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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…

you are HAMILTON

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

New rainbow crosswalk unveiled in Hamilton

Four sides of the intersection at Ferguson Avenue North and King William Street are now painted in Pride colours. Hamilton unveiled its newest rainbow crosswalk to kick off Pride month at the corner of Ferguson Avenue North and King William Street. The traditional six-colour rainbow colours, along with…
City Life

A safe place: Hamilton Catholic high school raises Pride flag

Father Jarek Pachocki brought Ted Lasso’s message of acceptance – 'We don't NOT care' – to Bishop Ryan’s ceremony. June 1 was a day of many premiere experiences at Hamilton’s Bishop Ryan (BR) Catholic Secondary School. It was the first time Celtic FREE (Fostering Respect, Equality and Experience),…
Food + Drink

The Because Beer Craft Beer Fest, that’s why

Hamilton Pier 4 event has been celebrating local suds and fabulous music since 2014.  Summer is not summer without backyard parties and a lively patio scene, but once mid-July rolls around, it’s often time to explore new frontiers of the social landscape. Ready to combine the alfresco aspect…
Made in Hamilton

Film industry is zooming in on Hamilton

The city has become a movie and TV powerhouse for many reasons and its star is only rising. “You can fake it all in Hamilton.”  That’s according to Zach Zohr. And he would know. He’s been working in the film industry for over 25 years. He heads up…
Arts + Culture

Theatre Aquarius announces Canadian centre for new musicals

Funding commitments totalling $1 million are secured for Hamilton-based incubator that will support Canadian composers, lyricists, book writers and theatre artists. Theatre Aquarius has lined up an all-star cast behind the launch of a new musical incubator in Hamilton. The National Centre for New Musicals…
City Life

A golden mission for Hamilton Literacy Council

The Hamilton Literacy Council is marking 50 years of empowering Hamiltonians with reading, writing and numeracy skills. The Hamilton Literacy Council (HLC) is probably one of the best-kept secrets in the city. Even though nearly half of Canadian adults have inadequate literacy skills, most who are…
Arts + Culture

It’s all sewn up at Theatrix Costume House

Kensington Avenue North business has found a 'forever home in Hamilton,' jamming more than 50,000 costumes, wigs and accessories into a former church. At Theatrix Costume House, it’s dress-up day every day. This place at the corner of Kensington Avenue North and Cannon Street, in what…
City Life

For the Love of Hamilton

This regular HAMILTON CITY Magazine feature will highlight people, from all walks of life, who have embraced Hamilton as their new home. Dirk Francis and Karen Van Hoecke became Hamiltonians about a year ago when Francis officially took on his new three-year post as vice-president of manufacturing at ArcelorMittal…