🎭 Name a Better Week for Hamilton Entertainment. We'll Wait.

Hey Hamilton 👋

McMaster's women’s volleyball team made it to the OUA Championship. TD Coliseum has a major new summer announcement. Murder on the Orient Express is running its final two weeks at Theatre Aquarius. And this week's entertainment calendar is genuinely stacked, with Candlelight concerts in four flavours, a strong comedy headliner at Levity, and one of the best film lineups The Westdale has had all year.

A lot to dig into. Let's go. 

--- Michael Horvath

Running now through Sun, Mar 29 — Theatre Aquarius (190 King William St)

Agatha Christie's most beloved whodunit is onstage right now at Theatre Aquarius, and with only two weeks left, time is running out. Adapted by Ken Ludwig and directed by Morris Panych, this production puts Hercule Poirot aboard a snowbound luxury train where a wealthy American turns up dead, and every passenger is a suspect. Strong performances, a beautiful set, and a final twist that lands perfectly every single time. Weeknight tickets are still available, but weekend dates are moving fast.

👉 Theatre Aquarius

Fri, Mar 13 @ 6:30 PM — The Westdale (1014 King St W)

Landslide. The Chain. Go Your Own Way. All of it, live, under a room full of candlelight. If you've been meaning to try a Candlelight show, this is one of the most crowd-pleasing lineups on the calendar and a genuinely lovely Friday night option.

👉 The Westdale

Fri, Mar 13 @ 8:45 PM — The Westdale (1014 King St W)

Dancing Queen. Mamma Mia. Waterloo. Two packed Candlelight shows in one night at The Westdale. A full Friday double-feature is absolutely possible if you want to lean into it or pick the one that calls to you.

👉 The Westdale

Sat, Mar 14 @ 6:30 PM — The Westdale (1014 King St W)

The cinematic scores from Inception, Interstellar, The Lion King, and The Dark Knight, performed live by candlelight. Consistently one of the most popular Candlelight programs and genuinely worth the trip if you love film scores or just want a big-emotion Saturday night.

👉 The Westdale

Sat, Mar 14 @ 8:45 PM — The Westdale (1014 King St W)

Two of the most iconic catalogues in rock history, back to back on Saturday night. An easy "yes" for anyone who's been looking for a reason to head downtown.

👉 The Westdale

Fri, Mar 13 @ 8:00 PM and Sat, Mar 14 @ 8:00 PM — Levity Comedy Club (120 King St W)

Michael Moses brings a full weekend of stand-up to Levity. High energy, sharp material, and a room that knows how to have a good time. Both nights offer the same show, so pick whichever evening works, and arrive a bit early for the best seats.

👉 Fri tickets | Sat tickets

Multiple dates — The Westdale (1014 King St W)

Two genuinely great films are on screen this week. First, Fargo (30th Anniversary, 4K Restoration) screens Wed, Mar 11 and continuing through the week, Frances McDormand's Oscar-winning performance as police chief Marge Gunderson is still as sharp as ever. Second, Best In Show screens as a special tribute to the late Catherine O'Hara (1954-2026), the hilarious Christopher Guest mockumentary about competitive dog show culture. Both are repertory gems worth catching on the big screen.

👉 The Westdale Showtimes

Sun, Mar 15 — The Westdale (1014 King St W)

The 98th Annual Academy Awards, free on the big screen at The Westdale. Doors open at 5:30 PM and limited tickets at the door are available for those who miss the presale. A genuinely fun way to watch the ceremony if you want to upgrade from your couch.

👉 The Westdale

•  Disney on Ice: Jump In! — Mar 12-15, 2026 TD Coliseum

•  Toronto Rock vs Saskatchewan Rush — Fri, Mar 20, 2026 TD Coliseum

•  JUNO Kickoff Concert — Thu, Mar 26, 2026 (The Music Hall) City of Hamilton

•  JUNO Awards 2026 — Sun, Mar 29, 2026 (TD Coliseum) TD Coliseum

👉 Full calendar: TD Coliseum Events

This week brings big news for Hamilton sports fans. Canada's Senior Men's National Basketball Team will host back-to-back FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifier games at TD Coliseum this summer. Canada faces Puerto Rico on Fri, Jul 3 and Jamaica on Mon, Jul 6, with both games at TD Coliseum and live coverage on TSN. Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now via Ticketmaster. This marks the first basketball event at the newly renovated arena, and a genuine summer highlight for the city.

