Hamilton 101

How do we describe Hamilton? We have a few words: Ambitious. Cultured. Historic. Picturesque. Artistic. Vibrant. Home.

McMaster is proud to be a part of Hamilton, because this is a great place to be. There’s always something to experience: good food, great art, and some gorgeous nature. Hamilton has plenty to offer!

Exploring our city

• An important port and manufacturing centre, Hamilton is one of the largest cities in Ontario, with a population of over 750,000. Hamilton’s nicknames are “Steeltown” and “the Hammer”
• With more than 150 waterfalls in the area, Hamilton is known as “the City of Waterfalls” and “the Waterfall Capital of the World”
• Hamilton is criss-crossed with hiking trails, including part of the 904-km Bruce Trail, which stretches from Niagara to Tobermory
• Hamilton is located both on top of and beneath the Niagara Escarpment, which is a World Biosphere Reserve that locals call “the Mountain”
• The very first Tim Hortons doughnut store opened in Hamilton in 1964. You can still visit it today on Ottawa Street North
• The Hamilton Farmers Market has been running since 1837, and is a popular spot to grab fresh produce, meat, baked goods and delicious, fresh-prepared meals
• The Royal Botanical Gardens, just outside Hamilton, is Canada’s largest botanical garden, with both an indoor greenhouse and outdoor gardens and nature trails
• Every September, Hamilton hosts Supercrawl, one of Ontario’s largest art and indie music festivals, featuring three days of free concerts and art installations
• Hamilton is home to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. (Fun fact: Hamilton is twinned with Pittsburgh, PA and our two football teams use the same colours!)
• Hamilton has been a popular filming location for movies and TV shows, including The Handmaid’s Tale, The Queen’s Gambit, The Umbrella Academy, X-Men, Nightmare Alley, Star Trek: Discovery, Titans, and Crimson Peak