City of Parramatta Council scooped a prestigious accolade for its flagship food, music and art festival, Parramatta Lanes, at this year’s Local Government Week Awards.
The 2021 Parramatta Lanes was awarded the RH Dougherty Award for Innovation in Special Events, recognising 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.
Parramatta Lanes was also 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.
The Coast already has the successful Wyong Lanes Promotion which shows there is a major market for events like this on the Coast. The State Government is enthusiastically backing new regional events which means money is available.
Whether the event is held in The Entrance, Gosford or Budgewoi it would be a major tourism boost for the Coast. However, the once thriving tourism hotspot The Entrance would ideal for such an event.
The point is here is a tourist product that is sure to work. And the Coast’s tourism industry outside of Terrigal, is suffering since Central Coast Council decided to outsource promotion.
Central Coast Access would strongly support ‘Lanes’ event at The Entrance, Budgewoi or Gosford.
-Dallas Sherringham is Editor in Chief of Mature Traveller, Cruise Magazine and Luxury Traveller. He is Travel Editor for Access News Group.
