From natural wine festivals to African dinners-turned-dance parties, these new generation festivals are feast of culture and community.
Some of the most exciting culinary experiences in Sydney are not happening at restaurants but at a new generation of packed-out food and wine events celebrating creativity, culture and community.
Over the next month, the city’s culinary calendar features more than 30 events, including DJs and natural wine tastings in the lobby of the Ace Hotel for Huge Moves 5; Afro Caribbean dinner-turned-dance-parties at Klub Afreaka; and plant-based food and fashion from San Diego at That Good Good Market.
They follow the popularity of winter pop-ups like FiloFomoFest, where 10,000 people filled Paddy’s Market in Flemington to taste hard-to-find Filipino dishes; Mould, a sold-out celebration of small-batch Aussie cheesemakers; and the first African Food Night, where diners could try everything from Ethiopian injera (flat bread served with vegetables and curry) to Nigerian asun (spicy roast goat).
“[African Food Night] was brilliant, I’d never seen anything like it in Sydney,” says Alick Matewa, chef-owner of African Food Feasts.
“There were so many people at Paddy’s Market trying African food for the first time, and so many people from different African nations all in one place.”
Filipino Food Movement director Anna Manlulo, an organiser of FiloFomoFest, says markets and food festivals have evolved over the past year to better meet public demand for greater culinary diversity.
“These events are making different cuisines more accessible to the wider community … [and are] now offering experiences [in addition to food], such as live music and performances,” she says.
“[They] foster a sense of belonging and pride, providing a space for people to feel they are part of something bigger, [and] contributing to making Sydney a more vibrant and inclusive city.”
Zimbabwe-born Matewa began cooking home-style dishes from across the African continent at weekend markets and festivals across Sydney in April last year after working 20 years as a chef-for-hire, being asked to cook almost every cuisine but his own.
“My goal was to make more people interested in African food, and talking to people at the markets has helped tremendously,” he says.
On Saturday night, Matewa will be serving a sit-down dinner at Klub Afreaka, a new venture at Darling Harbour venue Rouge, co-founded by Lily Comont. About 100 people showed up on opening night, many of whom joined in the dancing with Mauritius group La Faya after dinner.
“It really was like back home [in Guadalupe], that vibe where you go out for dinner and everybody pushes the tables aside and starts dancing,” Comont says.
“There was such a big mix of people and that’s what we wanted, to be able to share our culture.
“But even if you don’t speak the same language or know how to dance, everyone can connect over food.”
Food is the main drawcard for the Ferragosto festivities in Five Dock, which have championed the culture of Italian immigrants and their families for 26 years. But this Sunday is expected to be bigger than ever: 170 stalls, a new beer garden, and up to 120,000 people in attendance.
“Culturally, food is really important to people in the Italian community. It’s the way you bring family together, and that’s also become a trend in Australia,” says Place Management manager for City of Canada Bay Stephanie Kelly.
“That idea of food and how it connects us all has become a really important part of the zeitgeist of our generation, [particularly with] everything on Instagram and Facebook.”
“It’s always, ‘Look what I’m eating, look what I’m tasting’, and it can be really educational.”
Carriageworks food events producer Jessica Abrahams says social media has played a key role in attracting a younger audience to their farmers market in recent years, helping boost visitor numbers by thousands of people each Saturday.
They’re the target audience for That Good Good Market, a celebration of plant-based food and fashion with “good vibes” and DJs playing every second Sunday of the month. Founders Paula Vallero and husband, US Olympian Malacci Esdale, began the market in San Diego three years ago, and opened their first Sydney location at Moore Park in June.
“It’s a fun environment that welcomes vegans and non-vegans alike, removing the negative stigma around that word and helping people discover plant-based food can be just as delicious,” Vallero says.
Pinot Palooza, a ticketed event offering 150 varieties of pinot noir from at least 50 wineries over the course of four hours, deliberately targets the under-35 demographic in an attempt to remove the stuffy stigma of wine tastings.
“We wanted to rebel against boring masterclasses and have fun with wine, making it accessible for all,” says festival founder Dan Sims, noting there’s been record demand for their next two events at Carriageworks, on October 6 and 7.
Music plays a significant role, with DJs playing at “above ambient” levels to encourage patrons to lean in and interact with winemakers.
Huge Moves 5, on Saturday, August 26, takes a similar approach with 35 winemakers, 100 natural wines and beers, and music from DJs Levins and Radge.
