Discover our exciting plans for the 2026 Hamilton Eisteddfod
The Hamilton Eisteddfod is expanding in 2026! We’re pleased to announce details of the 2026 event, including a new competition discipline.
The 62nd Hamilton Eisteddfod will be held in June 2026, at the Hamilton Performing Arts Centre. The event will include the Music, Dance and Speech & Drama competitions that we know and love – but we’re also adding a new discipline to the event.
Film will join the competition in 2026, and we’re excited to showcase the skills of budding filmmakers of all ages. Each year, we’ll have a different theme for our films, and in 2026, the theme is WATER. Films entered in to the competition will be shown as a Film Festival during the Hamilton Eisteddfod. Read more about the new Film sections here: From Stage to Screen: Introducing FILM to the Hamilton Eisteddfod.
Below are the dates for the 2026 event. Note that Speech & Drama competitions have been moved right into the middle of the event this year.
2026 Hamilton Eisteddfod:
Music: 1 June – 5 June 2026
Film Festival: 5 June 2026, 6:30pm
Speech & Drama: 6 June 2026, 9:30am
Dance: 9 June – 14 June 2026
Update, 15 April 2026: Please note that the Dance competition start date has been revised, and the new dates are shown above.
We are delighted to welcome four excellent adjudicators in 2026.
Dr. Kenji Fujimura returns as our Music Adjudicator. His experience and helpful advice to performers were very well received in 2022, and we feel fortunate to host him here at the Hamilton Eisteddfod once again.
We also welcome back Emma Rudge as our Speech & Drama Adjudicator. Emma has been a great supporter to the Hamilton Eisteddfod, and will bring her enthusiasm and experience to our competitors again in 2026.
Kerrie Smith joins us as our Dance Adjudicator. Kerrie is a very experienced dance educator and mentor. This will be her first visit to the Hamilton Eisteddfod, and we very much look forward to working with her.
Update, 28 May 2026: We regret that Kerrie will be unable to join us for our competition this year. While previous adjudicator Debbie Landel initially stepped in as her replacement, she now hands the baton on to her son, Matt Landel. Matt is a highly experienced dancer and adjudicator, and we look forward to welcoming him to this role.
We welcome Gareth Colliton as our first Film Adjudicator in 2026. We have no doubt he will share his valued creative knowledge with our filmmakers when the films are presented at our Film Festival. We are grateful for his support and help in establishing this new area of competition.
Entries open Monday 2 March 2026.
More details about the 2026 Hamilton Eisteddfod are now available on our website, including competition Schedules and General Conditions. Visit the 2026 Eisteddfod Details page to get started.
How to keep informed:
The Hamilton Eisteddfod website contains our official information, documents and useful advice for entrants and audience members. We encourage all competitors to check the website regularly, as more information will be provided here as it becomes available.
You can also follow us on social media for announcements. During the Eisteddfod, we post photos and updates so you can follow along and experience the event alongside us. Links are available in the footer below.
We look forward to seeing you in June!
The Committee
City of Hamilton Eisteddfod Inc
