Seaboard Festival

   The county’s largest celebration is the Annual Seaboard Festival . The festival which celebrates Hamlet’s heritage as a railroad town, is held on the last Saturday in October. The festival has its beginning in 1982, as a display railroad memorabilia on Main Street, sponsored by the Richmond Technical College as part of a study on “Railroad History and Its Impact on Southern Culture.” It’s popularity prompted a group of civic minded citizens to make it an annual event. Today this group of citizens who operate under the Charter of the Seaboard Festival Day Board, Inc is involved in many of the activities of the city.

Currently over 20,000 visitors attend this event each year. The festival is held on Main Street, where vendors of hand-crafts line both side of the street. Side streets are used for commercial vendors. Each year the festival attracts more vendors and larger crowds. It is a day, which offers something for everyone, where you can sit at a picnic table and enjoy your lunch of a variety of foods while you watch the people and visit with your neighbor. There is music, dance, children’s activities, and festival runs.

From its small beginning, it has grown to a first class festival with over 200 vendors. All of this is done by a group of volunteers working together to promote Hamlet.

The Robert L. and Elizabeth S. Cole Auditorium

The Robert L. and Elizabeth S. Cole Auditorium began as an idea in Richmond County. As the result of a Community College bond issue in 1993, money was alotted to Richmond Community College that would be used to address a priority set by the community - an auditorium. The college immediately began fund raising to supplement the money alotted by the bond issue, and the hard work is finally coming to fruition.

After years of hard work, by all involved, construction began on the Robert L. and Elizabeth S. Cole Auditorium and Community Center in November of 1997. The total expenditure for the state-of-the-art facility is estimated at 8 million dollars. The auditorium provides seating for over 900 guests and will bring to Richmond County such performances as Hello, Dolly!, A Christmas Carol, The North Carolina Dance Theater and The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.

Agricultural Fair

The Hamlet Lions and Lioness Clubs sponsor the Richmond County Agricultural Fair in the fall each year at the Hamlet Fairgrounds. This draws citizens from a large area who come to display their livestock, crafts, and produce. The 2010 Fair is scheduled for Tuesday, September 21 - Saturday, September 25, 2010.

Tree Lighting

The City of Hamlet welcomes the Christmas Season with an Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony that includes the singing of carols and light refreshments.  The Tree Lighting event is normally held the Monday immediately following Thanksgiving at the Hamlet Depot Park on Main Street across from the renovated Depot.  The Hamlet Rotary Club hosts the Annual Christmas Parade the beginning of December of each year.