The City of Hamilton with the Downtown Hamilton BIA presents an acoustic music concert series on King William Street in the summer of 2025. With the street closed to vehicle traffic for the season as part of a new event, musicians will be hired to activate the area, with music helping to invite in passersby, creating space for joy, play, community and connection. 

Submissions are open to musicians and musical groups with the ability to perform acoustic sets in outdoor public space. 

The Basics: 

• At least 50% of musicians in group must be Hamilton residents 
• 1 hour performance  
• 2 performance times: 
• Tuesdays from 12 – 1 pm - 8 performance opportunities available from Tuesday, July 22 – Tuesday, September 9 
• Thursday evenings from 6 – 7 pm - 6 performance opportunities available from Thursday, July 31 – Thursday, September 4 
• There is no power on site and portable generators will not be permitted. All musicians must perform acoustic sets. 
• A tent will be provided as well as up to 4 chairs. All other equipment required for the performance is to be provided by the musician(s).   
• Music performed must be family friendly. 
• Applications will be reviewed and selected by City staff and staff from the Downtown BIA.  
• Selection will be based on meeting our programming goals: a series of performances that celebrate Hamilton’s music scene and inspire community, connection and play, helping to invite in passersby.  Programming will aim to represent a range of musical styles and artists.  
• Applications will be considered as they are received, with the final closing date on: by 11:59pm on Friday, July 4, 2025. 

Only selected groups will be contacted. Applications will be kept on file and considered as needed to fulfill various programming requirements. 

• Selected groups will be required to sign a Letter of Agreement with the City of Hamilton, which will indicate all required actions. 
• Compensation will be provided by cheque on the day of performance, provided that financial information is provided to the City when requested. 
• The City of Hamilton will pay musicians based on the rates outlined below: 

1 performer: $165

2 performers: $310

3 performers: $455

4 performers: $600

5 performers: $745

Call for Music Events Producers for lunch time concert series at Ferguson Station  
 

The City of Hamilton is seeking a music events producer to present a 4-part lunch time concert series at Ferguson Station (244 King St E at Ferguson) in the summer of 2025. Located in Hamilton’s International Village BIA, the lunchtime music series will:
 

• help to enliven the space and uplift the community along King Street,  
• invite passersby to engage with music,  
• help to generate a sense of joy, play, community and connection. 

Submissions are open to both established and emerging Hamilton-based musical producers with some experience producing live music in outdoor spaces and a strong vision for musical programming at this key downtown location.
 

About the space: 

• Ferguson Station is a rentable public space through the City of Hamilton 
• Offers an accessible, covered space 
• Access to electrical on site 
• Musicians expected to set up facing King Street for highest visibility

From the International Village BIA:
International Village is Hamilton's oldest BIA and home to over 140 businesses that include an eclectic mix of shops, cafes, restaurants and services.  The BIA is focusing on making our area downtown inclusive and diverse through programming and activations.  The lunchtime music series should also be reflective of this goal.  We look forward to working with the City of Hamilton on this initiative at Ferguson Station.
 

The music concert series must be: 

• Proposed as a 4-part series, with each concert being 2-hours in duration, on the same day each week for 4 weeks in a row. 
• Proposed dates can be in August, September or October, subject to availability of space.
• Lunch hour performance will run from 12 – 2 pm on a choice of: Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays (consistent date/time for 4 consecutive weeks) 
• Each 2-hour concert can be either: 

- 1 band/group performing two 45-minute sets 

- 2 bands/groups, each performing one 45-minute set 

• 50% of musicians engaged must be Hamilton residents. 
• Liability insurance with coverage of at least $2 million, listing the City of Hamilton as “additional insured”. If a group does not have liability insurance, they can apply for GameDay insurance through the City of Hamilton to cover their events. 
• Minimum rates for musicians to be included in the budget: 

1 performer: $165

2 performers: $310

3 performers: $455

4 performers: $600

5 performers: $745
 

Proposals for the musical series should consider: 

• Responding to local context, including the location within the International Village BIA.
• Serving a downtown, lunchtime audience.
• Musical programming needs to be family friendly.
• Gender parity and the inclusion of musical perspectives from a diversity of styles and cultures.
• Producer will need to provide all necessary sound equipment, staffing, and support the series through a marketing campaign.

Review and Selection: 

• Applications will be reviewed and selected by City staff.  
• Only the selected group will be contacted. Applications will be kept on file and considered as needed to fulfill various programming requirements.
• Priority will be given to vendors who are not currently contracted by the City of Hamilton. 
• Selected groups will be required to sign a Letter of Agreement with the City of Hamilton, which will indicate all required actions. 
• Applications will be considered as they are received, with the final closing date on: by 11:59pm on Friday, July 4, 2025. 

Fee structure: 

Music Series Producers can submit proposals for a 4-part series with a budget under $10,000. The budget must include: 

• Park rental fees for each of the 4 days at Ferguson Station.
• Costs to cover liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $2 million dollars.  
• A marketing budget to promote the 4-part series. 
• Fees for musicians, based on the minimum fees outlined above. 
• Any equipment rentals required for the delivery of the programming including AV equipment, instruments, microphones, etc. 
• All staffing required for planning, promoting, and delivering the events. 

