| Parramatta Lanes breaks record over four huge nights |
** "More than 386,000 visitors and four nights pulsating with creativity—Parramatta brings cultures together on its streets, transforming the arts into the very heartbeat of the city".
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Parramatta Lanes breaks record over four huge nights26 October 2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l: Parramatta Lanes has delivered its biggest year yet, breaking the event’s attendance record with over 386,000 people joining the party as the city came alive for four huge nights of music, art, street food and entertainment.
From 21-24 October, the free festival transformed Parramatta’s streets, laneways and carparks into a playground of live music, immersive art, skateboarding, food and culture with 400+ performers, 70+ food vendors and 10 stages, bringing the CBD to life.
Highlights included ARIA Award-winning Genesis Owusu, acclaimed US poet and performer Aja Monet, Japanese dance music duo Stereo Champ, rising indie star Esha Tewari, Shady Nasty and Luritja singer-songwriter Keanu Nelson.
Beyond the stages, festival-goers got up close with Benjamin Akuila’s illuminated PurseZilla, Mechelle Bounpraseuth’s larger-than-life Ma ma ma, Samuel Kim and Lawrence Liang’s immersive OURO and Rosie Deacon’s colourful The Great Putty Pop-Up: Art Mini Golf.
City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Cameron MacLean said Parramatta Lanes was a showcase of the energy and vibrancy making the City one of Sydney’s must-visit destinations.
“There’s nothing quite like Parramatta Lanes. Over four nights I saw firsthand our streets, laneways and carparks transforming into stages, galleries, restaurants and meeting places with something new around every corner,” Cr MacLean said.
“Parramatta Lanes is everything we love about Western Sydney – it’s young, vibrant, edgy, multilayered and multicultural. You can catch an international artist, discover an incredible Western Sydney performer, grab some seriously good street food and stumble across an artwork or experience you weren’t expecting, all in the one night.
“It was a thrill to join so many people dancing down the streets of our City and having the best time supporting Parramatta’s local businesses, artists, performers and creatives.”
Eat Street Car Park was again given the full festival treatment, with Western Sydney food personality Bossman taking over the space with DJs, live performances and street food.
Civic Link also came alive with Wingstop transforming the forecourt of their flagship store with a stage curated by Western Sydney collective 92Wrld, featuring a NERVE and a surprise performance by Barkaa and Kobie Dee.
Foodies had plenty to get excited about too, with everything from woodfired pizza and charcoal-grilled skewers to hawker classics and over-the-top sweet treats.
Dim Sim Lim made his Lanes debut with bold Asian street food flavours including his viral tanghulu and dumplings, while crowd favourites included Bianco’s signature pasta finished inside a wheel of Grana Padano, Burger Head, May’s Malaysian Hawker, Satay Brothers, Tokyo Taco, Antico Woodfire Pizza, KOI Dessert Bar and Mix Mix Co.
Other festival favourites included Parranda Down Under at the Latin Quarter, Bodega Collective’s Pass the Mic Grand Final, Red Bull Turn It Up and Concrete Plaza, which brought four days of skateboarding action to the CBD.
Parramatta Lanes is proudly funded by the City of Parramatta and the NSW Government’s four-year Multi-year Funding program led by Create NSW and the Open Streets Program 2025-28 led by Transport for NSW.
The City of Parramatta received a $350,000 grant through the Open Streets Program to help deliver the event over three years.
This event has also been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
For more information about Parramatta Lanes, visit Parramatta Lanes 2026. |
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