Anzac Day | Hamilton City Council

Anzac Day 2026 services

Hamilton’s 2026 Anzac Day memorial services will take place at the Cenotaph in Memorial Park, on Memorial Drive. This is our 111th year of commemorations. Both services will go ahead regardless of weather conditions.

There will be big screens in the park that will show both the dawn and civic services, meaning people can see and hear both services from further back in Memorial Park.

Dawn service 6am

The dawn service begins at 6am, with the parade leaving the corner of Victoria Street and Anzac Parade at 5.50am. The service finishes at around 6.50am.

After the service, the Hamilton Community Gospel Choir and Salvation Army Band will perform at the Cenotaph.

Civic service 10am

The civic service begins at 10am, with the civic parade leaving the corner of Anzac Parade and Memorial Drive at 9.50am. The service finishes at around 11.15am.

Following the civic service, you are welcome to stay and listen to the Hamilton Brass Band and the Hamilton Community Gospel Choir perform at the Cenotaph.

Don’t miss the poppies!

A display of thousands of poppies will be installed on the corner of Memorial Drive and Anzac Parade again this year, and the Fields of Remembrance Trust will place 350 white crosses in Memorial Park to acknowledge the Hamiltonians lost in conflict. The poppies will be installed on Friday 24 April and removed on ANZAC Day after the Civic Service ends. The crosses will stay up until Sunday 26 April.

Help make our Anzac Day services the best they can be

Clear the way for wheelchairs and those with mobility issues.
Remain on the footpath as parade passes and don’t cross through the parade as it processes.
Give vehicles carrying disabled or service people plenty of room to get through and safely unload their passengers.
Offer your seat to older persons, people with mobility issues, or women who are pregnant.
If you are worried about losing your view, there will be two large screens (located on the map) for you to watch and listen to the services from other areas of the park.

Road closures, access and parking

Road closures

The following roads will be closed on Saturday 25 April between 5am and 1pm:

Memorial Drive from Anzac Parade
Anzac Parade between Victoria Street and Grey Street
Victoria Street between Knox Street and Anzac Parade

Parking

Free on street parking is available outside the road closure areas. Please allow extra time and follow staff directions on the day.

Mobility parking

A limited number of disabled car parks will be available close to Memorial Park – please email events@hcc.govt.nz if you require disabled parking.

Boat ramp closure

The boat ramp at Commerce Park, Grantham St will be closed from 5.30am until 11.30am, or until the end of the commemoration service. We appreciate your cooperation.

Taking part in the Anzac parades

Dawn parade and service

All service people or their representatives who wish to take part in the dawn parade should assemble at the corner of Victoria Street and Anzac Parade no later than 5.30am for a 5.50am start. The parade marshal will direct the order of the march. The parade will march to the Cenotaph where the service will begin at 6am. At the conclusion of the service, at around 6.30am, the parade marches back to and ends at Victoria Street.

The Hamilton Community Gospel Choir and Salvation Army Band will perform at the Cenotaph.

Limited seating for participants who require it will be available at the dawn parade service.

Dress: Civilian clothes and medals. Family members who have inherited medals can wear these medals on the right side of the chest.

Civic parade and service

Those who wish to take part in the civic parade should assemble at the corner of Anzac Parade and Memorial Drive no later than 9.30am for a 9.50am start. The parade marshal will direct the order of the march. The parade will march to the Cenotaph where the civic service will begin at 10am (the civic parade does not have a return march).

Following the civic service, you are welcome to stay and listen to the Hamilton Brass Band and the Hamilton Gospel Choir perform at the Cenotaph.

Dress: Civilian clothes and medals. Family members who have inherited medals can wear these medals on the right side of the chest.

Best place to watch

Memorial Park is the best place to watch both services. Two large screens will show the dawn and civic services so people can see and hear clearly from different areas of the park.

Viewing from Memorial Drive is very limited and can cause congestion, so please head into Memorial Park instead.

Seating

Seating is very limited at both services, however there is plenty of standing room.

Weather

The services will go ahead regardless of weather conditions.

Wearing medals

Family members who have inherited medals may wear them on the right side of the chest.

Wreath laying

School wreaths are laid during the civic service. Event officials will be available at the Cenotaph to direct students. If unsure, students should look for an event official on the day.

Following each service, schools, groups and individuals are welcome to lay their own wreath or flowers at the Cenotaph, but this will not be part of the official services.

Our national day of remembrance

Anzac Day, observed on 25 April each year, is our national day of remembrance to commemorate New Zealanders who have served in wars overseas, past and present.

The day marks the anniversary of the landing of the ANZACs (the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey in 1915. Despite the defeat at Gallipoli, the shared experience helped foster a sense of nationhood in both New Zealand and Australia.

New Zealand first observed Anzac Day in 1916. Since then, Anzac Day has evolved, with Kiwis of all ages attending services and events across New Zealand and the world, including at Gallipoli.

We honour the ANZAC values of courage, compassion, camaraderie and commitment.

Hamilton usually celebrates Anzac Day with a dawn service and a civic service, both held at the Cenotaph in Memorial Park.

For more information about Anzac Day, visit the RSA website, the WW100 website, and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage website.

View recent and past Anzac Day events photos