July 2018 | Urbanicity Hamilton

JULY 2018 / SUMMERTIME IN #HAMONT!

MORE THAN ONE WAY TO FLOAT

THE TICATS ARE CHANGING THE FAN GAME

UNIQUE, LOCALLY-SOURCED, KEEP-YOU-COLD FLOATS!

THE HAMILTON FRINGE FESTIVAL

HAMONT SUMMER DREAMIN’

CELEBRATING ITS 15TH ANNIVERSARY IN A BIG WAY

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ITINERARIES FOR A CLASSIC HAMILTON SUMMER

C O M P L I M E N TA R Y

THE EVOLVING EXPERIENCE OF TIGER-CATS FOOTBALL

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A MESSAGE FROM

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THE EDITOR IN CHIEF

P U B L I S H E R + E D I TO R ANDREA FERNANDES andrea@urbanicity.ca L AYO UT & D ES I G N T a fa r f i A n t h o ny COV ER B Y H a m ilto n T ig er - Ca t s DISTRIBUTION urbanicity Magazine

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Summer temperatures have arrived and our schedules are quickly heating up. With cottage weekends planned, camping trips, and every other weekend dedicated to wedding season don’t forget to make some time to explore the beautiful city we call home. Hamilton is loaded with summertime activities and urbanicity has you covered with plenty of ideas to enjoy the city on your own or with friends and family.

Planning a stay-cation? Head over to pg. (4&5) and flip through our Hamilton itinerary designed just for that. Or want to get creative in the kitchen this summer with delicious and interesting ways to keep you cool? Then turn to pg. (8&9) because we chatted with local experts about their favourite pairings to create unique and locally sourced drink floats!

Or check out our coverage of the action-packed Hamilton Fringe Festival pg. (6&7) celebrating its 15th year anniversary with a new outdoor

Fringe Club that will provide free experiences around the city with the goal of uniting and engaging the community.

And of course, is it truly a Steeltown summer if you haven’t gone to a Ticats game and cheered on the boys? We sat down with the marketing minds pg. (10) behind the Ticats fan-experience and chatted about the incredible atmosphere built around the boys at Tim Horton’s Field. Whether you're a huge sports fan or not, you’ll want to get in on the action both on and off the field.

Plus, we may have been given a few extra tickets for the July 19th Ticats game. So take a picture with your copy of Urbanicity, tag us on social media and use #urbanicityhamont for your chance to score a pair of tickets.

See you around the city!

ANDREA FERNANDES

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HamOnt Summer Dreamin’ Itineraries for a Classic Hamilton Summer Talking to a friend a few days ago, we were remarking on how it feels recently like there is something cool to do every weekend in Hamilton.

Whether it was the epic Arkells Rally, of June 23rd, the Collective Arts Liquid Arts Fest the weekend before, Soul Saturday on King William the week before that, or all the festivals, concerts and street fests that make up the weekends to come.

But what to do on that rare day when there isn’t something hype going on?

Or any other day of the week that you may happen to have off because, you know, stay-cation. Luckily, outside of all the awesome events and festivals in the city, new and old, we’re spoiled with a pretty sweet selection of things to do on any given day during the summer, whether Steeltown classics or modern #HamOnt happenings.

First thing’s first, the morning…

BR EAK FAST, BR U N CH, BR I N N ER Hit up greasy spoons like West Town Bar and Grill, Steve’s Open Kitchen, upscale options like Aberdeen Tavern, the French, or Mattson and Co, alternative locales like Radius or Harbour Diner, or cool stops like Jack and Lois, Saint James Eatery, Cannon Coffee Co. or Nique. Of course, that’s to say nothing of the multitude of others, whether Papa Leo’s, the Mule, classic Bedrock Bistro, newcomer Caro, or so much more. Basically, you’re good here.

COF F EE CR AWL I N ’ I feel like calling it a recent explosion of “hip coffee shops” would be demeaning to the many that already existed. Nevertheless, there are a lot of new spots, and if you want to be absolutely wired by noon check out Locke for Democracy or Brown Dog, move east for Durand Coffee, Ark and Anchor, or Red Crow Coffee. Then move north down James St. for Mezza, Saint James, Smalls, Mulberry Café, or Steel Town Garage. For further adventures check out Relay on the mountain (or their location in the Hamilton Farmer’s Market), Detour in Dundas, Vintage Coffee Roasters in mid-town, or Cannon Coffee on Ottawa street.

