Sydney’s favourite nightlife precinct, YCK Laneways, is making a triumphant return with a four-week festival from 1-31 August. Titled YCK Front & Centre, the female-led festival will celebrate women from creative industries who are captivating their audiences through art, music, and food & drink.
With over 50 events at 15 participating YCK venues throughout the festival, Front & Centre will showcase female artists, musicians, hospitality professionals and creatives, with showstopping entertainment taking over the CBD this winter. Highlights include female-led chef collaborations at PS40, live art at Esteban by Sydney-born creative Nanami Cowdroy, live DJ sets from non-binary collective Pho the Girls Social, and so much more!
Once again, Barrack Street will come alive with three epic days of live music and masterclasses between 26-28 August with Front & Centre presents: Live at YCK. For those seeking some daytime enlightenment, a series of masterclasses hosted by an exciting line-up of hospitality veterans will have you mastering the art of distilling with the team behind Women of Australian Distilling, learning how to pickle your own vegetable \ with cooking school Cornersmith, and a truffle grading and tasting experience with Ganymede Truffles. Tickets are on sale now for $20 per person, per session.
For $20 per person, Friday’s entertainment has been curated by the Sydney Fringe Festival and will include the talents of Kilimi, Pirra, JOY and Jaguar Jonze. following a day of masterclasses, punters are encouraged to continue the festivities well into the night as a stellar line-up of Sydney’s best female performers take to the stage on 26 and 27 August. The party doesn’t stop there, with Saturday bringing another night of incredible music with Farnozz, Bella Fuego Silk Dancers, Dylan Atlantis, Boy Soda, Fly Waves, Sela Vai + Fetu and Bella Hatch.
For those looking to explore the broader precinct throughout the festival, YCK has partnered with Moulin Rouge! The Musical for August to bring a series of limited-edition cocktails to participating YCK bars across the CBD. Inspired by leading female characters from the show, bar hoppers can expect cocktails that exude splendour and romance as they bar crawl across York, Clarence and Kent Streets.
At the festival, Vice President of YCK Laneways and President of the Independent Bars Association Karl Schlothauer said, “With so many talented women making up Sydney’s creative scene, it’s our privilege to shine a spotlight on female creatives who are shaking things up in the industry.”
He continued, “There’s nothing we love to do more than put on unique events, serve up great food and drinks, all the while showcasing some of Sydney’s best talent. With such a broad talent pool spanning arts and entertainment, it’s sure to be a jam-packed four weeks. See you at the bar!”
Representing the buzzing precinct between Town Hall and Wynyard, YCK Laneways is a consortium of independently operated retail, hospitality, corporate and entertainment businesses around York, Clarence and Kent Streets. A place where sights, sounds, tastes and tastemakers converge to deliver unexpected cultural experiences.
YCK Intersections is proudly funded by the NSW Government as part of the CBD Revitalisation Program and supported by Time Out and Bacardi-Martini, with featured brands including Patrón Tequila, Grey Goose Vodka, Bombay Sapphire and Bacardi Rum. With a range of free and ticketed events on offer, bookings are strongly recommended to secure your spot.
