The best things to do at Parramatta Lanes

Parramatta Lanes is back for its 14th year, taking over the suburb for four huge nights.
Known as Sydney’s biggest street party, the celebration will run from Wednesday, October 22, until Saturday, October 25.
Revolving around food, music and art, this year’s street festival is set to be one of the biggest and brightest.

Parramatta Lanes 2025 kicks off this evening at 5pm, bringing 20 vibrant festival sites to life in the bustling suburb. The four-day event, which is known as Sydney’s ultimate street festival, sees a pocket in the centre of Parramatta taken over with a variety of food stalls, art installations and music stages.

This year, visitors can discover over 80 street food stalls and pop-up bars serving international bites, experience music stages featuring over 200 artists (with a different lineup every night), plus incredible artworks, illuminated streets and live performances. The best part? Apart from a few ticketed events, the street party is completely free.

We’ve rounded up the best things to eat, sip, see and do at this year’s jam-packed festival, from car park playgrounds to hidden party spots.

Eat Street Carpark Parramatta Lanes — Eat Street Car Park at Parramatta Lanes. (Image: Parramatta Lanes).

1. Eat Street Car Park

One of the most exciting venues at Parramatta Lanes this year, the entire multi-level Eat Street Car Park will be transformed into a full-blown sensory playground. Featured across the multi-story venue will be line dancing, a glow-in-the-dark dessert lab, a silent disco, immersive art and a top-level rooftop hangout complete with city views. Ride the Optus Disco Buggies, and enjoy curated playlists straight from the mobile sound machines, which will ferry you around the carpark. Enjoy TikTok viral food, including THICC cookies, dumplings and paella, and enjoy DJ sets and standout art from Audrey Newton, James Brown, Sammi and Serwah Attafuah.

Bar 30 drinks — Take part in the fiesta at BAR30 and Phillip Street. (Image supplied).

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2. BAR30 & Parrilla Fiesta

Nothing says fiesta like flame-grilled Latin street food, spicy margs and salsa classes. PARKROYAL Parramatta is paying homage to its location in the Latin Quarter precinct by throwing a huge fiesta for Parramatta Lanes, titled BAR30 & Parilla. Their marquee will take over Phillip Street, delivering flame-grilled flavours, vibrant drinks (think Pisco Sangria and Modelo beer) as well as street performers and Latin dancing lessons. They’ll also be hosting an elevated DJ set in Bar30 as part of the Parranda Down Under programming, including high-energy acts Mr Cuchuco, The Changuas and Steve Zappa.

3. Powerhouse Lane

Powerhouse Lane is back for Parramatta Lanes 2025, celebrating the sounds and flavours of Western Sydney. Run by Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum, the Lane will feature a selection of Western Sydney food stalls, from Vietnamese fusion BBQ to West African flavours, Pacific dishes and more. The Powerhouse stage will showcase a variety of exciting up-and-coming artists, with MC Trey leading a night of Pacific voices in the return of Niu Music, as well as a lineup of First Nations music curated by Koori Radio, and South Asian beats by Kerfew. They’ll cover every base by also featuring a new commission of Western Sydney artist Emma Pham, who will transform the street under the creative direction of Tony Assness.

Parramatta Square Parramatta Lane — Head to Parramatta Square for karaoke and Filipino bites. (Image: Parramatta Lanes).

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4. Parramatta Square

In Parramatta Square, you’ll find one of the few ticketed events of the festival (starting at $65 per person) in the form of a Boodle Fight (a huge Filipino Feast). The event features an incredible spread of the country’s dishes served on banana leaves with no plates and no cutlery. Hosted by the Filipino Food Movement Australia, the event will celebrate bold flavours, rich heritage and the Filipino community. For those on a budget, it’s still worth checking out the Square, which will feature a gravity-defying aerial show three times a night (titled Ascend by Legs On the Wall), as well as a free karaoke stage, all about “no judgement, just big vibes”.

Sip an Aperol Spritz at the Church Street Bar. (Image: Parramatta Lanes).

5. 211 Church Street

The 211 Church Street site is all about vibey, smooth jazz music, Italian comfort food, and wood-fired pizza. Enter through velvet curtains and bask in the fairylights as you enjoy the French Quarter charm of the lane, which has been dubbed a “New Orleans-inspired escape”. Head to the Aperol Spritz Cart and sip on the refreshing drink before grabbing a sweet treat in the form of a crispy Dutch stroopwafel. This site is the perfect setting for a catch-up with mates or a romantic date night.

Erby Place Parramatta — Watch high-energy DJ battles at Erby Place. (Image: Parramatta Lanes).

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6. Erby Place

Erby Place is turning up the action this festival with DJ sets, PWA wrestling and non-stop music. They’ll be kicking off Parramatta Lanes with a five-hour DJ battle in the ring, serving electrifying sets, fierce competition and endless festival vibes. They’ll also host PWA Wrestling throughout the four-day event, bringing big personalities and crazy moves right to the centre of the site. As you watch, you can sip on classic cocktails from Karu Distillery as well as loaded fries, crunchy nachos and tacos from Ash’s Nachos.