she’s working toward qualifying for her fourth Games in 2028. That’s pretty…