What is the Festival of Weird?
Ahhh Hamilton Kirikiriroa the home of the misfits, the creatives, outsider arts and the plain ol wacky.
Calling all visual artists, street theatre practitioners, installation artists, outsider arts, disrupters, oddball creatives, burlesque, actors, theatre, improv, acrobats, place makers, activators, beat poets, spoken word, original musicians, low brow art creators, zinesters, creative buskers and everything you can imagine in between!
From MARCH 5 to 12, 2025, the Hamilton Kirikiriroa Festival of Weird will be all about celebrating our vibrant creative scene, taking over public spaces and venues with everything from cringe to fringe arts!
This festival is a platform for local and national grassroots arts, giving both emerging and established artists a chance to bring their wild ideas to life.
So get ready, all you wonderful weirdos, misfits, and everything in between—the Hamilton Festival of Weird is coming to the heart of the city, and we want you to be part of the fun!
And remember, keep being awesome and stay WEIRD!
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SUBMISSIONS
We are currently taking submissions for Hamilton Kirikiriroa Festival of Weird 2025.
If you hate forms and think they are evil incarnate, please contact us at hamiltonfestivalofweird[at]gmail.com
Please note there is no registration fee to participate in the Festival of Weird.
All outdoor performances or installation works are held in central city public spaces.
For indoor venue locations, the venue must be in either within the central city or in close proximity.
The Festival of Weird contributes towards free to the public outdoor performances or installation costs.
Any venue hire fee and additional costs must be covered by door entry or ticket fee and/or funding grant.
Please contact us if you would like more information or to discuss your project.
ABOUT US
The Festival of Weird was spawned after many discussions about what makes Hamilton | Kirikiriroa wonderfully weird…..we say our underground creative talent.
In 2023, the Riff Raff Public Art Trust teamed up with Free Lunch Street Theatre Company and in true DIY spirt launched The Hamilton | Kirikiriroa Festival of Weird in 2023. Part cringe, part fringe The Festival of Weird blends the bizarre with the extraordinary, providing a platform for creative expression and unique talent.
Founded in 2003, The Riff Raff Public Art Trust has worked on many exciting projects to enhance the local Hamilton | Kirikiriroa community. One of their notable achievements is the redevelopment of Embassy Park, affectionately called “Rocky Horror Park,” which features a statue of Riff Raff. Additionally, the Trust organizes public art installations and hosts central city events like the Festival of Weird, celebrating experimental creativity while bringing people together.
Our motto “A weirder Waikato when and wherever”
Co-organiser Sandra Jensen: Founded in 1999, Free Lunch Street Theatre Company have been performing and entertaining audiences on the streets since 1980’s. Based in Kirikiriroa, they have earned a reputation as one of the go to street performance groups, known for their quirky characters that light up public spaces. They have graced well-known festivals across the North Island, including Womad and the Hamilton Arts Festival.
