Latest news with #Homegrown
NZ Herald
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Excitement in Hamilton as Homegrown music festival's return to the city is announced
Drummer Nic Martin said the band was thrilled to hear the festival will move to the Tron. 'I don't want to offend any other festivals, but [Homegrown] is without question our favourite festival. 'We are excited to see what the future looks like for Homegrown and even more excited that it will be in our backyard.' Martin couldn't confirm whether Devilskin will be part of the line-up, however, he said it would be special for the band if they were able to perform at Homegrown in Hamilton. 'Hamilton has been integral in Devilskin's journey. I'd attribute a lot of our success to our humble beginnings there.' He said he believed the Homegrown team 'absolutely' made the right decision coming to the Waikato. 'Especially after Meatstock at Mystery Creek that we had the opportunity to be a part of. Across the two days, there were between 15,000 and 20,000 attendees there. 'Say what you will about dirty old Hamilton, but the locals definitely love their music.' His message to sceptics: 'Give Hamilton a shot.' Creative Waikato chief executive Dr Jeremy Mayall agreed. 'Hamilton has really changed in the last few decades, but a lot of people don't give it a fair chance. 'There is a good reason for why it's here. A lot happens here.' Mayall said the event also had the potential to have a great positive effect on local creatives. Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive Don Good said the move was a great opportunity 'in so many ways' and 'a significant win' for Hamilton. 'Large-scale events like Homegrown attract thousands of visitors. 'With the festival's reputation for selling out and drawing crowds of more than 20,000, local businesses can expect a surge in foot traffic and revenue. 'Beyond immediate spending, the festival will further boost ... the region's reputation as a hub for creativity and entertainment.' Hamilton City Council deputy chief executive Sean Murray said that, according to initial estimates, more than 25,000 festivalgoers would spend about $3 million in total during their visit, which could result in 16,000 visitor nights. Hamilton and Waikato Tourism chief executive Nicola Greenwell said the organisation was 'absolutely thrilled' by the announcement. 'The excitement around Homegrown's return is palpable ... We look forward to working with organisers to ensure its success in Hamilton, creating an atmosphere that is welcoming, dynamic and truly representative of Waikato's spirit.' Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate said that, with Hamilton-Australia flights starting in June, the event would be easily accessible for Kiwis and international tourists. Festival director Andrew Tuck and co-director Michael Lamusse said Hamilton's central location was one reason for choosing it as the new host. 'Accessibility is key for Homegrown,' Tuck said. 'Being close to such a large population makes this dream even more achievable.' The organisers said Hamilton's status as New Zealand's fastest-growing city also offered potential to 'expand and evolve while staying true to its roots'. The duo said they were proud Waikato locals, and the event was 'coming home' to the place 'where it all began'. The team ran the extreme sports event X*Air at Claudelands for three years before moving it to Wellington for four years. X*Air gradually evolved into the Homegrown festival. 'Returning to the Waikato is not just about nostalgia; it's about creating something that celebrates our roots and gives back to the region that inspired us,' Tuck said. 'We want the whole of Aotearoa to feel proud of this festival, and we are committed to making it unforgettable.' According to the release, several cities presented hosting proposals, but Hamilton's 'unique charm and cultural significance' stood out. Recent large-scale events in Hamilton include the Six60 concert in 2021 and the Summer Concert Tour 2024, both at Claudelands Oval, and the Fifa Women's World Cup in 2023. Wellington City Council said it was disappointed to see Homegrown leave Wellington, but it understood the decision. 'We will continue to explore new opportunities to bring exciting experiences to our community. We wish the festival organisers all the best in their new location.' Social media reactions to the Hamilton move were mixed. Tracey Powell commented: 'Wow something in The Tron, things are looking up! Hopefully we manage to keep this event unlike the Beer fest.' Ben Bright commented: 'Awesome! Now make it Anzac Homegrown so we can get some Aussie bands over too, and it will be amazing.' However, another commented: 'It will never be the same sorry mate disappointing.' Kristian Paul commented: 'Lol like when the 7s moved to Hamilton? Dead in 2 years.' Homegrown has taken place on Wellington's waterfront since it started in 2008, growing from a crowd of 10,000 to 23,000. It showcases genres including rock, reggae and hip-hop, and has hosted iconic acts including Sir Dave Dobbyn, Shihad, Six60, Shapeshifter and Opshop. When asked about how much it had cost to become the host city, Hamilton City Counci said the commercial agreement with Homegrown was confidential. 'I can confirm that this is being managed through existing council budgets and resources,' a spokesperson said. 'Council was not asked for any additional budget or resource to make this happen.'
