Pub Olympics aims to bring younger crowd back to Hamilton club
Friday, 29 May 2026
Pool, darts, giant Jenga and even a blind beer tasting challenge will feature at Hamilton’s first “Pub Olympics” on Friday night, as organisers try to attract a younger generation back into club culture.
The event at the Hamilton Workingmen’s Club in Frankton has already filled up, with 16 teams set to compete in a series of pub-style games organised by third-year business students at the University of Waikato.
Teams will compete in games including pool, darts, bowls, cornhole and giant Jenga before finishing with a pub quiz.
A bonus round will also see one member from each team take part in a blind beer taste test in a quest to identify the beer..
Club general manager Nathan Hartley said the event was part of a broader push to attract younger patrons, with most current members aged in their 50s, 60s and 70s.
“I'm really trying to bring it back to what it was 30-40 years ago, where it was a place that everyone went to.”
The idea came from student Corianna Kitchin, who was tasked with finding ways to encourage younger people into the club.
After brainstorming ideas and searching online for inspiration, she landed on the concept of a pub-style round robin competition.
“I was thinking back to high school where you’d do different round robin activities and I kind of just put it together.”
Kitchin pitched the idea to her group, lecturer Fabrice Desmaris and Hartley.
“All of them were keen on the idea and it ran from there.”
Organisers initially considered including more games, but Kitchin said they decided to prioritise quality over quantity.
“We wanted to make sure that it was realistic.”
Hartley said clubs across the country were facing similar challenges as memberships age and hospitality venues struggle through difficult economic conditions.
“Most clubs recognise that populations inside the clubs seem to have skipped a couple of generations, so they're ageing, and getting the right marketing to the right people is more important.”
“We’ve got the value and certainly got the product, we just need to let people know we're still here, but certainly the current situation is tough for everyone.”
For Kitchin, the event’s appeal lies in encouraging people to connect with others.
“I think it's a great way to meet people, for you to get out of your comfort zone and to try something new.”
Registrations have already closed because of venue capacity limits, something Kitchin said showed strong interest in the idea.
“It’s our first time running the event, but it's shown it to be very successful.”
The Pub Olympics runs from 6.30pm to 9.30pm on Friday.