Homegrown announces first acts for 20th anniversary festival in Hamilton
Tuesday 13 October 2026 · 3 outlets · 4 reports · updated In this story Andrew Tuck
The Jim Beam Homegrown music festival will return to Claudelands Oval on April 3, 2027, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The first wave of performers includes Fat Freddy’s Drop, Sir Dave Dobbyn, Shapeshifter, Gin Wigmore, Savage, Devilskin, The Exponents and more.
Key facts
6 facts
- The festival returns to Claudelands Oval in Hamilton on April 3, 2027.
- The 2027 event marks the 20th anniversary of the festival.
- Homegrown has supported 335 artists over the past 20 years.
- The festival will feature five stages.
- Fifteen acts in the 2027 lineup are performing at Homegrown for the first time.
- The festival moved from Wellington to Hamilton.
The full story
1 min read · 3 outlets
Jim Beam Homegrown will return to Hamilton's Claudelands Oval on April 3, 2027, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The all-Kiwi music festival will feature five stages spanning multiple genres including rock, reggae, hip hop, and house.
The first wave of announced acts includes Fat Freddy’s Drop, Sir Dave Dobbyn, Shapeshifter, Gin Wigmore, Savage, The Exponents, Devilskin, and Full Metal Orchestra. Returning artists from the inaugural 1999 festival include Tiki Taane, Elemeno P, Opshop, Dick Johnson, Sunshine Sound System, and Kora.
Chief executive Andrew Tuck stated that the festival has supported 335 acts over the last two decades. "To have artists who stood on the very first Homegrown stage 20 years ago now sharing the spotlight with some of Aotearoa’s biggest names two decades later is something truly special,"
The 2027 event follows the festival's move from Wellington to Hamilton, with the 2026 Hamilton event attracting approximately 25,000 people. Organisers noted that the move north allowed for expansion that was not possible in Wellington.
Where reports differ
- One report notes the festival's inaugural year was 1999, while another refers to the 2026 event as the first held in Hamilton.
Compiled from reports by Waikato Times, NZ Herald and 1News.