👉 TD Coliseum

After Murder on the Orient Express wraps on March 29, Theatre Aquarius shifts to It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken, a new production built around the music of The Tragically Hip. Opening April 22. One for the calendar.

👉 Theatre Aquarius Season

Wed, Mar 11 @ 8:00 PM — Levity Comedy Club (120 King St W)

Every Wednesday at Levity is Amateur Night, where you might catch the next big voice in Canadian comedy before anyone else knows the name. Low-key, fun, and a cheap ticket that goes a long way.

👉 Levity Comedy Club

Sat, Mar 28 @ 7:30 PM — The Westdale (1014 King St W)

Canada's premier Eagles tribute show is coming to The Westdale with over 85,000 Facebook followers and a reputation for a truly faithful live experience. Desperado. Hotel California. Take It Easy. Grab your tickets now if you're an Eagles fan.

👉 The Westdale

The McMaster Marauders women's volleyball team wrapped up a strong season with an OUA silver medal, falling to the No. 1 seed Brock Badgers 3-1 (25-20, 24-26, 25-23, 25-18) in the Quigley Cup Final on Friday, March 6 at Bob Davis Gymnasium in St. Catharines. Olivia Julien led the Marauders with a team-high 16 kills, and McMaster battled hard throughout, taking the second set to keep things competitive. Brock's Daryan Chadwick earned Player of the Game honours with a career-high 18 points.

Finishing as OUA runner-up for the third straight year of Quigley Cup appearances is a mark of genuine program strength. Head coach Nathan Janzen and this group have consistently played at the highest level, and the silver medal caps another excellent season for the Marauders.

👉 McMaster Marauders

The Ticats have had one of the most active CFL offseasons in recent memory. The headline move: signing Tre Ford to a two-year deal on February 2. The 27-year-old national quarterback from Niagara Falls comes home after four seasons in Edmonton, where he threw for 4,651 yards and added 1,129 rushing yards at the CFL level. Ford (a 2021 Hec Crighton Trophy winner out of Waterloo) will back up Bo Levi Mitchell and compete for long-term QB leadership in Hamilton. The front office also added receivers Mario Alford, Tyson Middlemost and Keric Wheatfall, defensive linemen Charbel Dabire and Kene Onyeka, and several other key pieces in a clear push toward Grey Cup contention.

⏳ 79 days until the Tiger-Cats' first preseason game (Sat, May 24, 2026 vs Toronto @ 7:00 PM, Hamilton Stadium)

👉 Ticats

Forge FC's CONCACAF Champions Cup run against Tigres UANL has concluded. The club is now in full pre-season preparation mode ahead of the 2026 CPL season opening on April 4. Expect a motivated squad channelling that competitive experience into a strong league campaign.

👉 Forge FC

The Rock's next home game at TD Coliseum is Friday, March 20 vs the Saskatchewan Rush. If you've never watched professional box lacrosse live, this is an easy pick: fast, physical, and genuinely exciting from the first whistle.

👉 Get Tickets

The Art Gallery of Hamilton is always worth a mid-week visit in the downtown core. A "coffee and culture" add-on that pairs perfectly with anything else you have planned near James St N or King William.

👉 Art Gallery of Hamilton

The JUNO Awards come to TD Coliseum on Sunday, March 29. The JUNO Kickoff Concert is Thursday, March 26 at The Music Hall. Hamilton's biggest cultural week of the year is almost here. If you haven't sorted your plans yet, now is the time.

👉 JUNO Awards

The Theatre Aquarius run of Agatha Christie's classic closes Sunday, March 29. This is the final stretch for one of the most anticipated Hamilton stage productions of the 2025-26 season. If you haven't booked yet, do not put it off any longer.

👉 Theatre Aquarius

If you want a simple, stacked week:

•  Wed: Amateur Night at Levity Levity Comedy Club

•  Fri: Candlelight Fleetwood Mac @ 6:30 PM, then ABBA @ 8:45 PM (or swap for Michael Moses at Levity) The Westdale | Levity

•  Sat: Candlelight Hans Zimmer @ 6:30 PM, then Queen & Beatles @ 8:45 PM The Westdale

•  Sun: Free Oscars Watch Party at The Westdale (doors 5:30 PM) The Westdale

•  Any night this week: Murder on the Orient Express at Theatre Aquarius (closing March 29) Theatre Aquarius

Got a show, event, or pop-up we should include next week? Reply to this email with the link and details, and we'll check it out.

See you out there, Hamilton 👋

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Thanks for reading!

Michael Horvath