Celebrate Ramadan close to home next Saturday when the annual Ramadan Street Festival returns to Auburn for one night only.
Dine under the stars and join in on the festivities on April 15 as the streets of Auburn come alive in honour of the most sacred month of the year for Muslims.
Organised by Cumberland City Council and funded by the NSW Government, the annual festival pays homage to the rich culture and traditions of Ramadan.
The event will feature a huge line-up of food trucks and street food stalls alongside famous Auburn eateries for an authentic Ramadan outdoor dining experience, serving up a variety of foods from cultures all over the world.
People attending the festival can expect to taste everything from falafels and baklava, to hot dogs and the always popular Turkish Lokma from Lokma-nia.
Having previously lived in Auburn, Lokma-nia’s Koray Karamfilci is excited to bring his traditional Turkish doughnuts back west to the Ramadan Street Festival.
“[Lokma] is a typical middle eastern… fried donut, it’s crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. We often do toppings like Nutella, dark chocolate, pistachios and all types of nuts,” he told Parra News.
“We’ve been there once when it took place in Auburn, but we always get a little bit [involved] because of the Ramadan Festival, so we’re excited for it.”
As someone who celebrates Ramadan himself, Karamfilci also believes the Auburn Ramadan Street Festival is a great way to bring people together, regardless of religion.
“I remember last time when it took place in Auburn there was a variety of people and they all enjoyed it as far as I could see,” he said.
“It’s good to have events to connect people in the area; everyone gets to interact with each other.”
Cumberland Mayor Lisa Lake said the event is an opportunity for the community to mark cultural traditions and celebrate Cumberland’s diversity.
“Ramadan is an important time of year for many within our community, as they come together with loved ones to pray and reflect and to break their fast and share in the Ramadan spirit of peace and kindness,” she said.
“The Ramadan Street Festival is an important cultural event in Council’s calendar and offers a wonderful opportunity for our community to connect, socialise and experience Ramadan under the stars, all within the streets of Auburn.”
Join the festivities at the Ramadan Street Festival from 5.30pm to midnight at the Auburn Town Centre, Auburn Road, this Saturday.
For more information about Council’s Ramadan Street Festival visit http://www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/ramadan-street-festival
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.