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This year, Hamilton Day is coming back bigger, better, and spookier!

That’s right, due to Hamilton Day proper (November 1st) falling on a Sunday this year, we are finally embracing our calendrical neighbor, so get ready for the Halloween-Hamilton Day double feature!

This, of course, extends past simply slapping some little fangs on the logo. Tons of Halloween themed events are being incorporated into the docket this year. From October 29th to November 1st, expect to see markets, concerts, and pop-up performances city wide! Pay special attention to this year’s kick-off concert, featuring Jeremie Albino, The Redhill Valleys, and Bianca Bernardi.

Once again, the farmer’s market is being transformed into the Hamilton Day hub, so make sure to swing by if you can to get your fill of everything that’s happening, or check out hamiltonday.ca to check out the events list and see if any of your favourite places are participating!

But what is Hamilton Day? Well, to put it simply, it’s a day to celebrate all of the people and communities that make Hamilton great! Hamilton Day is a celebration of all of the small businesses that make Hamilton so special, as well as a chance for local businesses to show gratitude to their communities. Hamilton Day exists to not just celebrate local business, but also to help them thrive. It was originally thought up in 1931 as an attempt to stimulate the economy through the great depression. It went widely uncelebrated for decades before making its revival in 2021, this time to aid businesses during the pandemic. Since then, though, it has gotten bigger and bigger every year. Hamilton Day no longer serves as a salve to help businesses survive, it is now a bonafide holiday for everyone to enjoy! I don’t need to tell you that times have been tough lately. Small businesses and every-day Hamiltonians are struggling more than ever. That is why Hamilton Day is so important; it serves to shine a light on all the small businesses that make our city shine, and offers plenty of free events for everyone to enjoy.

Every corner of Hamilton, from Stoney Creek to Dundas, is celebrating in their own way, turning the entire city into a full-blown festival! From sales and swag to massive concerts, over a thousand businesses, BIAs, and organizations are chipping in to make Hamilton Day a real blast! This is a perfect opportunity to get out of the house, bring along your family or friends or perhaps a date, and explore our beautiful city! Walk around your own neighborhood or go to a corner of Hamilton that you’ve never really appreciated before. Call in your friends from out of town, or even fly solo. Do some extra-extra-early Christmas shopping, treat yourself, or just enjoy some free events. The city is your oyster this Hamilton Day!

So, ready your tote bags, mark your calendars, and, if you’d like, don your costumes, because this year’s Hamilton Day might just be the biggest one yet!