A City-Wide Celebration

Hamilton Day is an annual, city-wide celebration of our community and local businesses – featuring over 1000 participating local businesses, pop-up markets, and entertainment activations across Hamilton, Ontario.

Hamilton Day annually takes place the first weekend in November. Hamilton Day 2024 will begin with kickoff activities on Friday, Nov 1, followed by a full weekend of programming starting on Saturday, Nov 2.

Hamilton Day is a city-wide event across Hamilton, Ontario. From Waterdown to Stoney Creek, activities will take place throughout Hamilton’s 11 business improvement areas, James Street and Hess Village.

Businesses throughout Hamilton are participating – check out our Shop Page for a map of participating businesses!

There are so many fun activities to partake in on Hamilton Day! Check out our Experience, Explore, and Shop Pages to browse all programming and plan your perfect Hamilton Day weekend!

Absolutely! For a rundown of all performances, shows, and events, visit the Experience Page. Head to the Explore Page for community and guided tours happening throughout the city, and the Shop Page for a list of participating local businesses across Hamilton! 

So glad you asked! To participate in Hamilton Day, visit our Participate Page and complete the form. You’ll receive a confirmation email with a few attachments of downloadable items that you can use to promote your participation. 

Once you officially sign up, the rest is up to you! Consider offering a Hamilton Day special, launching something new, or collaborating with other local businesses. Another option is to check if and how your Business Improvement Area is participating, to see if you can tag team up with them! You can also check out our Business Participation Suggestions for inspiration and ideas.

Lastly, follow us on social media so the community knows you’re participating. Share your offering and your ‘I’m Participating’ graphic with your followers! Feel free to tag us for extra engagement.

Yes, absolutely! Hamilton Day is a chance for patrons to shop both in-person and online to support local businesses.

When you register your business on our Participate Page, please select “Online Business”. Your business will appear on our Shop Page under the map in our Online Business Listings section.

Be sure to share any links to your business website or socials – that way, patrons can find and support you!

Hamilton Day is a free event and all are welcome to participate! However, there are some activities such as concerts, or guided tours hosted by our partners that may have a fee to participate. Check out our Experience and Explore pages to see which events and activities are free and which require you to purchase tickets.

Yes! Hamilton Day is a family-friendly event for all ages to enjoy.

Make sure to visit our Experience and Explore pages and select the ‘Family Friendly’ filter to find events and activities specifically suited for kids and families. We have a range of exciting options to make it a memorable day for your entire family!

Yes! There is metered on-street parking throughout Hamilton. Make sure to obey the posted street signage and local by-laws. As well, most side streets have 2-hour free parking. If you are visiting on Sunday, all parking across the city is free.

If you’re looking to park in a central location in the downtown Hamilton core, there are several municipal car parks and public parking lots available with metered or flat-rate parking including Jackson Square and several along James St. North. Just look for those marked with a Green P!

Of course! While Hamilton Day will have festivities, markets, and events taking place throughout Hamlton, we recommend staying in one of the many centrally located accommodations in Hamilton’s main downtown core. You will be within walking distance of bus stops that will make it convenient to get to neighbouring areas of the city.

Check out our Shop Page to see which hotels are participating!

Yes, there are plenty of options! No matter where you’re coming from or where you’re going, we’ve got you covered. 

If you’re traveling from outside of Hamilton, GO Transit trains and buses will get you here. Plan your trip with GO Transit and take advantage of the $10 GO weekend day pass! The two main GO stations in Hamilton are the Hamilton GO Centre, located in downtown Hamilton, and the West Harbour GO, located closer to the waterfront. Use the Go Trip Planner to find the best route from your nearest GO station.

There are also seamless and economical transfers between Hamilton’s HSR and GO. Provide a valid PRESTO card or tap your credit or debit card on a PRESTO device and ride for FREE when you travel to or from GO Transit using HSR. PRESTO automatically calculates your discount and will apply it to your PRESTO, credit, or debit account. The co-fare discount is valid for 2 hours if you start your trip on HSR and 3 hours if you start on GO Transit.

If you’re traveling within Hamilton, make use of the HSR, Hamilton’s local public transit system. Buses run every 10-15 minutes throughout the day and stop within walking distance of Hamilton Day festivities and participating local businesses in all areas of the city. Use the HSR Trip Planner or get the HSRnow mobile app to plan your route.

You can also ride to all your favourite local spots and discover new stops with Hamilton Bike Share! Hamilton Bike Share is a local non-profit with over 130 hubs from Dundas to Ottawa Street in the lower city. It’s the perfect way to travel around this Hamilton Day. To get your account set up, click here! The first ride’s on us! Use the promo code HAMILTON23 for a $5 credit to get rollin’.

Hamilton Day is a rain-or-shine event. The great thing is, most of the activities planned will be taking place indoors, like our markets and concerts. Small businesses and restaurants will be open for indoor shopping and dining, so come out and enjoy Hamilton Day!

We’re happy to hear from you! If you’d like to update your business listing with a new promotion, we can definitely do that! 

Feel free to reach out to us via Instagram DM (@hamiltondayofficial) or by sending us an email at [email protected]. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

Hamilton Day is an initiative of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. We’re proud to drive community connection and promote Hamilton’s local economy!

You can stay up-to-date on all things Hamilton Day by following us on our socials! Check out our Instagram @hamiltondayofficial for the latest information about the event, including updates on participating businesses, programming, partner events, and giveaways!!

New for this year, we’re thrilled to offer our signature Hamilton Day toques! Show your love for Hamilton by rocking our exclusive Hamilton Day toque – on Hamilton Day weekend and throughout cozy season.

Head to our Shop Page for check out our Hamilton Day toques!