It’s New Zealand’s fastest growing city, but Hamilton’s population is about to swell with another 30,000 people expected to descend on ‘The Tron’ for Jim Beam Homegrown next month.
One of New Zealand’s biggest music events, Jim Beam Homegrown has officially marked ground at Claudelands Oval for its return to Kirikiriroa after 18-years in the capital.
Crews are now on site, the equivalent of 205 rugby fields in size, marking out the footprint for the 7 stages, 220 truckloads of equipment, 146 tonnes of scaffolding, and 654 toilets needed for the signature Homegrown experience.
Hundreds of crew members, specialists and suppliers will be on site to complete the full festival build and turn Claudelands Oval into a full-scale Kiwi music playground.
The construction will take three weeks and be ready for the one-day event on Saturday, the 14th of March.
Andrew Tuck, Jim Beam Homegrown chief executive, managing director, and proud Waikato local, is working with a space three times the size of the Festival’s former location in Wellington, as he knows what makes a good festival.
Girls want a clean toilet when they go to a festival. Guys want a cold beer, fast. You don’t come to a festival to stand around in a queue for half the day.
“It’s now all go here in Hamilton and we’re excited to get the stages set,” he said.
“We’ve been looking forward to coming home to the Mighty Waikato, and the energy is building every single day.”
He added that Claudelands Oval gives them the space to dream bigger and deliver the most ambitious Homegrown they have ever produced. The setting, the scale, the energy building across the city, it’s all coming together for a Festival that will raise the bar yet again.
“This isn’t just another year on the Homegrown calendar; it’s a defining moment. Jim Bean Homegrown has come home. Bring on the 14th of March!”