EASTER BR OOK ’S A N D HU TCH’S: CL ASSI C HAMI L TON AL L DAY EATS A N D EXPER I EN CES If you’re not a morning person but getting pangs for something distinctly summery delicious, two classic stops at opposite ends of the city-limits, Easterbrook’s Hot Dog Stand and Hutch’s on the Beach (like, we’re talking OG Hutch’s, not Bayfront), offer the most retro-Hamilton feel with the most amazingly guilty-pleasure fare. And these aren’t simply stops, but rather storied locations, venerated icons, experiences in and unto themselves and pilgrimages must be made to them regularly. Although they are all-year round, my most cherished memories of them are summertime, whether having a footlong for dinner on the last day of school at Easterbrook’s or being sunburnt from Confederation Park but having ice cream on the beachfront behind Hutch’s.

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IDE AS DAY- TR I P S : A DV EN T U RES I N- TOW N If you’re going to make it out to Hutch’s, make a day out of it by hitting up Burlington Beach, Confederation Park, go wave-pooling and watersliding at Wild Water Works, hit up the mini-golf or batting cages at Adventure Village, enjoy the scenic lakeshore trail, or drinks or volley-ball at Barangas. Back to the Easterbrook’s side of things, check out the Royal Botanical Gardens, hike Cootes Paradise or make your way down to Valley-Inn, or walk, ride, run the Bay Trail, then get your skate on at Pier 4 Park’s roller rink.

Sticking more central? Just take a stroll up and down James Street, Locke Street, through Dundas, along Concession, getting lost in the antiques of Ottawa, or really, when was the last time you really explored old, downtown Waterdown or Stoney Creek? Or go more rustic and start checking our waterfalls off your hiking list, with stops at cool, nearby country markets like Dyment's Farm above Dundas, or the Punch Bowl Market.

DAY -TRIP: OUT OF TOW N I mean, the sky’s the limit here. But I guess to keep it more Hamiltonfocused (i.e. leaving the city-limits but giving love to smaller communities and not making it explicitly about Niagara or Toronto) let’s talk beach trips.

Whether Ontario or Erie there are so many beaches within an easy drive of Hamilton, whether Turkey Point, Long Point, Long Beach, or Ports Dover, Stanley, or Colborne, these are all great, single day road-trips. Among my favourite with its own little, traditional, near and dear to my heart itinerary is heading out to Port Dover, stopping at Hewitt’s Dairy Bar in Hagersville for ice cream on the way, and stopping for fish and chips (or an absurdly affordable steak) at the lovely D&D’s in Jarvis on the way back.

L IBATIONS AND STAY CATIONS Getting thirsty? I mean, you went coffee crawling, why not go harder now that it’s later in the day. The bevy of new breweries in the city offer an awesome itinerary for beer crawls.

Whether Shawn and Ed in Dundas,

Grain & Grit and Fairweather in Ainslie-Wood, West Ave Cidery out in Flamborough, Clifford Brewing Company in the east, or Collective Arts and Merit in the middle of it all. And why stop at beer? Forty Creek and Dillon's distilleries are mostly within the reaches of the city, and as long as you’re headed out that way, you may as well sample Hamilton’s three wineries, part of the Niagara wine route, Ridge Road Estates, Leaning Post, and Puddicombe Estate Winery.

DINNE R, DRI N K S, PATI OS, NIG H TLIFE ETC. Really. I mean what can I say here that hasn’t already been said a million times by many other, better people? We know the awesome restaurants, patios and pub districts in Hamilton, but maybe for a reminder, check out Melissa’s list in last month’s Urbanicity or go to local food influencer, @TasteHamont – Jen’s new Hamilton patio site! tastehamont. com/patio-life/ I will, however, drop a personal favourite. Ventura’s on James North, particularly getting the street side spot with the garage door window rolled up, people watching with grilled seafood and super-chilled Portuguese Vinho Verde.

BLOC KBUST ER SEASON UNDE R STA R S OR I N COM FY SE ATS I love going to the movies, and summer is the blockbuster season. So, the most essential thing to me, to make any summer complete, is a trip to the Star-Lite Drive-In on Stoney Creek mountain.

Since first seeing the original Jurassic Park there in 1993, it doesn’t feel like a real summer without heading up there at least once. And mad points to those who take-in the full “dusk ‘til dawn” shows on the holiday weekends.

