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Celebrating all things Hamilton / Welcome Message
Arts + Culture

Considering Matthew Shepard explores shocking murder, but finds peace and hope, too

Oratorio being performed by HPO and the Elora Singers on Nov. 26 brings together elements of musical theatre but also includes elements of jazz and blues, gospel, country and opera. A terrible thing happened in Wyoming in October 1998. A university student left a bar with a…
Arts + Culture

REVIEW: Frozen is heartwarming and magical

You’ll laugh, you’ll cheer and you’ll be transported as Theatre Aquarius's production brilliantly brings animated Disney classic to the stage. Frozen, The Broadway Musical at Theatre Aquarius is pure magic. That is true in both the literal and the figurative senses. If you’ve ever wanted to escape…
Arts + Culture

Joni Mitchell, Nelly Furtado to be honoured at 2026 JUNO Awards

Hometown rockers Arkells will perform when Hamilton hosts Canada’s national music awards in March. The stars are beginning to align for Hamilton’s turn to host the 2026 JUNO Awards.  Hamilton legends Arkells will perform, pop superstar Nelly Furtado will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame,…
City Life

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

There are many worthy local organizations dedicated to ensuring every child, adult and senior can experience some joy and hope this season. Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2 is the perfect opportunity to donate.  It’s that time of year again, when our hearts are full with the magic…
Arts + Culture

Maybe I’m amazed? No, I was astonished

Neither Paul McCartney or the newly unveiled TD Coliseum disappointed when I was among a sold-out crowd for the grand opening of Hamilton’s downtown arena. Rock ‘n’ roll royalty came to Hamilton last evening when Sir Paul McCartney graced the stage at 8:15 p.m. for a voracious crowd…
Arts + Culture

A bold new era for Hamilton’s downtown

TD Coliseum offers a world-class experience for artists and fans in a reimagined, music-first venue that no longer feels like an arena. What has changed inside and what will it mean for the city? The media tours are done. The ceremonial ribbon has been cut. And…
Arts + Culture

HAMILTON’S CELEBRATION OF SOUND

2026 will be a history-making year in the city’s music sector and will chart the course for an amplified future. Hamilton is a city of music and 2026 will be a history-making year that will give music lovers plenty of reasons to celebrate.   It all begins with the…
City Life

OPINION: York Boulevard is a grand vision gone wrong

Hamilton’s gateway entrance from the west was once to be modelled after great European streets. But instead of being the ‘Champs Elysee of North America,’ the City caved to private interests and what was built is the architectural horror story it is today. There is a nearly 50-year-old…
City Life

CITY VIEW: Committed to community

Rudi Wallace is the president and CEO of the Hamilton Community Foundation and he shares with HAMILTON CITY Magazine his vision of his organization and the city it serves. RUDI WALLACE was born in Vancouver to parents who immigrated to Canada from Guyana and Mauritius. He grew up…
Arts + Culture

Hamilton music makers you should know

This city is a musical powerhouse. Here are a few local standouts sharing what they love about the place they call home. Killotine Photo: Rae Chatten Who: Metal band, represented Canada at Wacken Open Air 2025. Members: Matt Fraser (vocals and rhythm guitar), Jesse Luciani (lead guitar), James…
City Life

Hounds of Hamilton

We need a big dose of dogs these days so HAMILTON CITY Magazine's new feature celebrates the city's canines. Send in your dogs (and cats)! Is there any better escape from the relentless news cycle, doom scrolling and polarizing politics, and any simpler way to…

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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.


Arts + Culture

Let’s Get Arty

New website for local artists and arts lovers is drawing a crowd. It’s well appreciated the role that arts and culture play in the renewal of Hamilton and how important the sector is to the local economy. But that hasn’t always been the case. In 1959, an exhibition…
Food + Drink

Making his Merk

Local chef and restaurateur Mark Baker is bringing his pandemic survival story to the silver screen. They say that necessity is the mother of all invention, but in the case of Mark Baker’s restaurant, invention was a matter of survival. The well-known chef and restaurateur reached into his…
City Life

Art and Soul

Paul Elia is well-known for creating art that celebrates the grit and beauty of the city’s many streetscapes. He recently sat down with Marc Skulnick to talk about his life in Hamilton: from getting inspired to being entertained; from Gage Park and Supercrawl to the Bruce Trail and Ottawa Street…
Arts + Culture

Awesome Autumn!

Looking to have a fabulous fall? Here are six local events that will get you out and about our fine city this autumn. Drag queen Jimbo of RuPaul’s Drag Race fame. Photo: Blake Morrow This Circus is a Big Drag Adam and Steve’s Big Top Circus/Party/Show promises…
City Life

Vision Zero or Zero Vision?

How many pedestrians have to die before council gets serious about making our streets safer? I started writing this in early July. Over the next few weeks, I had to rewrite the opening no less than six times.  On July 4, a driver struck…
Food + Drink

Any Way You Slice It

 Hamilton is home to the upper-crust of pizzerias. When it comes to comfort-food cravings, there’s nothing more satisfying than a hot-out-of-the-oven pizza. Thankfully for pizza lovers in our city, Hamilton is home to a growing number of piazzaiolos (pizza makers) specializing in a range of styles as…
Arts + Culture

It’s Supercrawl, Y’all!

Regular scheduled programming is back at Supercrawl, and the result is sure to be an end-of-summer highlight featuring a huge lineup of Canadian artists in a wide range of genres. Supercrawl, the free, multi-faceted, music-based three-day festival is back on multiple stages on James Street North from Sept. 9-11,…
Arts + Culture

The Dawning of a New Age

 With Theatre Aquarius set to celebrate 50 years of bringing world-class professional theatre to Hamilton, we look back at how, and where, it all began. Artistic director Mary Francis Moore, left, and executive director Kelly Straughan are shepherding a new chapter for Hamilton's Theatre Aquarius, which celebrates its 50th anniversary…