“When it started off 13 years ago, it started with 10 [or] 20,000 people. Last year we had over 200,000, and we’re expecting at least that this year,” Zaiter said.
“What those performers do is tap into their own followers and say, ‘Listen, you want to come and follow us, enjoy something different? Come to Parramatta Lanes.’ It’s us helping them build their brand, and also them helping us. If they didn’t believe in what Parramatta had to deliver, they wouldn’t come here.”
Nemz, a western Sydney DJ who fuses English and Arabic music and started his career at Parramatta’s Roxy Hotel, is expecting a large crowd when he performs on Saturday night. “You can see the council’s putting in a lot of effort here trying to activate things … it’s honestly such a vibe.”
Parramatta worker Sam Goodman said the festival should also include daytime markets to serve the workforce.
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“I think it would be great if there was a lunchtime component,” she said. “There’s obviously a lot of people who work in Parramatta central, and a lot of these people would be out on lunch break.”
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