Of course, if you want to stay inside, the new seats at the classic Jackson Square multiplex put any other cinema in the city to shame and gives my innerchubby-kid-Ryan a reason to want to theatre-hop again once the show I paid for is done.

So there you have it, a multitude of fulldays of things to see, do, experience, taste and feel during the hot time, summer in the city. And be sure to mix and match, as any of them can be combined with the other to make sure you’re out by the time your head hits the pillow.

BY RYAN MORAN

Ryan is a proud Hamilton native, interested in style, travel, adventure, arts and culture and always trying to be better. In other lives Ryan is an MBA, a Senior Manager of Marketing for Niagara Parks, and a Co-Founder/Owner of CoMotion On King. In his rare spare time, he enjoys writing and photography. @ RPMoran

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The Hamilton Fringe Festival Celebrating its 15th anniversary in a big way

The eleven-day performance festival that takes place in Hamilton each summer is introducing a huge expansion to their festivities from July 19th to 29th with a new outdoor Fringe Club. The Fringe Club, presented in partnership with Redchurch CafĂŠ + Gallery, will be located in the East end of Gore Park and provide new opportunities for artists and culture-lovers to grab a beer on the licensed patio, take in live performances on the open-air stage, visit the craft and community marketplace, take a yoga class, and participate in many other free activities over the course of the festival.

BY ROSE HOPKINS

Rose Hopkins is an actor, creator and producer.

She is the founder of The Take-Up, a company creating new performance works in Hamilton and works as the Associate Producer for the Hamilton Fringe. When she’s not in rehearsal or working on Excel spreadsheets, you can find Rose shopping for retro furniture on Ottawa Street. @ rohops

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The idea of an outdoor licensed hub is not unique to Hamilton. Fringe Festivals, unjuried festivals that take place all over the world, often feature freeto-access clubs or tents, which can attract visitors beyond the scope of traditional Fringe-goers. Many believe that the new Fringe Club will do the same for Hamilton Fringe.

“Free events are your first point of contact for people who wouldn’t normally attend a theatre show. This could lead to more people having a relationship with theatre in Hamilton,” says Jennie Esdale, Theatre Aquarius’ Outreach, Development and Education Program Director.

Theatre Aquarius’ Summer School students will be performing an original piece of work at the Fringe Club on July 29th. They are just one of the many organizations that are collaborating with the Hamilton Fringe on programming at the Club. Other partners include Supercrawl, Hamilton Downtown Business Improvement Area, and the Hamilton Youth Poets.

“Well-known, established organizations working together can only be good to help build audiences,” says Esdale. “It’s so great to have a central place that can bring the community together.”

The feeling is shared by artists, too. Fringe artist Lisa Pijuan-Nomura looks forward to more possibilities for engagement with people who wouldn’t ordinarily go to the theatre. “I’m cognizant of people not feeling that the theatre is a space for them, for a number of reasons. If you don’t feel comfortable walking through the front door or don’t even have access to that door, you’re cut off,” says Pijuan-Nomura, who is also hosting a talk on gentrification at the Fringe Club. “When something is in the open air, it’s a little more open to the world.”

Lisa’s opinion echoes the sentiment behind an increasing number of conversations about the lack of diversity and inclusion in projects in the theatre community, with issues of access to opportunities at the forefront of these discussions.

Oppositie page and above photo by DAVE PIJUAN

Erika Reesor, a Fringe artist who is active in the queer community, thinks that including these programs can be helpful for the Hamilton theatre scene.

“Visibility is the only way we can promote any kind of inclusion in the community,” she says. “Unless we are visible, there will still be an enormous disparity onstage.”

Marilo Nuñez, who is hosting a talk about theatre in the age of the #MeToo movement, agrees. “The panel talk will be an excellent way to showcase the women’s work in theatre that is happening because a lot of people don’t know about it. And it will bring more awareness to the topics that are important to us as not only women but as humans.”

The Fringe Club will provide many opportunities to discuss these topics over a cold beer, courtesy of Woodhouse Brewing, or take a trip down memory lane while strolling through the exhibit of Fringe memorabilia at Redchurch’s Gallery. For those looking for family fun, each Saturday of the festival will feature all-ages programs from yoga to street performers and more. Regardless of what you’re looking for, there are many ways to get involved in the eleven days of art, food, film, beer, buskers and more at the Fringe Club this summer.

