Eats, beats and art home delivered with special Parramatta Lanes event

Parramatta’s best eats, beats and art will move out of the City’s laneways and into lounge rooms this year, with Western Sydney’s biggest annual food festival taking on a unique new format.

From 17 to 21 November, the ever-popular Parramatta Lanes will be home delivered, celebrating all things local through a combination of online and in-person food, music and art offerings to suit all tastes.

“For almost a decade, Parramatta Lanes has been a highlight on our annual events calendar, and this year is no exception,” City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Bob Dwyer said.

“With the community’s health and safety during the COVID pandemic our number one priority, we have decided to give our City’s much-loved laneways a break and instead encourage people to enjoy Parramatta Lanes’ incredible buffet of food, music and art in a different way.”

“Our 2020 event is all about showcasing the best local offerings and supporting our amazing businesses who have had a particularly challenging year. Parramatta Lanes is also the perfect opportunity to start welcoming people back into the City in a safe and managed way, with a host of intimate live music performances by Western Sydney artists at venues across the CBD,” Cr Dwyer said.

With a wide range of cuisines to choose from in this year’s incredible gastronomical line-up, Parramatta Lanes is sure to satisfy every craving. Whether it’s the fragrant spices of India from Not Just Curries, Hyderabad House and Ginger Indian, authentic Spanish tapas from Lola Cocina or the gluten-free Italian classics from Restaurant 317, there’s something to appeal to every palate and dietary requirement.

Unwind with cocktails and fresh seafood from Bar 30 & Bistro, tuck into Betty’s Burgers & Concrete Co’s burgers and thick shakes, select from oodles of noodles and sushi options from Mikazuki, or fill up on gyros and souvlaki plates from Little Greece. Then spoil yourself with a sugary treat or two from SweetLand Patisserie and KOI Dessert Bar. 

Foodies can also go behind the scenes to discover how some of Parramatta’s best restaurants – from the Parramatta CBD to Harris Park’s ‘Little India’ precinct – make their signature dishes as part of a series of online demonstrations, while feasting on take-away from local favourites and enjoying live-streamed entertainment.

From whipping up a deep-fried Golden Gaytime with Milky Lane, to learning the secret to making the perfect poke bowl from Fishbowl and how to combine sweet and savoury in fried chicken doughnuts from Butter, expand your culinary repertoire and learn cooking tips and tricks from some of Sydney’s top chefs.

Alongside the cooking demonstrations, Parramatta Lanes is hosting a nightly online concert series ‘The Night Cap’.

'R&B King of Western Sydney' Youngn Lipz and rapper Kwame headline concerts on Friday and Saturday nights, with musicians Phil Fresh, Barkaa, CYLPSO, A GIRL and Vlossom joining the incredible line-up. One hundred lucky Lanes fans will have the opportunity to attend these two exclusive concerts in person ‒ winners will be selected via a ballot draw one week before the show.

From Tuesday to Thursday night, singers Donny Benet, Nardean, Mariam Sawires, Esmé, Dante Knows and Milan Ring will take to the stage at Nick and Nora’s for performances ranging in style from 80s post-disco to hip-hop, R’n’B, soul and rap.  

Laners can also enjoy live music throughout the five-day festival at various other venues across the CBD.

At 7.15pm each night, viewers are invited to be inspired by the creative works of local artists, including Parramatta Artists’ Studios’ Liam Benson, who brings together the worlds of sports and drag culture with drag queen Nova Gina.

Listen as writers from literary arts organisation WestWords read their stories and poems against a backdrop of 3D visuals by artist Juune Lee, and be mesmerised as the WE ARE HERE Company from FORM Dance Projects share the joy of dance in collaboration with digital artist Feras Shaheen and writer Felicity Castagna.

Get a fascinating glimpse into the works and exhibitions of practising Aboriginal artists Luke Close, Hayley Pigram Dossier and Kyra Kum-Sing, and discover how Pari, an artist-run initiative in Parramatta, is producing boundary-pushing art.

“Parramatta Lanes showcases the incredible calibre and diversity of cuisine, arts and culture that makes our City so special. It’s wonderful to be able to celebrate these rich aspects of our City’s identity through Parramatta Lanes – even if the event looks a little different this year,” Cr Dwyer said.

To see the full program, visit Parramatta Lanes.