Bringing their popular festival sideshow out of the fields and into town, in an urban enviroment the Electric Hamster Race crew truly outdid themselves, delivering an evening of top-notch entertainment.
Held at the imposing Great Yarmouth Empire, the victorian venue was the perfect backdrop for a chaotic rodent filled session on a windswept November 22nd. The night featured live music, dancing, good vibes, and DJs—but, of course, the real highlight was the hamsters themselves, racing for glory under the bright lights of this spectacular venue.
Known for their appearances at Maui Waui Festival, the Electric Hamster Race has become something of an institution over the past decade—at least to a devoted group of likely neurodivergent East Anglian festival-goers! Organised and MC’d by the enigmatic Hamster Adam, the event is, perhaps surprisingly, exactly what it sounds like: electric hamsters racing for glory.
Our venue, The Empire, originally built in the early 20th century as a cinema, was a true marvel. Its high vaulted ceilings, intricate neoclassical stonework, and vibrant stained glass windows exuded both grandeur and history, providing the perfect backdrop for the hamster races. In quieter moments, I often found myself drawn to yet another beautiful detail, whether it was the delicate stone carvings or the striking colours of the stained glass.
Enhanced by an impressive array of lights and a glowing fabric tree, the space seamlessly blended modern flair with classic Victoriana. This unique combination created a timeless atmosphere with just the right touch of circus charm to make festival-loving hamster fans feel completely at home.
The first step to indulging in the night’s antics was to grab a ticket at the entrance, with each ticket representing one of East Anglia’s 16 fastest electric racing hamsters. I managed to arrive early and was allowed to pick my own, securing Bouncy Bob, the reigning Suffolk champion. I’m not sure if this was standard protocol or just a perk of punctuality, but I wasn’t complaining. With my ticket in hand, I was ready for what promised to be a night of chaos and rodent drama.
Hamster Adam kicked off the proceedings with his trademark banter, warming up the crowd and setting the stage for the races. From experience, I know Adam could ramble on about hamsters for hours and somehow keep it thoroughly entertaining—whether it’s to do with the art of gerbil squeezing, on the nuances of squirrel sumo, about the outrageous prices of capybara dressage, or warning of the hazards of trying to use imaginary hamsters in a race (this got him briefly sectioned), the man has patter. On this occasion, though, he kept things relatively compact; with five races to run and the Norfolk champion to crown, there was no time to waste, and the crowd couldn’t be kept from their criterous chamions for long.
The dramatic arrival of the hamsters took the energy up yet another notch. Transported in a secure crate, kept separate from the organisers for their own safety, these tiny athletes were clearly prized sporting creatures. Specialised, semi-pro shushers (carefully sounding as unsnake-like as possible) were even employed to keep the crowd hushed before the crate was opened—loud noises could startle the athletes (as could snakes). As the box opened, the hamsters were triumphantly welcomed to Yarmouth, and the anticipation was electric.
Over the course of the night, there were five races—four heats and a final—featuring notable contenders like Nippy Norman, Big Bud, and Essex’s very own Flash Harry. The tiny athletes raced along a meticulously crafted hamster-sized track, careening at blistering speeds of over 1mph, all battling for the coveted Norfolk Grand Championship title. The track itself was a marvel, complete with miniature bridges, tight bends, tiny floodlights, and secure barriers, creating the perfect stage for our plucky little competitors to shine.
Each round saw four battery-powered critters charging over bridges and around bends, propelled by the barriers of the track and their sheer hamster ambition. Inevitably, a hamster would occasionally get stuck and in those moments, the race officials wielded the “mechanical hand of justice,” a prongulator used to poke them back into action.
Unfair? Maybe. Entertaining? Absolutely.
I cheered as loud as I could for Bob, my chosen hamster, as he scurried through his heat. He took the lead immediately, and I felt a surge of hope. But there was a moment of panic when Bob seemed to lose momentum. YoYo passed him, and then Bob got wedged awkwardly in a corner…
…But he wasn’t done yet! Escaping his entanglement, Bob reached the bridge, and climbed it with a little help from the mechanical hand prongulator. Once at the top, our hero used his momentum to regain the lead! Heading towards the finish line, closely chased by Nippy Norman, Bob had everything to play for. My heart sank as he got stuck again—this time on the bridge. With Norman closing in, the tension grew until, as if by magic, Bob freed himself and launched his tiny body over the finish line.
Three more races followed, and a gang of winners emerged to face Suffolk’s hero Bouncy Bob in the final: Sunflower Sid, with his prosthetic eye, Turbo, and last but not least, the reigning Essex county champion, Flash Harry.
The final was a whirlwind of wheels and fluff, pitting two county champions against each other. While I’d like to say it was close, it wasn’t: Bob put up his best fight, but soon my home county was dealt a humbling blow as Flash Harry took a massive lead. Despite the other racers best efforts to catch up, Essex’s Flash Harry remained dominant, throughout, racing to victory and lapping his competitors, claiming the Norfolk Grand Championship title.
After the incredible thrill of the hamster races, it was time for the musical entertainment. The Great Yarmouth Empire’s versatility truly shone here as it quickly transformed from a racing arena into a lively dance venue. Local legends Aartwork kicked things off, bringing their much-vaunted Psychedelic Ceilidh to the stage. With the irresistible danceability of traditional folk reels combined with the pounding basslines of drum & bass, trance, and dub beats, Aartwork transformed the race venue into a magnificent dancefloor. The crowd spiralled into a whirl of energy, and I watched in awe at their hypnotic movements before throwing my own body into the mix, grooving through their entire set.
Following the trippy ceilidh, the party moved downstairs. A basement room had been set up, with DJs delivering hard, aggressive dance music. Normally, a club isn’t my comfort zone, but down there, with the hamster gang, I felt right at home. The highlight of the DJs was birthday boy Skin, whose techno set started the long, hard process of changing my mind about the genre (Tekno is superior, I’ll die on this hill). The pounding beats reverberated through the room, and the energy was infectious—one of the kindest, most fun dance floors I have ever had the joy of inhabiting.
As an independent night out, I honestly can’t fault the Electric Hamster Race or their hosts at the Empire. It was a much-needed blast of summer festival spirit, and temporarily made me okay with the struggles of winter. With a loving, fluffy atmosphere better than any club night I can remember, a crowd made up of only the best elements of the East Anglian Festival Scene, unforgettably quirky entertainment, and brilliant music, it’s events like this that make me glad to be a festival reporter.
I’m already looking forward to the next one.
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