Attention local makers, artists, or entrepreneurs! 

Looking for a place to host a marketplace event this summer? 

Want to try a new, outdoor location? 

Apply to host it on King William Street! 

Dubbed “restaurant row,” King William Street is home to a variety of restaurants and cafes, serving up a rich array of delicious eats. The street will be closed to vehicle traffic between James St N and Hughson from mid-July to mid-September, opening up a new public space in the downtown, complete with enhanced lighting, temporary furniture, and a variety of activities programmed over the summer months. 

The City of Hamilton with the Downtown Hamilton BIA invite marketplace organizers and producers to submit proposals for one-day Marketplace events to activate the area on Saturday afternoons, offering an opportunity to promote/sell local products and engage with passersby to create a sense of community and connection.  

As a new public space for activation, we want to help ensure your success by offsetting some of the costs with a fee paid to selected groups. Submissions are open to Hamilton-based marketplace organizers and producers who feature the work of local makers, artists, and entrepreneurs.  
 

The Basics: 

• Space will be available on Saturdays from August 6 through to September 6, 2025, for a total of 6 unique marketplace days. 
• Ideal timing for pop-up market is between 11:00am and 6:00pm,  
• Pop-up market must be open to the public for a minimum of 4 hours in duration, 

Space available: 

• Selected marketplace applicants will be invited to set up on the south side of the street between James St N and Hughson St, which will be closed to vehicular traffic and open to pedestrians, 
• The streetscape design allows for up to eight (8) 10x10 tents (2 separate groups of 4 tents each) or approximately 12 x 6’ tables for vendors (2 separate groups of 6 tables each) 

Marketplace proposals must meet the following criteria: 

• The organizer/producer and at least 50% of vendors must be Hamilton residents. 
• Food trucks and vendors serving food made on site are not eligible and will not be permitted. 
• There is no power on site. All vendors must be prepared to present without access to power. 
• The organizer/producer will need to provide all necessary equipment and staffing to support the event. 
• The organizer/producer is responsible for event-specific marketing and promotion. The City of Hamilton will list the marketplaces in the King William event listings. 
• Liability insurance with coverage of at least $2 million, listing the City of Hamilton as “additional insured”. If a group does not have liability insurance, they can apply for GameDay insurance through the City of Hamilton to cover their events. 

Application Details: 

Applicants must complete an online application form detailing their proposed marketplace structure including: 

• Description of the marketplace including theme linking the different vendors and a list of prospective vendors, 
• Preferred date to host event as well as possible back-up date(s), 
• Include any past experiences hosting marketplaces or similar events, 
• A programming plan including load in and load out schedule and staffing details. Please keep in mind that the marketplace will be hosted on a road closed to vehicular traffic and vendors will need to plan to carry equipment into and out of the area on foot. There is parking available in a lot adjacent to the closed road, pending availability. 
• Details on any planned ancillary programming pieces (ex: acoustic musicians, family activities, etc) 
• Details on how the event will be publicized. 

Budget: 

Applicants can submit a proposal with a budget of up to $2,000 for a one-day event 

Applicable expenses that can be covered by the $2000 fee may include the following:

• Participation fees paid to vendors,  
• Organizer/producer fee, 
• Equipment rentals (tables, tents, chairs, etc), 
• Marketing and promotion costs including: posters, sponsored social media posts, ad buys, etc, 
• Costs to support ancillary programming such as acoustic musicians or children’s activities, 
• Travel, transportation, and parking costs 

 Some examples of potential eligible marketplace proposals:
 

1. A vintage marketplace featuring vendors specializing in vintage clothing and collectibles. With a proven track record, the organizer charges a nominal fee to vendors in order to access an event with an established audience. The proposal includes costs for an acoustic performer and some children’s activities. 
2. A youth makers marketplace, produced by a not-for-profit youth arts organization. The event is new and the budget includes a small fee paid to each youth vendor to encourage participation, a marketing budget to publicize the offering through posters and sponsored social media posts, as well as a fee paid to youth spoken word artists presenting work at a variety of points throughout the day. 

    Some other potential applicants:  

• Culturally focused marketplaces (ex: Indigenous artisans, Black Entrepreneurs) 
• Hamilton Artists Marketplace 
• A market based on promoting local start-up entrepreneurs 
• Or – pitch us your idea! 

Selection: 

• Applications will be reviewed and selected by City staff and the Downtown Hamilton BIA.  
• Selection will be based on representing a broad range of offerings throughout the summer months. 
• Priority may be given to vendors who are not currently contracted by the City of Hamilton's Tourism and Culture Division. 
• Only selected groups will be contacted. Applications will be kept on file and considered as needed to fulfill various programming requirements. 
• Selected groups will be required to sign a Letter of Agreement with the City of Hamilton, which will indicate all required actions. 
• Applications will be considered as they are received, with the final closing date on: by 11:59pm on Friday, July 4, 2025.