Parramatta Lanes secures award for innovation in special events

City of Parramatta Council has secured the prestigious RH Dougherty Award for Innovation in Special Events for its flagship food, music and art festival, Parramatta Lanes 2021, at this year’s Local Government Week Awards.

The annual Local Government of NSW event, now in its 36th year, celebrates the achievements and positive impact local governments have on their communities through creative solutions.

Council’s 2021 Parramatta Lanes secured the award in recognition of its creative approach to adapting the event post lockdown.

Parramatta Lanes is one of NSW’s most popular festivals, connecting communities with a celebration of food, music and art. Last year’s event welcomed people back to the city with live music and comedy shows at local bars and restaurants, as well as a ‘COVID-friendly’ interactive augmented reality art trail that led visitors on a unique journey through the CBD streets and showcased the creative work of some of Australia’s top emerging artists.

Lord Mayor Donna Davis said Parramatta has a wonderfully diverse range of night-time offerings and it’s an honour to be recognised among some of the state’s most outstanding events.

Mayor Davis notes “Last year’s Parramatta Lanes was a fun and vibrant event that brought people safely back into our great City to reconnect over food, art and culture after two challenging years.

“Congratulations to our hardworking staff for creatively adapting to the challenges in the face of COVID-19. The City of Parramatta continually strives for excellence in our events, and we’re honoured to be recognised at this year’s coveted Local Government Awards.”

Last year, Parramatta Lanes was awarded the Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event at the Australian Event Awards for Council’s 2020 hybrid event, which combined home-delivered meals with online live-streamed entertainment.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Parramatta Lanes, with a return to an exciting program throughout the CBD’s streets and laneways in October.