Lakemba’s vibrant Ramadan night markets have been a staple of Sydney’s cultural scene, attracting over a million visitors each year. However, this year the Canterbury-Bankstown Council has decided to make some big changes to the beloved markets.
During the holy month, Haldon Street comes alive as people flock to enjoy the great vibes and delicious food after sunset when iftar — the evening meal to break the fast — kicks off. Seriously, the murtabak will be the best you’ll ever have.
However, it looks like things are about to change quite a bit for next year’s markets.
Lakemba markets are scaling back
Canterbury-Bankstown Council has recently decided to make some major changes to the markets. Most notably, the name will now change from ‘Ramadan Nights, Lakemba’ to just ‘Lakemba Nights’. This rebrand aims to “uncouple” the commercial side of the event from its religious significance.
There are also some timing changes — instead of running every night until 3am for the entire month of Ramadan, the event will now take place from Thursday to Sunday, with closing times set at midnight on weekdays and 2am on weekends.
Why the changes?
So, what’s behind this shift? Local residents have raised concerns about traffic congestion, parking issues, and noise levels during the festival. The council, which took over management of the markets three years ago due to safety concerns, has also faced hefty costs — reportedly around $3 million for the 2024 markets.
Deputy Mayor Khodr Saleh, who started this festival back in 2009, is on board with the changes. He noted that scaling back would allow more community members to enjoy the event without putting extra pressure on local residents.
“When I initiated this festival in 2009, we [did] it only Thursday, Friday Saturday, Sunday,” he told councillors.
“And this actually gives the community [the] opportunity to come and join the night … and not put more pressure on the residents.”
How will the changes impact stallholders?
The changes will hit stallholders hard as well. Stalls will be relocated from footpaths to the middle of the road, and rental fees are set to increase significantly.
Instead of a flat fee of $6000, stallholders will now pay $600 per night — potentially adding up to $9600 for a month’s worth of trading.
Local business owners have mixed feelings about these developments. Lina Daher from Al Fayhaa Bakery on Haldon Street admits that her family shop often sees a dip in sales during the festival. Still, she values what the event brings to the community.
“The diversity that Lakemba Night Markets bring in is amazing,” she told Sydney Morning Herald. “It opens up Lakemba to a diverse atmosphere and lets people see what we have to offer.”
Not everyone is happy about the changes, concerned that they will dilute the meaning of the event and drive stallholders away.
“The Ramadan Markets are a community founded event and increasing stall rents and rebranding the event is commercialising on what isn’t theirs,” said a user on X.
“If you insist on calling it Lakemba Nights, run that event on any of the other 11 non-fasting months of the year,” the user continued.
The council is currently inviting public feedback on these changes for the next 28 days. Meanwhile, the state government has previously chipped in with funding but hasn’t confirmed its support for next year’s event just yet.
All fingers will be crossed that we’ll still see the knafeh and jalebi stores next year, or else I might cry.
Lead image: Getty Images
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