Can you believe August is already upon us? I freaking love summer and I never want it to end. Sadly, I don’t have any magical powers or control over the weather, which means summer will be coming to an end eventually. What does that mean for you? It’s time to make the most of the weather while we have it, which means taking advantage of all of the cool events that come your way. I’m going to kick off a monthly series that highlights 5 cool things you should check out in the Hamilton, Ontario area this August. At the beginning of every month I’ll come back with 5 new things to check out; think markets, festivals, or new restaurants/stores that I think are worth a visit. What do we have up this month?
The Winona Peach Festival (August 23 – 25, 2019) is always a fun time and a great way to close out August. It can be a little overwhelming with all the vendors – take your time and explore. Make sure you get a peach sundae while there (one of my best childhood memories is my Uncle Cam bringing me to the festival to get one). The lineup may seem long but you get through really quickly. Don’t wait until the end of the weekend to get one though as they might run out!
Summer is the perfect time to check out a local winery & enjoy some bubbly, and The Trius Tour (at Trius Winery) is a tour that you won’t want to miss. It’s a fully-immersive tour, taking you through the winery, giving you a taste of some of their delicious wines & giving you some really cool experiences to get you even more involved. I had a chance to check the tour out a couple of weeks ago and definitely recommend it for any of my fellow wine lovers. As a plus, they’ve created some totally Instagram-worthy stops throughout.
This weekend is an exciting one as it welcomes the first Hamilton Harbourfront Night Market (August 2 – 5, 2019). I’m pretty excited for the first Night Market to come to Hamilton – it has the perfect location and is a foodie’s dream come true. Over 30 talented food vendors are going to be coming together this weekend for a mouth-watering few days of fun (it’s also open on the holiday Monday!), along with other vendors & a bar zone. The toughest choice I’ll have to make this weekend is deciding what to eat.
The Water Lantern Festival (August 3, 2019 at Pier 4 Park) is the perfect date night stop. A truly magical evening, everyone in attendance will be able to decorate and release a lantern into the water. Festival-goers will also be able to enjoy live music and food trucks while in attendance. And yes, I’ve checked – all of the lanterns will be cleaned up afterwards and are 100% eco-friendly.
If you’re a fan of shark flicks and want to enjoy a more interesting movie night out, the Jaws Movie on the Water event (August 10, 2019 at Binbrook Conservation Area) is a must. Grab some friends, rent or bring a tube and watch Jaws on a 40-foot screen while floating in the water. To add to the experience, food trucks, games & other fun will be part of the evening.
There are obviously a ton of things to do this month, but I wanted to share my top 5 things to check out in Hamilton, Ontario this month. Are you planning on taking advantage of them? What other events/places do you plan on exploring?
A few other honourable mentions worth checking out this month: Festival of Friends (Free festival with great must, August 2 – 4 at Gage Park), For Real Dough (a new shop serving up raw cookie dough and other tasty treats, 256 King St W), Craftadian Spring Market (an amazing market full of insanely talented local makers, August 17 at McMaster Innovation Park)