It looks like the Hamilton Fringe has taken notice, with programming at the Fringe Club addressing some of these issues and offering programs for people of many different communities. There will be an Arts and Allyship Talking Circle, an evening celebrating women’s writing, and a ‘Love is Love’ drag show, just to name a few.

IF YOU DON’T FEEL COMFORTABLE WALKING THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR OR DON’T EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO THAT DOOR, YOU’RE CUT OFF,

HAMI L TON F R I N GE, N EW OU TDOOR F R I N GE CL U B July 19-29, 2018.

4pm-12am Mon-Thurs 12pm-2am Fri 11am-2am Sat 11am-12am Sun East end of Gore Park, in front of Redchurch Café + Gallery For more information visit: www.hamiltonfringe.ca/outdoors

Left and above photo by ALYSSA LAI

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There’s More Than One Way to Float Experts share their favourite pairings to create unique, locally-sourced, keep-you-cold floats!

root beer and vanilla ice cream combo is a classic, we turned to some local experts in the food and beverage world to find out their picks. Even better, each combination features Hamilton-made products so you can keep cool and We’ve got a favourite warm support local companies at weather staple that’s often the same time! forgotten - floats! And while the tried and true It’s finally hot outside, which means we can go full steam ahead indulging in our favourite ways to cool down. Iced coffee, cold beer, popsicles, and ice cream are all part of the daily diet in the summer months.

Photos by STEFANI SOLIMAN

J E SS I CA & JOSH - HOPPI L Y EV ER A F TER The Hamilton couple behind the craft beer blog Hoppily Ever After, Jessica and Josh love to champion the Ontario beer scene. As they build their expertise and work toward their Prud'homme certifications, they’ve helped to run the I Heart Beer Festival, as well as food and beer walking tours.

For their float base, Jessica and Josh chose local newcomer Grain & Grit Beer Co. and one of their latest offerings, Max’s Big Beer, a peach and vanilla milkshake IPA. It’s described as “creamy with stone fruit and tropical flavours on the front, followed by vanilla and some sweetness with a lingering bitter finish.” They chose to pair it with Sweet Cream ice cream made by Foundry, a small-batch company that uses local seasonal ingredients to create original flavours in a French-style

ice cream. “The sweetness of the ice cream complements the sweetness of the beer while providing a contrast to and mellowing out any hoppy bitterness,” explains Jessica.

Another plus to trying this float? Fifty cents from each can of Max’s Big Beer will go towards Max’s Big Ride, a fundraiser for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Find Jessica & Josh at @hoppilyeveraft or www.hoppily-ever-after.com Grain & Grit is located at 11 Ewen Road, or find them @grainandgritbeer Foundry Ice Cream can be found at various independent retail locations, markets, and at @foundryicecream

COME SEE WHAT’S IN THE NEST! Unique, Canadian, handmade gifts and home decor items for the animal lover.

Find it here. Come to Nest.

171 Locke St. S., Unit 2 nesthamilton.com info@nesthamilton.com

BY STEFANI SOLIMAN

Stefani Soliman is a social media marketer and freelance editor. She's an avid supporter of local businesses, Canadian-made goods and fashion. Along with her love of dogs, punctuation, and the ‘90s, Stefani is a keen recycler and instrument collector. Tell her a corny joke and you’ll be friends for life. @ stefsoliman

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Above photo by STEFANI SOLIMAN / Right photo by KAREN BURSON

Photos provided by CHRISTINE MILTON

CH RIS T IN E & SA RA - TOAST W INE B AR Having just celebrated its second birthday, Toast Wine Bar was opened downtown by Christine and Sara who believed a wine bar was just what Hamilton needed (and they were right!).

Carrying both local and international wines, as well as a curated menu (including delicious cheese boards), they were the perfect duo to create a wine-inspired float.

Sparkling wine goes hand in hand with summer (and summer celebrations), so prosecco was an easy choice for the base. Starting with La Tordera 'Brunei' Brut, Christine & Sara opted for local favourite Rudy’s Paletas. Made from scratch and using only natural

RAC H E L & JASON - R EL AY COF F EE R OASTER S

ingredients, these dairy-free Mexicaninspired ice pops can be found at shops and events all over the city. And who says popsicles are only for kids? The gals at Toast chose four delicious paleta flavours to pair with the prosecco Vanilla Lemon, Grapefruit, Pink Lemonade with Hibiscus, and Strawberry Lime. Talk about refreshing!

