Every year Hamilton winds down a busy summer season with the most epic event of the year – Supercrawl! This free, four-day music and art street festival showcases live music, art installations, fashion, theatre, artisans and makers, food trucks, and more.
There are countless sights and sounds to experience during Supercrawl, taking over James Street North and the surrounding downtown core from September 13-15, 2019.
Here are just some of my top picks.
Supersized Supercrawl
Supercrawl has grown from a modest weekend block party to Hamilton’s most popular annual festivals. And this year promises to be better than ever.
The music and art festival offers the perfect way to explore the city’s many galleries, venues, restaurants and shops in downtown Hamilton. Delve into this vibrant neighbourhood that’s at the root of Supercrawl’s inception back in 2009.
Music in the Streets
A celebration of live music is at the heart of Supercrawl. Outdoor stages will line the downtown core, hosting everyone from big national and international headliners to cherished homegrown acts.
Fashion Forward
In recent years, fashion has become a major component of Supercrawl. Hamilton’s fashion scene has grown quickly with more and more local designers, shops, and brands making their mark.
Make time for frequent visits to Supercrawl’s Fashion tent during the festival to take in creative and eye-catching designs by local designers and entertaining catwalk shows.
For Arts Sake
Every Supercrawl, James Street North fills up with thrilling art installations. Often constructed right onto the street or perched atop buildings, these dramatic and thought-provoking pieces always make a statement. Make sure to have your cameras ready. Since the very beginning, Supercrawl has aimed to celebrate Hamilton’s vibrant creative sector which exists both inside and outside of traditional gallery spaces. Stay tuned for this year’s lineup.
Feed your hunger
Keep up your strength during your Supercrawl adventures with the delicious selection of food trucks that roll in for the weekend. Expect to see some of the best trucks in the region join Hamilton favourites for a seriously tempting food truck alley. There are also tasty options for food and drink along James North including: Mulberry Coffeehouse, Merit Brewing, Born and Raised, The Brain, Mesa, Saltlick Smokehouse, Knead, Green Bar and countless more.
Hands-On Family Fun
When the kids are done exploring with you along James Street North, head over to York Boulevard, transformed into a made-in-Hamilton Family Zone, packed with hands-on activities.
This year features engaging family-friendly programming that showcases Hamilton’s creative talent and community cultural organizations.
Made in Hamilton Retail Therapy
Don’t forget to bring home a souvenir to remember Supercrawl weekend. Enjoy incredible local, one-of-a-kind shopping at shops along James Street North including: The Hamilton Store, O’s Clothes, Pretty Grit, White Elephant, and The Pale Blue Dot, to name a few.
Street Performances
Always expect the unexpected as you wander the core during Supercrawl. Every year Circus Orange delivers an electrifying show-stopping performance that is one of the highlights of the weekend.
Tourism Hamilton Visitor Centre
Tourism Hamilton always gets in on the party with a great lineup of activities during the three-day festival. Make sure to stop by their Visitor Centre in the historic Lister building (28 James Street North) for Supercrawl-inspired programming.
Kristin Archer is a lifelong Hamiltonian and the blogger behind the popular blog I Heart Hamilton where she inspires every local to “be a tourist in your own city.” She’s passionate about discovering her hometown, new experiences and sharing all that Hamilton has to offer. Catch Kristin Fridays at 2 p.m. when she hosts “I Heart Hamilton” on 93.3 CFMU and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Kristin’s #MyHamilton blog offers an insider’s look at Hamilton’s buzz-worthy arts and culture scene including James Street North staple Art Crawl, great music festivals and venues, outdoor events, theatre, dance and specialty shopping.