A community guide to creative events in the Waikato region
20 EVENTS
10 EVENTS
3 EVENTS
13 EVENTS
4 EVENTS
32 EVENTS
5 OPPORTUNITIES
A school holiday workshop for kids 10+ to explore grounding and gratitude through arts & crafts.
14 JulHamilton
Create your own scratch art using oil pastels, then paint the aurora australis!
Lunchtime Recital by Waikato High School Students.
15 JulHamilton
Join Squiggla at Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library for a colourful mixed-media mobile-making workshop.
16 JulHamilton
Create 3D cake art and design your own peg snap creatures!
Join ceramicist Dave Austin and photographer Mark Hamilton as they talk through their creative partnership.
Immerse tamariki in music this Matariki with a hands‑on introduction to taonga puuoro. Led by experienced practitioner Koroheke Robb.
Jul 13 – 17Hamilton
2026 Kids Show
Jul 14 – 18Hamilton
Four musicians from the Vienna Philharmonic bring you the unique sounds, style and tradition of this storied and celebrated orchestra.
17 JulHamilton
Explore paper crafts and be provided with materials to free create!
Two brass bands for one great cause. Come along for an afternoon of great music to support Breast Cancer Research.
19 JulHamilton
Q&A Screening – Stories About my Body – with The star of the film, Morgana O’Reilly
Create a contemporary tukutuku-inspired panel carrying memory, resilience, and hopes for the year ahead.
22 Jul
Flavio Villani piano, Michael Jamieson Saxophone
22 JulHamilton
Go on a journey of discovery with conductor Michael Joel and Opus Orchestra into Beethoven’s Symphony No.4, as they ‘unwrap’ the music.
24 JulHamilton
Experience the joy of drawing, feel inspired, practice techniques and explore the beauty of materials in the studio with Amanda Watson.
25 JulRaglan
Enrolments for our Term 3 art classes are now open! 🎨
27 JulHamilton
Lunchtime Recital by Waikato Students.
29 JulHamilton
Experience Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery after hours and see the Museum in a whole new light.
City of Wonder (COW) invites artists, designers, makers and creative practitioners to be part of Hamilton’s inaugural Art and Design Week
Jul 2 – 31
Critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and TV personality, Alan Davies, is back in Aotearoa after a decade!
31 JulHamilton
This fun, hands-on 4-week class is all about exploring printmaking in creative and unexpected ways.
25 Jun – 18 JulHamilton
$12.50 Tickets to Family Movies for Adults and Kids.
25 Jun – 22 JulHamilton
Twenty-five years ago the heat became unbearable.
29 Jul – 1 AugHamilton
Create your own hand-crafted book using a range of mixed media techniques in a supportive studio environment.
23 Jul – 27 AugHamilton
Devilskin at the BNZ Theatre in August 2026.
1 Aug
Learn how to market your book and tips and tricks for selling more copies from best-selling author Steffanie Holmes.
1 AugHamilton
A high-energy live concert experience delivering the ultimate family night out!
2 AugCambridge
Te Awamutu Concerts Alive! are proud to present a special performance by talented vocalists from Wintec.
2 Aug
Documentary on internationally renowned author Dame Joy Cowley following her recollections of trauma and triumph from an astonishing life.
4 AugHamilton
Lunchtime concert with Waikato Students.
5 AugHamilton
HaHaHamilton’s monthly Comedy Lounge is back again for August.
Dame Malvina Major presents A Night at the Opera at the BNZ Theatre.
6 AugHamilton
join panellists Julie Legg and Suzanne Miller in conversation with chair Karina McHardy to hear about their journeys with autism, ADHD and OCD.
Best-selling authors Nalini Singh & Catherine Robertson on writing their latest titles blending romance, murder mystery & suspense thrillers.
7 AugHamilton
Experience the magic of theatre together in our 60+ seniors acting and theatre skills classes at Riverlea Theatre
27 May – 15 JulHamilton
8 AugHamilton
Catherine Robertson will take you through her journey into romance writing, and give you a solid list of to-do’s and to-don’ts.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic CATS – hitting the Waikato Regional Theatre Stage November 2026.
Aug 8 – 9
Requiem – G. Fauré and Te Deum – M.A. Charpentier
9 AugHamilton
Lunchtime Concert in Waikato.
12 AugHamilton
Join other blokes to discuss what you’ve been reading with August focus on authors, facilitated by Wintec Librarian Mark Caunter.
After a huge 2025 Australian tour, Kirsty is back to show you that the words just keep flowing and that they’re always hilarious.
13 AugHamilton
Rachel Clare and Tryphena Cracknell celebrate our native flowering plants with their illustrated talk about their book Aotearoa in Bloom.
Rachel Paris, Megan Nicol Reed & Josie Shapiro in conversation with Tina Shaw about the power of fiction and how they make their stories come alive.
14 AugHamilton
Build creative confidence, learn new techniques, and develop your own artistic toolkit.
20 Jul – 7 SepHamilton
Be inspired by flowers, gardens, trees and landscapes as you explore a range of creative techniques
Kids Art Hamilton | Creative Play Class for Homeschoolers 🎨
In this workshop with bestselling author Josie Shapiro, we look closely at sentences and how to unlock your prose to build better narrative flow.
15 AugHamilton
In The Winter Collection 2026 we explore the twin dialectics of chaos and calm.