Chances are if you drink coffee and live in Hamilton, you’ve tried local roaster Relay Coffee. Opened in 2008 by couple Rachel & Jason, the company (formerly known as Red Hill Coffee Trade) has served their java all over the city, from Festival of Friends, to Supercrawl, to Because Beer, to the Greenbelt Harvest Picnic.

Toast Wine Bar is located at 10 John Street North or find them @toasthamont. Head there and try a glass of the prosecco featured here!

When you’re craving a caffeine kick on a hot day, Relay’s cold brew coffees are exactly what you need. For their float, Rachel & Jason chose to combine their Pitch Speed cold brew with Henry Brown’s Pink Velvet Cake ice cream. Henry Brown’s is a small-batch maker, using natural and organic ingredients whenever possible (and always omitting gelatin, additives, or artificial emulsifiers). With a dark, smokey, and semi-sweet chocolate taste, the

Rudy’s Paletas can be found at various independent retail locations or at @rudyspaletas.

Pitch Speed dark coffee is balanced by the sweetness of the ice cream. Rachel describes the pairing: “This float becomes a sort of yin & yang of sweet and strong, creamy milk and semisweet dark chocolate coffee.”

The Pink Velvet Cake small batch ice cream “is silky-textured and has a kiss of cocoa and ribbons of marshmallow fluff,” explains Henry Brown’s maker Karen. Making for, as Rachel describes it, “the creamiest ice cream you can imagine” for the float!

Find Relay Coffee at 590 Concession St, in the Hamilton Farmers’ Market, or at @relaycoffee.

Henry Brown’s can be found in the Hamilton Farmers’ Market or at @ henrybrowns.

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THE EVOLVING EXPERIENCE OF TIGER-CATS FOOTBALL THE TICATS ARE CHANGING THE FAN GAME

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W

atching live sports is definitely a passion of mine. It’s what I’ve grown up with.

Like many, trips to stadiums and arenas to see the hometown team have been an important component in fostering bonds with family and friends. It’s a night out with the buddies or a parent taking their child to the game as a nostalgic rite-of-passage that’s been done for generations. Well, stereotypically speaking, anyway. But the game is changing. It’s evolving. How we consume, or participate in, live sports is different than it was, say, 15 years ago.

And the smart sports franchises are adapting.

This evolution is front and centre as you approach Tim Hortons Field for a Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ home game. And really, a massive mutation took place the moment shovels hit the ground for the stadium's construction. Like many who grew up in the area, I’ve been raised on Ticats’ football. And boy oh boy there’ve been some mighty lean years I’ve had to endure as a result.

The team’s rank in the standings aside, many fond memories were created after passing through the gates of the old Ivor Wynne Stadium. To me, and many in these parts, that place was a shrine. It was a living, breathing part of our city’s football history. It was simple, it was cramped, it was all-kindsof uncomfortable, it often had a volatile atmosphere, it was a tough spot for opponents and we took pride in its rustic, historical character.

RATHER THAN JAMMING FANS INTO THEIR SEATS FOR THE GAME, TIM HORTON’S FIELD OFFERS FREE-FLOWING PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GATHER.

“We still have phenomenal if not better sightlines,” Lowe continued, “but the configuration gives you 360-degree access to the entire stadium - enabling much more congregating and socializing while still being able to watch the game.”

The principle is pretty simple. Rather than jamming fans into their seats for the game, Tim Horton’s Field offers free-flowing places for people to gather. There are options o’ plenty to enjoy the game however you want – a luxury that’s made possible with the stadium’s layout. Tiger-Cats’ game day has always been a social occasion. Part of this aforementioned evolution has been enhancing this element – giving fans the opportunity to enjoy the game and the atmosphere in a number of different ways.

Encouraging newer, younger fans through the turnstiles has become a major priority for the Canadian Football League and the Ticats are no different. A more social, less-regimented game day experience is resonating with

younger demographics as well as those who are less familiar with the team.

“There is that segment of millennials as well as those from multi-cultural backgrounds who may not have football in their blood,” Darcy Raymond, Vice President, Marketing Communication, explains. “But they’re proud to be in Hamilton. This is where we have concert acts, activities and attractions to invite and welcome those people out to a game. This is your team, too.”

One planned concert act, in particular, has the potential to entice a strong showing of this cohort into the stadium. On July 19th when the Saskatchewan Roughriders come to town, the halftime show will feature a performance by The Beaches. This Torontobased Alt-Rock act is enjoying rapidly expanding popularity – snagging Breakthrough Group of the year at this year’s Juno Awards.

