All shook up at Parkes Elvis Festival

Catch up with everything Elvis every year at the Parkes Elvis Festival – the biggest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Elvis has entered the building. Make that ‘Elvii’, the accepted plural for a profusion of Elvis, in this case Elvis tribute artists or ETAs (never call them impersonators).

It’s 7am on a Thursday morning and they’re belting out hits from a temporary stage at Sydney’s Central Station. The concourse is ‘All Shook Up’ with fans in polka dots and petticoats rockin’ on the platform, posing for photos with the police, and chatting to TV crews filming feel-good stories, much to the bemusement of morning commuters.

The fanfare is for the Elvis Express, heading to the 32nd Parkes Elvis Festival, held every January to commemorate the King’s birthday. It’s the largest Elvis festival in the southern hemisphere and attracts artists and fans from around the country and overseas.

“It’s an Elvis Festival on steroids,” says Amelio Santoro from the UK, winner of the 2024 Elvis Presley Enterprises Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Memphis and one of the headline acts at Parkes.

Like many good ideas, the festival was conceived over a few drinks following an Elvis-themed birthday party at Parkes’ then Graceland Restaurant. January was chosen to bring much-needed business to a traditionally quiet time for the rural township 350km west of Sydney, best known for its radio telescope, namesake of the Aussie movie The Dish.

Although slow to take off, the festival has grown exponentially, now nearly tripling the town’s population of 14,000. With sponsorship from Destination NSW, the five-day event brings in around $13 million to the region, including nearby towns of Trundle, Forbes and Orange, where many festivalgoers stay. Even the current economic climate doesn’t seem to have greatly affected attendance.

For those with tickets on the Elvis Express the party starts early, with ETAs strutting their stuff during the six-hour journey to Parkes.

“What happens on board, stays on board,” says long-time tribute artist John Elvis Collins, who’s been involved since the festival’s early days, co-ordinating ETAs and emceeing the Festival Finale concert.

Themed Easy Come, Easy Go after the 1967 film, this year’s festival featured over 250 events from the prestigious Miss Priscilla dinner to the preliminary round of the 2025 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, won by Malta’s Josuel Grech, who will now represent Parkes at the semi-final in Memphis.

Taurean K. Mill was excited to be travelling on the Elvis Express

First time festival ‘virgins’ Deanna and Tim from Sydney

Tribute artists entertain passengers during the seven-hour journey

‘Mayoral robes’ means something entirely different in Parkes

International feature artists, Riley Jenkins (US), Amelio Santoro (UK) and Cote Deonath (US)

Festival Boulevard is one giant party with buskers

Regular attendees Gail and Deborah

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Cooke Park is the hub of free entertainment with the main stage hosting look-alike competitions, dancing displays and a gospel service, along with local and international ETAs. Market stalls and food trucks contribute a festive atmosphere, while shade sails and misting fans help beat the heat.

Festival Boulevard becomes a giant street party, with busking on the pavement (including MP for Riverina Michael McCormack), dancers rocking the Memphis Satellite Stage, and good-natured patrons spilling out of the pubs and clubs.

There is Elvis bingo, trivia and karaoke, even a ‘ruck ’n’ roll’ rugby match between the jump-suited Ready Teddies and Blue Suede Shoes.

Unveiled this year, the Gates of Graceland are a replica of the those outside Elvis’ Memphis mansion. Installed beside the Parkes Visitor Centre they honour the volunteers who have contributed to the festival’s success, including founders Bob and Anne Steel, and make a popular backdrop for costumed fans.

Dressing-up isn’t mandatory but it elevates the fun factor exponentially – and there’s anonymity beneath a wig. Even Parkes mayor Neil Westcott sports a blue bejewelled jumpsuit custom made in Canada (he sings too).

People-watching is captivating and joyful, especially during the Evolution Mining Street Parade, which anyone can enter. Along with floats, vintage vehicles, pushchairs and pedal cars, are multi-generational families and friends dressed in matching outfits, and weird and wacky Elvii, from Bollywood to out-of-this-world (think alien-abducted Elvii).

NRMA member Annette from Doonside, who parades as nurse to husband John’s hospital-gowned geriatric Elvis (the King would have turned 90 this year), loves the festival’s inclusivity of older patrons. “Especially solo oldies whose partners have ‘dropped of the perch’,” she says.

It’s also family friendly, with junior Elvis and Priscilla look-alike contests, dancing and busking competitions. Ten-year-old Sydney-sider Jack, attending his third festival rockin’ a white Elvis jumpsuit, black wig and gold aviators, became a fan after watching Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 film Elvis.

It was a similar story for 27-year-old ETA Cote Deonath from the US, another headline artist, who became a fan at age three after watching an Elvis movie with his grandmother. “I was like, that’s my superhero, he even had a cape,” he says.

What makes Elvis so enduring? “He’s one of the most talented musicians, one of the most talented vocalists,” says 21-year-old Amelio, “but it comes down to his energy, you just can’t help feel his charisma.”

It’s the chemistry of charisma that infuses Parkes. “The people are just so friendly,” says many a guest. “Everyone is smiling and happy.”

Thank you, Parkes. Thank you very much.

To Shake, Rattle and Roll in 2026 visit www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au for more details.