BRING YOUR APPETITE
Embrace your weekend live and in person. Gone are the drive-thru events, welcome back in-person concerts, theatre and festivals. Here are some of the many things happening in and around Hamilton this weekend.
Hamilton Food and Drink Fest
Food and Drink Fest continues Saturday, noon to 10 p.m., at FirstOntario Centre, 101 York Blvd. The event is adults only (19-plus). Sample tickets are $2 each and sold predominantly in packs of 10 and 20. Most food and beverage samples cost between two and seven sample tickets. General admission is $25 at the door or online. foodanddrinkfest.com
Sew Hungry
Twenty-seven food trucks and restaurants rally Saturday for this oneday food fest. Ottawa Street’s Sew Hungry festival is back for the masses from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Hamilton’s famed Ottawa Street North. Trucks and entertainment will be stationed from Barton to Main. sewhungry.com
Pile on the ribs
Rib season opens up this weekend with the Binbrook Ribfest until Sunday at the Binbrook County Fairgrounds, 2600 Hwy. 56. The event features four award-winning rib teams, live music by local artists, festival food, and a Kids Zone. Presented by Northern Heat Rib series, hours are Saturday from 12 to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 7 p.m. Admission is free. If you taste the ribs, don’t forget to vote for your favourite. Click on the form at northernheatribseries.ca/binbrook.
HPO Concerts
The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
is settling into live performance with gusto. Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” is being performed on the mainstage at FirstOntario Concert Hall, 1 Summer’s Lane, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20 for each performance. hpo.org
Indigenous Market
Hamilton Public Library, Central Branch in Hamilton’s downtown is hosting an Indigenous Market on the second and third Saturdays of each month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until December. This weekend’s featured vendors include: Eleven Eighty Catering, moose hide saddle bag purses, leather and bead work; Bomberry Beads, jewelry made from seed bead, semi-precious stones and porcupine quills; and Cavan’s Creations, handmade jewelry, crafts and custom orders. hpl.ca
No more Garlic Mustard
Get your elbows greased and some weeds out for your chance to win a Conservation Hamilton Day Pass. In the spirit of good for the environment, HCA is holding Ecosise @Home. Just get out, pull and weed any invasive Garlic Mustard from gardens, lawn or anywhere this stubborn weed gets hold. Submit photos of your weeding by May 15 to dgora@conservationhamilton.ca for your chance to win the pass.
Kirkendall springs into action
Gear up for garden season. Kirkendall Neighbourhood mushroom farm compost sale and mother goose spring market events are Saturday. The KNA Mushroom Farm Compost Sale at Blessings Church, 115 Stanley Ave., is from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Visit kirkendallhood.ca/category/blog/ events/ for details. The Kirkendall Gardening Club will also be in attendance with gardening info, giveaways and activities.
Mother Goose’s Spring Market Fundraiser is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the parking lot of Locke Street Automotive (next to Bread Bar). Purchase items for your garden and enjoy family activities.
Cinema
“Peace By Chocolate” is playing at The Westdale, 1014 King St. W. Show times are Saturday at 3:30 p.m., and Sunday at 7 p.m. theWestdale.ca
The Playhouse Cinema has a smorgasbord of shows this weekend which include: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Petite Maman,” “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” “Peace By Chocolate,” “The Innocents” (2021). Visit playhousecinema.ca for showtimes.
The Playhouse Cinema will be closed temporarily for a film shoot from May 23 to 26.
Niagara hydrangea show
Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse Annual Hydrangea Show features more than 300 hydrangeas and runs daily until May 29. Floral Showhouse, 7145 Niagara Pkwy, Niagara Falls. niagaraparks.com
Kids ride free
Children can explore the city for free with the Hamilton Public Library and HSR. Children ages six to 12 can travel free on the HSR until April 30, 2023, with a valid PRESTO card. Visit any HPL branch and show them your library card to get a free kids PRESTO card. Visit hpl.ca/bus-card for details.
Game day
Your Hamilton Bulldogs are in Round 2 of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs with Mississauga. If required, Game 5 is Sunday, 2 p.m., at FirstOntario Centre.
Forge FC plays at Tim Hortons Field, in the Canadian Premier League on Saturday at 4 p.m. Tickets for the match vs. Atlético Ottawa are available at ticketmaster.ca.
Toronto Rock play just down the road in Buffalo on Sunday, 6 p.m., at KeyBank Center for Game 1 of the East Conference Finals. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca. Game 2 is May 21 at FirstOntario Centre.