Raymond also talked about his experience in Major League Baseball where studies have shown younger fans prefer to sample a range of sports and

entertainment experiences. This is a marked contrast to previous generations who were more apt to immerse themselves in a particular team. This puts additional pressure on all those involved in the development of the Ticats’ game-day operations. To win over younger and newer fans, providing a solid experience is essential.

The fan experience at Tim Horton’s Field starts outside the gates. While some may lament it, I’ve always loved the neighbourhood setting of Ivor Wynne and now Tim Horton’s Field.

This creates this unique, community feeling that gives pre-game tailgating a different look. There just aren’t many stadiums where you and your crew can park on someone’s front lawn and enjoy a semi-concealed beer with them. Where your walk to the stadium includes porches clad with Ticats’ “East End Proud” flags, the music of all genres pumps out the open windows, radios tuned to the pre-game show can be heard, and you join in small-talk and cheers with anyone and everyone. This is where you feel Hamilton’s pulse.

When you enter the stadium gates that similar ‘urban tailgate’ atmosphere comes along with you. It doesn’t end at kick-off either. You could easily spend all 4 quarters at different areas within the stadium and never actually get to your seat.

However, even as adjustments were made, the old stadium was a place you went to watch football. Not much more, not much less. “Ivor Wynne was a theatre for football”, says Steve Lowe, Sr. Director of Fan Experience. “You sat on your bench seat and watched the game.

It was an intimate environment and we all loved it.”

The fan experience was almost completely tied to what happened that day out on the field. Up until Bob Young acquired the team, the stadium merely offered fans the bare basics. The scoreboard gave you the score, the concession stands provided sustenance and a bit of fan-fuel. But the overwhelming onus was on the fans themselves to generate an enjoyable experience.

Opening the doors to Tim Horton’s Field revealed a plethora of new opportunities to create a memorable, exciting and fun fan experience. And that creates opportunities to engage a whole new segment of the population – a segment that older stadium formats may have had difficulty offering a product that appealed to them.

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On July 19th, The Beaches will be featured in a special halftime performance.

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E XPE RIE NC E S THE CR AF T GAR DEN S Serving local Bench Brewing's craft beers and home to LaBalsama Taco Stand Without having to walk too far from The Stipley, just inside the concourse under the east-stands, you come to The Craft Gardens. This is a really cool spot with creatively designed standing tables where fans can enjoy a local craft brew and even a spicy bite from the taco stand. It’s a perfect set up to gather with a small group and enjoy something a little bit different than

what you might find in other parts of the stadium. The attention to detail here is well done. The bar itself is a beautiful work of reclaimed wood that was custom-made by Hamilton’s own Rustic Designs by Rich. The artwork that complements the space is by local artist, Richard Mace of Street Art Hamilton – his urban styles can be found throughout the city.

T H E S T IP L E Y B AR The largest outdoor bar in Canada The location of the Stipley Bar makes it an impressive sight for everyone in attendance. Situated in the south end zone, The Stipley is a massive bar that, itself, provides 360 degrees of service and, at about 100 yards of total length – is the biggest outdoor bar in Canada.

Each game features a live cover band to check out, too. Even the décor of this bar is pretty cool – plenty of homage to the neighbourhoods of Hamilton. For

many fans, this will be the first stop after making their way into the stadium. This area is open 90 minutes before kickoff and now, in partnership with Saltlick Smokehouse, there’s even a pregame pig roast. As an extra incentive to check out some of the game from here, it’s now home to the infamous Ticats’ Touchdown Whistle. So, depending on who you’re with, you could end up stuck here for a while.

COOR S L I GHT PATI O Mixing and mingling behind the north end zone Summertime is all about spending time on a patio. Tim Horton’s Field gives fans the chance to mix and mingle behind the north end zone. General admission tickets can be purchased to spend the game hanging out here; plus,

access is open to all ticket holders like The Stipley at the opposite end, logistically it’s a great meet-up point and offers a nice vantage point to view the game.

COO RS B A N Q UE T BAR Bringing country music, good times and football together The original themed bar area of the stadium, The Coors Banquet Bar brings country music and football together.

Whether you’re a country music fan or not, this place is worth checking out.

The popularity of this area – which is often packed from before kick-off until

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the final gun – is what precipitated the development of other hospitality areas within the stadium. DJ’s spin country tunes all game long while plenty of big screens allow you to keep an eye on the game during your visit.

