Applications have opened for a slice of Hamilton City Council’s NZD 500,000 fund to support major events in the city.
Separate from the Government’s recent tourism turbocharge, the Hamilton City Council has continued to invest in local events which will help to grow the city into a tourism hub.
With a pool of NZD 500,000 on offer, this funding initiative has been designed to bring more visitors and locals into the city.
The Event Sponsorship Fund is open to events in Hamilton that are new with long-term potential, are existing major events, or are a significant one-off event with positive city and business benefits.
Councillor Ewan Wilson, Chair of the Economic Development Committee, said he was excited to see what events are looking to make their mark over the next year.
“This opportunity helps to light up the city with events that will draw crowds and boost local businesses,” said Wilson.
“The iconic nature of some of the events we sponsor have a massive impact on how people feel about calling Hamilton home.”
Councillor Wilson said a prime example of this was the amount of people to ventured to Hamilton for the recent hot air balloon festival, which supported business and brought crowds into the city.
In 2024, the fund supported a diverse range of events, including the U15 and U19 National Badminton Champs, Round the Bridges, Cambridge to Hamilton Paddle Race, Porritt Classic, Z Manu World Champs, Hamilton Arts Festival Toi Ora Ki Kirikiriroa, Aramex Kiwi Walk and Run Series Hamilton, and Balloons Over Waikato.
Funding will be awarded based on a range of criteria, including how well the event aligns with the vision for Hamilton Kirikiriroa, how many people the event will attract, and the level of community support.
The fund application closes on 30 April 2025 and decisions will be made on 22 May 2025.
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