Parramatta Lanes is set to take over the city again next week, with the Lord Mayor promising one of the biggest line-ups ever of the annual festival.
Taking place in 15 locations across the city, Parramatta Lanes will host more than 120 musicians, 45 food and drink stalls and feature plenty of art installations for visitors to see next week.
Excited for the free event to return for another year, City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Pierre Esber is encouraging locals to experience everything Parramatta Lanes 2023 has to offer.
“We are thrilled to roll out the red carpet for yet another incredible year of the Parramatta Lanes Festival, right in the heart of greater Sydney,” he said.
“Showcasing one of the festival’s biggest line-ups ever, it’s set to be an incredible four days of food, music, art and culture.
“Mark your calendars and round up your family and friends because Parramatta is where the action’s at, and it is about to go to the next level this October!”
Running from Wednesday, October 11, to Saturday, October 14, visitors can expect to taste food from returning stall holders KOI Dessert Bar, FirePop and Stroop Bros, as well as a range of newcomers like Black Bear BBQ and Fratelli Pulcinella. For the art lovers, Lawrence Liang’s Bloom sculpture, which features an exploding head with jellyfish-like shapes floating above it, will illuminate St John’s Lawn.
50 iridescent spheres will also be installed over Red Cow Lane as part of Atelier Sisu’s The Sky of Bubbles, coming alive at night with an eye-catching light display.
Returning again this year is local DJ Andrew Levins, who has been involved in Parramatta Lanes for a decade now.
“I’m a firm believer that Parramatta Lanes is the best public event in Australia full stop,” Levins told Parra News.
“I think that the community aspect and the always growing nature of Lanes is just so unique and cool, I think it’s managed to expand in a really special way over the last few years.”
This year, Levins will also have his own laneway, called Levins Laneway, as part of the four-day festival.
Located at 23 George Street, Levins Laneway will feature a cocktail bar, a range of food stalls, Gacha Gacha Vending Machines and plenty of live entertainment.
“On Friday night is a huge 90s and early 2000s pop throwback, I’ve even booked a certified late-90s pop star group Sister2Sister,” Levins added.
“There’s an amazing scene of younger DJs and producers that live in western Sydney… so getting them all together for a line-up that I’m really proud of is super exciting.”
For the first time ever, there will also be a special dog-friendly area known as ‘Pup Culture’ on Lennox Bridge and the river foreshore.
Along with a dog agility course, dog-themed Instagram sets and a silent cinema to entertain Sydney’s most cultured pooches, owners will also be able to pick up treats for their pets.
To see the full line-up visit http://www.atparramatta.com/lanes.
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.