19 Jun – 21 AugHamilton
Starts Tuesday 21 July – 8 Sept or Friday 24 July – 11 Sept
21 Jul – 8 SepHamilton
Award winning author Dr. David Coventry & one of New Zealand’s foremost practitioners of the short story and poem, Dr. Tracey Slaughter.
16 AugHamilton
A creative art workshop designed to support wellbeing through art-making in a calm, welcoming studio environment.
22 Jul – 9 SepHamilton
A fun, relaxed after school art club where children can explore creativity, make art and build confidence through guided projects
Ready to take the next step in your creative practice?
Pub Choir at the BNZ Theatre in August.
17 AugHamilton
Exploring bold, expressive art-making through print, texture, collage, layering and mixed media techniques.
23 Jul – 10 SepHamilton
Take time for yourself, meet other women, and enjoy making art in a relaxed and supportive environment.
A hands-on, exploratory art workshop where you’ll experiment with both 2D and 3D techniques.
24 Jul – 11 SepHamilton
Learn to draw step by step in a supportive and relaxed studio environment.
Lunchtime Concert by Waikato Students.
19 AugHamilton
Get a team together and test your literary knowledge across a variety of genres with quizmasters Cate Prestidge and Gail Pittaway.
20 AugHamilton
Award-winning journalists and former foreign correspondents Charlotte Glennie and Mike McRoberts discuss their memoirs.
21 AugHamilton
Locally written, award-winning family-drama debuting at the Meteor Theatre.
Aug 20 – 22Hamilton
A wānanga where participants learn and practice earth-based pigments deepen their relationship with natural materials.
22 AugHamilton
Learn the different skills needed to tell stories across a range of platforms.
Youth and adult speculative fiction writing workshops plus awards gala with panel and guest speaker.
Experience the music of Finnish composers Sibelius and Magnus Lindberg in one glorious concert
23 AugHamilton
A celebration of Aotearoa music, where legendary artists and rangatahi unite — Amplify Aotearoa: Take It To The Bridge.
NZSO Myths & Legends at the BNZ Theatre.
26 AugHamilton
Hear Browsers Bookshop owner Rachel Pope talk about what makes books valuable and collectible. Bring along a book for her to assess.
Year 5 & 6 and year 7 & 8 teams across the Waikato gather to compete for the hotly contested title of 2026 Waikato Book Battle Champions.
28 AugHamilton
Pulse of Life bursts with the thrill of discovery, bringing together world and New Zealand premieres alongside beloved classics.
29 AugHamilton
Come along to our annual combined showcase featuring the young musicians of the Waikato.
Explore poetry’s power to address life’s issues in this practical workshop.
A children’s concert inspired by wizards, fairy tales, and folk stories from around the world.
30 AugHamilton
The Art Room Project is a creative wellbeing programme in Hamilton for girls aged 14–17.
4 Aug – 8 SepHamilton
Penny returns home to discover that the town’s annual potato race has separate prizes for men and women with $1,000 for men, and only $200 for women.
22 Aug – 5 SepCambridge
Queen Forever at the BNZ Theatre.
5 SepHamilton
Paintings by Lisa Ormsby.
15 Apr – 13 AugŌtorohanga
Youth Filmmakers Workshops in Hamilton and Cambridge
6 Jul – 8 Nov
30 SepHamilton
We are looking for Artists to participate in this years Festival.
25 Jun – 1 Nov
Learn the principles of kōwhaiwhai, their purākau and how to draw them in a small rōpū. 4 Evening Wānanga Available – Check out our website for dates
30 Apr – 8 OctHamilton
Your opportunity to explore traditional whatu techniques with contemporary mediums with Julz @ tiaki rAranga in collaboration with Whare Hau Tutū
6 OctHamilton
Fletch, Vaughan and Hayley at the BNZ Theatre.
10 OctHamilton
Come visit our official Raglan Arts Weekend Preview Exhibition and secure a special artwork at a fraction of its value.
Oct 2 – 26Raglan
Björn Again at the BNZ Theatre.
16 OctHamilton
The 16th Raglan Arts Weekend this October is set to impress with over 70 participating artists, plus installations, public art murals, demos & music.
Oct 24 – 26Raglan
28 OctHamilton
The date is decided. The venue is booked. And the planning starts now. Its about to get unreal really quick. The last ever Miss Cadaver for real.
31 Oct
Floral artists come together to create visual displays captivating audiences of all ages
Nov 11 – 14Matamata
Courtney Barnett at the BNZ Theatre in November.
18 NovHamilton
Aldous Harding at the BNZ Theatre in November.
25 NovHamilton
A wānanga where participants learn and practice earth-based pigment making and deepen their relationship with natural materials.
28 NovHamilton
The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 2026 Season is a year of drama, beauty and imagination – where timeless stories and bold new visions collide.
Nov 27 – 29Hamilton
A sumptuous programme of music by the late-Baroque Italian genius Giovanni Pergolesi and French-Baroque master Jean-Philippe Rameau.
11 DecHamilton
Join us for the annual 10-day arts festival celebrating beautiful Cambridge in Autumn!
Mar 12 – 21, 2027
Australia/NZ’s first Poetry Therapy certification: Harness poetry’s healing power for community workshops and personal transformation.
1 Sep, 2025 – 1 Sep, 2027
The free weekly directory for 100+ creative grants, residencies, prizes, and commissions across NZ, Australia, and internationally.
1 Apr, 2026 – 1 Apr, 2028
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