“We’re definitely the most relaxed [wine festival],” says organiser Joel Amos, from DRNKS.
“You can just try some wines with friends, or you can spend a couple of hours deep diving into chats with extremely knowledgeable winemakers, brewers, producers and importers. Choose your own adventure.”
Five market stalls to try
African Food Feasts
Chef Alick Matewa shares his passion for African cuisine at weekend markets and one-off culinary events, cooking dishes like malagasy beef (a stew from Madagascar) and sadza (a porridge-like dish from Zimbabwe, served with fried collard greens). He also sells homemade piri piri sauce and rooibos punch.
You can find African Food Feasts at the Flour Mill Markets, Summer Hill and Klub Afreaka at Rouge, Darling Harbour.
Kneadyboi
You might recognise self-taught pastry chef Jawin Ratchawong from his stint on The Great Australian Bake Off. He creates colourful “unfortunate cookies”, a twist on the fortune cookie. They’re available in a variety of flavours (including fairy bread, iced vovo and pandan) and break apart to reveal funny messages, nuggets of wisdom, and occasionally an unfortunate prediction.
You can find KneadyBoi at Kirribilli Markets, Kirribilli and Glenbrook Rotary Markets.
Ard
Home baker Christiana Daaboul was inspired to create a plant-based version of her mother’s baklava after adopting a vegan diet and struggling to find the traditional Lebanese sweets she’d grown up with. In November, she launched market stall Ard, where she sells flavours like strawberry shortcake, salted espresso caramel and s’mores.
You can find Ard at The Rocks weekend markets, The Rocks, That Good Good Market; and Sydney Vegan Market.
Harvey’s Pizzeria
Husband and wife duo David and Elle Nguyen began making sourdough pizzas for their children during COVID lockdown, developing flavours that drew on their Vietnamese and Cantonese heritage and life in Australia. Their passion project has since expanded to the markets, where they sell the Instagram-friendly bánh mì pizza, piled high with fresh vegetables, herbs and spices.
You can find Harvey’s Pizzeria at Marrickville Organic Markets, Marrickville and Orange Grove Market, Leichhardt
The Baking Lists
A.P Bakery barista Puthiphong Veerasenee (Veen) is a self-taught baker who spends his spare time creating beautiful baked goods for weekend markets. He takes inspiration from social media and his library of cookbooks, focusing on bringing unique flavours to traditional recipes. Some of his favourites at The Baking Lists are the pandan young coconut chiffon cake and matcha white chocolate cream buns.
You can find The Baking Lists at Bondi Markets, Bondi and Flour Mill Markets, Summer Hill.
instagram.com/the_baking_lists/
Must-visit food and wine events
Huge Moves 5
What: A ticketed gathering of some of the most forward-thinking natural winemakers in the market, with DJs and snacks from LOAM and Chappy’s Chips.
What: A celebration of Afro Caribbean culture and cuisine, with dinner from African Food Feasts, a kizomba dance class and performances by drumming group Afrokadabra.
Where: Rouge, 37 Wheat Street, Sydney
When: From 7.30pm every Saturday night
That Good Good Market
What: A plant-based food and lifestyle festival, with hip hop beats and San Diego flair.
Where: Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park
When: 9am-4pm, every second Sunday of the month
Ferragosto
What: An annual celebration of Italian culture, with everything from hand-rolled gnocchi (potato dumplings) to soccer workshops.
Where: Great North Road, Five Dock
When: 10am-5pm Sunday, August 20
Pinot Palooza
What: After an 18-month hiatus, the world’s biggest pinot party is returning with 150 varieties of pinot noir from at least 50 wineries.
Where: Carriageworks Bay 22 and 24, Eveleigh
When: 5-9pm Friday, October 6 and 11am to 3pm and 4pm-8pm Saturday, October 7
Paddy’s Night Food Market X Malaysian Singaporean Makan Fest
What: A free, family-friendly event showcasing the food from Malaysia and Singapore, with everything from nasi lemak (fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf) to char kway teow (stir-fried flat rice noodles).
Where: Paddy’s Markets Flemington, Homebush West
When: 6-10pm Saturday, September 2
Africultures
What: Australia’s largest African festival jam-packed with hard-to-find food, fashion and music from across the continent.
When: 10am-6pm Saturday, September 2
Where: Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park
Chinatown Night Markets
What: A popular night market featuring a Little Eat Street. Expect to find street food favourites like takoyaki, mango pancakes and roti canai.
When: 4-11pm every Friday
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