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The Ticats have definitely been active players in recognizing and leveraging the bursting HamOnt-pride that’s caught on in the last decade or so. Mike Hardill, the club’s Sr. Manager, Marketing & Digital, notes how this element has been picked up in the team’s marketing tactics as well as in-stadium engagement efforts. “Our organization has been clearly influenced by this in our branding campaigns. This is something that’s organically happening here in the city – we’re participating in that and proud to be along for the ride.”

The culmination of the seemingly-endless efforts by the Ticats staff appears to be paying off. Not only do they have a string of sellouts dating back to the Tim Horton’s Field opening, they are making inroads with younger demographics. Both Hardill and Lowe mentioned that they are seeing ticket purchasers - season ticket holders - beginning to skew younger. Although there are still plenty of challenges, this bodes well for the long-term health of the franchise.

It means newer generations of fans are interested in experiencing TigerCats football – even if the football is only part of the reason they’ve bought a ticket. But, as Darcy Raymond so perfectly reminds, “the number one driver in generating a positive fan experience is other fans.” Knowing that heading down to the stadium is a near-guarantee of a good time reinforces that positive experience with each visit – paying off in return visits. And, while Hamilton sure loves a winner, a fun fan experience can help mitigate the effects of the odd losing season. From the moment you hop off the bus or park your car, you realize that a day at Tim Horton’s Field is about a lot more than just football.

“This is an outdoor festival with 24,000 people that you get to experience 10 or 11 times year.” – Steve Lowe, Senior Director of Fan Experience.

Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.43)

Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.48) Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.62)

4 6 8 9 7 2 3 5 1

3 4 1 5 8 2 7 6 9

5 9 8 7 2 6 4 1 3

9 1 5 3 6 8 4 2 7

5 8 6 9 7 1 4 2 3

2 3 7 4 8 1 5 9 6

7 2 3 4 1 5 9 8 6

2 7 9 4 3 6 8 1 5

4 1 6 5 3 9 7 8 2

1 4 7 6 2 9 5 3 8

7 2 3 1 9 5 6 8 4

1 5 9 2 6 4 8 3 7

2 3 6 5 8 1 7 9 4

1 6 8 3 2 4 5 9 7

8 6 2 3 7 5 9 4 1

8 5 9 7 3 4 1 6 2

4 9 5 8 6 7 1 3 2

3 7 4 9 1 8 6 2 5

6 8 4 1 9 3 2 7 5

8 1 2 7 5 9 3 4 6

9 4 3 1 5 7 2 6 8

3 7 1 2 5 6 8 4 9

9 3 7 6 4 8 2 5 1

7 8 1 6 9 2 3 5 4

5 9 2 8 4 7 6 1 3

6 5 4 2 1 3 9 7 8

6 2 5 8 4 3 1 7 9

BY CHRIS SANSILO

Chris Sanislo is a freelance copywriter with a passion for Hamilton. He has over 15 years of experience in the Canadian Advertising industry. Chris crafts his copy from downtown Hamilton's CoMotion on King, where he serves as the in-house blogger. @ chrissanislo

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14

JULY 2018

G AM E S

STEVEDOKU *A n s w e r s o n P a g e 1 3

Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.48)

Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.43)

PUZZLE 1 LEVEL: EASY

6

3

9 5

1

4

5

2 4

1

6

2

5

5

4

1

3

4

9

3

7

6

2

6 4

2

1

9 1

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sun Jul 1 21:35:22 2018 GMT. Enjoy!

3

5

8 7

9

8

3 5

6 8

1

5

6

8

6

7

4

1

1

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5

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9

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sun Jul 1 21:35:27 2018 GMT. Enjoy!

4

3

1 8

9

1

9

5

3

7

7

7 2

7

4

1

2

5

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7 8

7

PUZZLE 3 LEVEL: HARD

8

8 4

9

1

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2 8

Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.62)

PUZZLE 2 LEVEL: MEDIUM

8 6

8 6 8

9 3

9

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sun Jul 1 21:36:06 2018 GMT. Enjoy!

#URBANICITYDEALS

The following page is filled with coupons to help you explore and make new connections throughout our incredible city. If you would like to contribute an #urbanicitydeals in an upcoming issue please reach out to advertising@urbanicity.ca

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Downtown Dundas

Business Improvement Area downtowndundas.ca

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