Try! Hamilton Showcases Progress and Passion

Try! Hamilton Showcases Progress and Passion

It’s no secret, I love this city. And coworking right in the heart of it at CoMotion On King has only fueled my fondness. Location is definitely part of that. But getting to be a part of the collective passion for this city has been such a rewarding opportunity. And this Try! Hamilton event was a celebration of people passionate about Hamilton.

A day of discovering Hamilton’s International Village.

Photo courtesy of Stefani Soliman.

The team from Try! Hamilton hosted an amazing event to showcase Hamilton’s International Villiage. Some touring and activities in the village during the day, and a beer-cheersing get-together in the evening. Until my recent trip to the Black Forest Inn for some lunchtime shnitzel, my exposure to this part of downtown had been limited. Intrigued, I wanted to make sure I checked this event out.

In my few eastward strolls down King Street, I definitely saw the allure. Beautiful old buildings overlooking the narrowed street makes it a pretty inviting spot. And the host of shops and a few restaurants ensure you’d enjoy your stay. At least, in my case, the Black Forest Inn made my return trip near-future certainty.

This event was open to anyone and everyone who wanted to check out what International Village had to offer. There were horse and buggy rides, games for kids, and even a guided tour by a fellow CoMotion member, Thomas Allen.

Thomas Allen leading a tour through International Village. Photo courtesy of Marty Edwards.

This guy is well known — and well decorated — for his mind-blowing knowledge about our city’s classic buildings and their architecture. (If you ever get a chance to go on one of his urban tours, take it!)

Bringing the party inside.

The after-party, within the comfy, warm confines of CoMotion on King, was simply a treat for anyone with an even casual appreciation for our city’s revival. Naturally, it was a packed house. Filled to the brim with people excited to converse about the happenings downtown over a couple cold Collective Arts brews.

RealBold Media’s Jeremy Curry shines up the hardwood as Dr. Disc spins the beats.

This was where I — the freelance copwriter and Commons member — got to meet and chat with the brains behind the Try! Hamilton operation, Krysta Boyer. This was pretty cool for me. Krysta is someone I’ve admired from Twitter-distance; so it was awesome to hear about the beginnings of Try! Hamilton and how bringing these events to life actually happens. Without any direct quoting (the delicious Stash brews by Collective Arts makes this a paraphrasing-at-best post), she talked about how willing people within our community are to step up and offer their services to make things happen. A testament to the organic, grassroots nature of Hamilton’s rebound.

Plenty of delicolus samples from Eat Well, Black Forest Inn, The Beverly, Doughboy, and Cafe Augusta. Photo courtesy of Try Hamilton

Here’s where things got challenging. There were a lot of people to talk to — familiar faces as well as those I hoped to meet — but the food was so damn good!! Amazing, actually. Plenty of samples from Eat Well, The Black Forest Inn, The Beverly and Doughboys. (Hate to play favourites, it was all fantastic, but the Eggs Benedict from The Beverly was blow-away.)

Once I detached myself from the gravitational pull of the food bar, I managed to do a little chattin’ with another inspiring HamOnt’er — Max Francis from True Hamiltonian. Seeing the explosion of “Hamilton is Home” tees and merch around the city, it was so cool to get some of his story. We got to talk about the effect of vacationers wearing the shirts for Instagram pics and the partnership with the Hamilton Bulldogs. Again, just another conversation that left me inspired and proud to be a Hamiltonian.

Coworking at CoMotion is connecting with Hamilton.

Call this my second networking event since I started at CoMotion. What continues to amaze me is how approachable everyone is. I mean, sure, ‘networking’ is always an underlying theme, but it seems far more natural. You can feel the excitement people have for the city. And if you’re up for talking about it, you won’t have to go far to find a fulfilling conversation. Just be prepared, disengaging for another beer or a delicious snack can be a challenge. Proximity to these amenities is highly recommended.