Otago Daily Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Dunedin misses out on festival, eyes other events
Hamilton is the new host of the Homegrown festival. PHOTO: SUPPLIED While Dunedin may have narrowly missed out on securing a major music festival, the man in charge of the city's stadium says it is not the only event in its sights. Organisers announced yesterday Hamilton had been selected as the new home of the Jim Beam Homegrown music festival - with Dunedin singled out as a close second choice. Dunedin Venues chief executive Paul Doorn. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH The annual festival has been held on Wellington's waterfront since 2008. Homegrown Events Ltd managing director Andrew Tuck said yesterday the proposal to move the event to Dunedin ''held firm and was in our final top two until the bitter end''. The decision came down to geography and making the music festival accessible to those who planned on travelling, he said. But Dunedin had potential that was yet to be unlocked, and further discussions were to be held with Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML) about bringing a unique and regular music event to the city. These talks could happen within the next 12 months, Mr Tuck said. DVML chief executive Paul Doorn said it was disappointing Hamilton ''pipped us at the post'', but was pleased with the feedback they had received from the entertainment provider. The organisation had worked closely with the Dunedin City Council to make both the proposal and the Forsyth Barr Stadium precinct ''as compelling as we possibly can''. ''I thought we really offered up a compelling argument. Obviously Hamilton's done something similar and they've got the gig.'' Mr Doorn said DVML had already identified music festivals as ''a bit of a gap'' for Dunedin and it was working with promoters to explore what a music festival similar to Homegrown could look like in the city - among other concepts.
Otago Daily Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Dunedin misses out on festival
Hamilton is the new host of the Homegrown festival. PHOTO: SUPPLIED While Dunedin may have narrowly missed out on securing a major music festival, the man in charge of the city's stadium says it is not the only event in its sights. Organisers announced yesterday Hamilton had been selected as the new home of the Jim Beam Homegrown music festival - with Dunedin singled out as a close second choice. Dunedin Venues chief executive Paul Doorn. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH The annual festival has been held on Wellington's waterfront since 2008. Homegrown Events Ltd managing director Andrew Tuck said yesterday the proposal to move the event to Dunedin ''held firm and was in our final top two until the bitter end''. The decision came down to geography and making the music festival accessible to those who planned on travelling, he said. But Dunedin had potential that was yet to be unlocked, and further discussions were to be held with Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML) about bringing a unique and regular music event to the city. These talks could happen within the next 12 months, Mr Tuck said. DVML chief executive Paul Doorn said it was disappointing Hamilton ''pipped us at the post'', but was pleased with the feedback they had received from the entertainment provider. The organisation had worked closely with the Dunedin City Council to make both the proposal and the Forsyth Barr Stadium precinct ''as compelling as we possibly can''. ''I thought we really offered up a compelling argument. Obviously Hamilton's done something similar and they've got the gig.'' Mr Doorn said DVML had already identified music festivals as ''a bit of a gap'' for Dunedin and it was working with promoters to explore what a music festival similar to Homegrown could look like in the city - among other concepts.
1News
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 1News
Homegrown music festival's new location revealed
Hamilton has been announced as the new home for the Homegrown music festival. In January the festival, which features New Zealand music, confirmed it would be leaving Wellington's waterfront after being there for 18 years. From next year it will be held at Hamilton's Claudelands Oval. Festival director Andrew Tuck said the move is "about creating something that celebrates our roots and gives back to the region that inspires us". Organisers said that Hamilton offers potential for the festival to expand and evolve. (Source: Breakfast) Organisers said that Hamilton offers potential for the festival to expand and evolve as New Zealand's fastest-growing city. "Its central location — just a short journey from the Bay of Plenty, Auckland, Coromandel, and the King Country — makes it accessible for a wide range of attendees eager to enjoy Aotearoa's finest musical acts." Tuck said accessibility for as many people as possible is key for the festival, and "being close to such a large population makes this dream even more achievable". Hamilton City Council deputy chief executive Sean Murray said the festival returning to the Waikato is "a win for the whole upper North Island". Next year's event will be held on March 14.
Otago Daily Times
05-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Dunedin narrowly misses out on major festival
Dunedin has missed out on bringing Homegrown festival to the city next year. PHOTO: SUPPLIED. Dunedin has fallen at the final hurdle in its bid to host a major music festival at Forsyth Barr Stadium. The city made it to the final two before losing out to Hamilton for the right to stage the multi-stage, all-New Zealand-acts festival previously held on the Wellington waterfront. Festival organisers now say they would like to bring another event to the city in the future. Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML) chief executive Paul Doorn was "disappointed" the city was not selected as the event's next long-term home. "The Dunedin proposal showcased the benefits of hosting a music festival in and around the Forsyth Barr Stadium precinct – a space which provides ideal conditions for a music festival such as Homegrown. "With a strong base of festivalgoers, including thousands of students and music lovers, Dunedin remains an exciting place to host a large-scale high-energy festival, and Dunedin Venues will continue to work towards achieving this goal." Homegrown director Andrew Tuck said nine venues were in the running to host the festival and Dunedin just missed out. "We considered everything: geography, population, demographics, transport, flights, and accommodation. "Throughout this process, the Dunedin proposal held firm and was in our final top two until the bitter end." The process established Dunedin "as a city we would like to bring an event to". "Throughout the process, the Dunedin Venues team were really great to deal with, and we hope to work with them in the future." DVML's bid for Homegrown came at a transitional period — Christchurch's $683 million covered stadium Te Kaha will open next year, posing a direct threat to Forsyth Barr Stadium for concerts and events. - APL
