Eight things to do around Hamilton this weekend
Tired of digging in the snow?
If you have time, stop by the Tropical Greenhouse in Gage Park, pause for a bowl at Soupfest, learn to Podcast with help from the library or enjoy a walk around the city. Here are eight suggestions of things happening in and around Hamilton this weekend.
Environment Canada says it is going to be mostly sunny but very cold. You can expect -20 C overnight Friday to Saturday and daytime highs between -8 C on Saturday and -4 C Sunday.
Soupfest
There's nothing as hot as Living Rock's Soupfest. For the 20th annual event, which runs from Feb. 3 to 21, more than a dozen restaurants from the Hamilton area will create signature soups and compete for the Soupfest title. Customers can try the soups at participating restaurants and vote for their favourites online, with a portion of each sale will be donated to Living Rock. Find the restaurants and their signature creations at livingrock.ca/soups.
At the library
Hamilton Public Library offers something for everyone. Here are a few activities planned this weekend to keep you out of the cold:
Noon hour concerts on Fridays. This week LTtheMonk took the virtual stage in homage to Hamilton's Jackie Washington (1919-2009). Washington was an award-winning performer in the blues and jazz worlds and became Canada's first black disc jockey in 1948 on local radio station CHML. If you missed it live on Feb. 4, catch a replay on HPL's Noon Hour Concert Playlist on YouTube.
Learn to create a podcast. This session is Saturday at 10 a.m. for those age 18 and up. Learn which equipment and software is needed to record a podcast, as well as how to use it and distribute the finished product online. After you register, an invitation with instructions on how to join the group in an online Microsoft Teams meeting follows via email. See https://events.hpl.ca/event/6076137 for more.
Walkers take note
We all enjoy walking in the great outdoors, but Hamilton has made it even easier this winter. As part of a two-year pilot, select park washrooms are open between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. A list of facilities can be found at hamilton.ca/parkwashrooms. To report an issue in a washroom, contact 905-546-2489.
Hamilton's greenhouse
Who doesn't want a little green after all the white we've been blasted with? You don't have to travel far now that Hamilton's tropical greenhouse has reopened, and is free to visit. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. COVID requirements include masking and vaccine verification with a limited capacity of 50 per cent. Come in and see the waterfalls, fish ponds, turtles and waterlilies among the greenery. More information is at https://www.hamilton.ca/attractions/culture/gage-park-greenhouse.
Seedy Saturday
The 11th annual Seedy Saturday event starts this weekend with a bounty of online webinars. It culminates with either a curbside or in-person seed swap on Feb. 19 and 26. Get involved at greenventure.ca.
Art Gallery Hamilton
There's no end to the activity happening at the AGH in downtown Hamilton. The gallery at 123 King St. W. reopens on Feb. 12. Online and virtual events continue as planned and submissions by artists for the 2022 Art Sale continue until Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. The sale is hosted in April. Visit artgalleryofhamilton.com for details.
Mac Museum opens this week
McMaster Museum of Art reopens on Wednesday, Feb. 9, Hours are Wednesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This public gallery is located in the Alvin A. Lee building at McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. Suggested donation is $2. See https://museum.mcmaster.ca/ for more.
Winterfest
Hamilton Winterfest 2022 runs from Feb. 17 to March 6. Gurdeep Pandher (@GurdeepPandher) previews the fun to come with a tweet which includes a video on how to dance the Bhangra. Click here to watch: https://twitter.com/HamONWinterfest/status/1489288865802248200.
Jennifer Moore is an editorial assistant at The Spectator. jmoore@thespec.com