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Event Radar

Your guide to Supercrawl 2018

The wait is over, Hamilton. Supercrawl is back this weekend!

This year’s festival will span over four days, running from September 13-16. The Thursday to Sunday event will be filled with plenty to do, see, eat, drink and buy.

With Supercrawl being a four-day affair, it’s necessary to plan your weekend accordingly. This quick and easy rundown of what Supercrawl’s all about will help you plan your weekend to suit you and your family’s needs.

The Location

Supercrawl stretches along James Street North from King Street East to just past Immigration Square. The distance is just over 1 km, making it a 15-minute walk from end to end at a leisurely pace.

The festival also branches off down King William Street, York Boulevard, Wilson Street, Vine Street, Mulberry Street, Colbourne Street and Murray Street. When making your way down the main drag, be sure not to miss out on the action down these side streets!

If you’re taking young children, be sure to bring the stroller. With all the walking and waiting that’s bound to happen, they’re going to tire out sooner than usual.

There’s a couple of benches for resting along James Street North, but more likely than not they’ll be occupied by other festival-goers. If you’re looking to sit down – whether you need or a break or a place to eat some food truck goodies – you might have to hit a side street and sit on the curb. I suggest bringing a picnic or stadium blanket to sit on; it makes it ten times more comfortable.

Entertainment

This year’s festival is an ode to great music. Not only will there be an incredible line up of musicians, but also several of the festival’s past headliners will be taking the stage once again.

Supercrawl is hosting over 60 musical acts across six different stages, promising an expansive and diverse amount of genres. The wide variety will include regional, national and international musicians.

 

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Festival headliners this year include Broken Social Scene, Lights, Wintersleep, Owen Pallett, Cadence Weapon, The Dirty Nil and Elliot Brood.

With a great mix of new and emerging talent, as well as some Hamilton favourites, this year’s lineup is one you can’t miss.

Arts

To say Hamilton has turned into an arts hub over the last ten years is an understatement. Supercrawl celebrates the impact of Hamilton’s art scene as well as its importance across the city as a whole.

There will be eight different art installations set up across Supercrawl, showcasing work by artists such as Vanessa Crosbie Ramsay and Megan Press.

As James Street North is home to many art galleries, the majority of them will be open during Supercrawl to highlight current exhibits and show visitors Hamilton’s thriving art scene. Galleries such as Centre3, The Hamilton Artists Inc. and b contemporary are not to be missed.

Supercrawl will also showcase performance art, ranging from theatre presentations to a circus performance by Circus Orange.

Vendors

There will be over 100 vendors at this year’s Supercrawl. Each vendor brings something new to the table; you’ll find a wide variety of art, clothing, vintage goods, jewelry, tasty treats and an assortment of other goodies.

The great part about Supercrawl is that the majority of vendors are Hamilton small businesses. Not only are you supporting local businesses by purchasing their goods, but you’re also investing in Canadian-made products.

 

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If you’re looking for the perfect piece of art to represent your love of Hamilton and your neighbourhood, we suggest checking out Jelly Brothers. Their prints are well known and well loved across the city.

Be sure to also check out the shops along James Street North! There are plenty of great stores to pop into; some of our favourites include Needlework, The Pale Blue Dot, O’s Clothes and Pretty Grit.

Food Scene

What would Supercrawl be without a delicious assortment of food vendors? There’s going to be over 30 food trucks partaking in this year’s Supercrawl, resulting in an abundance of choices.

 

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If you’re looking to satisfy your sweettooth, look no further.

Beavertails is frying up their namesake delights, Tiny Tom’s is making mini donuts and the Hungarian pastry truck Eva’s Chimneys is combining the best of both worlds with ice cream served in a fluffy dough cone!

The savoury food trucks are serving up a variety of flavours, from classic Canadian cuisine to international inspired dishes.

Let your taste buds travel to England with A Salt ‘N Battered’s authentic British fish & chips. Try Indian and Asian street food with The Flyin G’nosh. For food with a Carribean flair, make sure to head over to Jerk Brothers and Jamaican Patty Shack.

Want Canadian comfort food? Gorilla Cheese serves the best grilled cheese sandwiches in all of Ontario. You can also grab a hot dog from Willy Dog’s GTO or a classic poutine from TCS Poutinerie.

If you’re looking for a sit-down meal, there’s plenty of restaurants along James Street North and their respective side streets that are open for Supercrawl. The variety of restaurants to choose from is just as vast as the food trucks. From hamburgers to coffeeshops to Mexican cuisine, Supercrawl’s got it all.

Getting There

Supercrawl is accessible by bus and car.

If travelling by bus, the HSR’s MacNab Transit Terminal is located a block west of Supercrawl. HSR Mountain routes 21-27, 33 and 35 stop at the terminal.

Crosstown service also stops at the terminal. Eastbound HSR routes 1, 5, 10 and 51 stop by the south end of the terminal, while westbound HSR routes 1, 5, 10, 51 and 52 stop at the north end of the terminal.

If travelling by car, the closest parking lot is the York Boulevard Parkade. As the York Boulevard entrance is blocked off during Supercrawl, enter the parkade through Vine Street. The parking lot has a capacity of roughly 800 vehicles and parking costs only $10 for the day.

There are also a number of inexpensive parking lots within a short walk of Supercrawl. A few of these lots are located at John and Rebecca Street, James and Wilson Street, and Bay and King Street. The parking garage at the Hamilton Convention Centre is also available to park in.

Quick Tips

Bring cash! Some vendors may have the ability to offer debit or credit while others may not. It will make the process of purchasing your goods much faster if you pay with cash.

Bring water! Feel free to indulge in a cold beer, cocktail or some ice cream to cool you down, but remember to drink water. This is an outdoor event and you’ll want to stay hydrated.

Bring an appetite and patience! Supercrawl is a weekend filled with food and community, but it’s going to be busy. Prepare to eat some incredible food but prepare to wait in line. Be polite to one another and remember you’re all in this together.

Be open to new art forms! Supercrawl celebrates all different kinds of art – painting, sculpture, film, design and plenty of other exciting sectors. You might see some art that’s a little too quirky for your taste but that’s okay! Art it subjective – let’s respect each other and celebrate the different ways we choose to express ourselves.

Be aware of when the festival opens and closes! Although Supercrawl is a four-day event, it isn’t a 96-hour long affair. Supercrawl is open Thursday from 6 pm tp 12 am, Friday 6 pm to 1 am, Saturday 12 pm to 1 am, and Sunday 12 pm to 7 pm.

Supercrawl is an awesome event and we’re fortunate to have such a well-coordinated celebration right here in our city. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and try something new. There’s plenty to see, hear, buy and drink this year, and I hope you have a great time.

What are you looking forward to seeing at Supercrawl? Who are you taking with you? Let us know in the comments. See you there!

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