It’s all about food, culture and community at the hugely popular (and rebranded) Lakemba Nights during Ramadan. The festival, which takes place on Thursdays through Sundays over Ramadan, has announced its return for 2025, and visitors can expect a range of cuisines from around the world at the bustling event.
We’re not being hyperbolic, either — last year, the festival welcomed over 1.6 million visitors from around Australia. Famous for its diverse cuisine, this global food bazaar spans several streets across the suburb of Lakemba, and you can get your hands on everything from camel burgers to biryani, delicious jalebi and knafeh and so much more. Cuisine from Indonesia, Burma, India, Pakistan, Lebanon, Cocos Islands, Syria and more will be highlighted, so this is your chance to get a taste of these rich cultures on your doorstep.
More than 60 local businesses — including five food trucks — will transform Lakemba’s Haldon Street into a vibrant foodie hotspot every Thursday to Sunday from Thursday, February 27 to Sunday, March 30, from 6pm to 2am.
If you’re planning on heading to the event, getting there might look a little different to previous years given the metro upgrades currently taking place on the T3 Bankstown train line. Trains aren’t running between Sydenham and Bankstown, but there’ll be free transport to Lakemba throughout the event on the dedicated pink buses that have replaced the trains on the Southwest Link — these include the SW1 (which stops at all stations), the SW2 (with stops at Sydenham, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, and Bankstown) and the SW3 (which stops at Sydenham, Canterbury and Campsie). There’ll also be free Western Union shuttle buses from Roselands and Campsie, which will operate every Thursday to Sunday from 6:30pm to 12:30am.
While the event certainly has a celebratory feel about it, keep in mind that Ramadan is the most sacred month on the Muslim calendar, so respect (including dressing modestly) is key. Lakemba Nights during Ramadan is an alcohol-free event, and, even though it’s outdoors, bringing pets isn’t recommended. Stalls open at dusk, so get in early to avoid the inevitable crowds.
Find all the details here.