For people of Islamic faith, Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year. During this time, Muslim folks fast from dawn to dusk. But once the sun sets, iftar begins – a fast-breaking feast that runs late into the night and where family and friends gather to enjoy an array of rich treats and moreish morsels. To coincide with this time of year, Sydney’s popular month-long celebration Ramadan Nights Lakemba is returning, kicking off on Saturday, March 9 and running until Monday, April 8 2024. What time does Lakemba Night Markets open and close? From 5pm until 3am every evening, more than 70 local businesses will transform Lakemba’s Haldon Street into a vibrant, global food bazaar with traditional cuisine from Indonesia, Burma, Pakistan, Lebanon, the Cocos Islands, Syria and more. It’s not only Sydney’s Muslim communities that comes together during Ramadan Nights – people of all backgrounds are welcome to flock to sample the fare of pop-up kitchens lining Haldon Street and Railway Parade. Last year saw 1.4 million people experience the celebrations, with organisers saying this year is going to be even bigger and better than ever. What started as a single street barbeque back in 2012, Ramadan Nights Lakemba is now considered by many to be one of Australia's best places to celebrate the ancient tradition. What kind of food will there be? Break fast with with roti and gentle lentil curries from the Cocos Islands; Malaysia's famously buttery grilled pastry parcels, murtabak; and
Sydney’s biennial celebration of contemporary art – Biennale of Sydney – is back, taking over galleries (and a repurposed power station) across the city with an incredible curation of art work from some of the world’s leading contemporary artists. If you’re keen to get amongst it, we’d suggest hitting up the recently refurbished Dry Dock Hotel for a schooner and an elevated pub feed afterwards, or swinging by the sparkly new Casa Esquina for a Limoncello-spiked Aperol Spritz. Looking for a more food-centric cultural experience? Ramadan Nights Lakemba is alive and kicking until April 8 – with food stalls slinging culinary delights from around the globe. For a live music fix, choose from tons of options on the Great Southern Nights program – or head to Newtown’s new late night bar and live music venue and let the lords of Pleasure Club decide for you.