From admiring the range of ETAs (Elvis Tribute Artists) and being captivated by the costumes and atmosphere, to strolling Festival Boulevade and rock‘n rolling your heart out to the beats of Elvis and everything in between, there’s plenty to see and do at the Parkes Elvis Festival.
So much in fact that you’re unlikely to do it all in the one festival.
There’s more than 200 events with three international headline acts over five days.
We at the Parkes Champion Post have covered every Elvis Festival in its 32-year lifespan - combining past and present staff, we’ve seen and done it all.
That’s why we’ve decided to collate a list of 'must-do's' at the festival, in our opinion.
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Whether this is your first festival or your 10th, this little guide may help you out if you’re a little unsure of where to start this year.
• Wall of Fame unveiling and concert that usually follows (Wednesday morning): Arguably the best way to kick off the Parkes Elvis Festival with a greeting and celebration of Australia’s best musical talent in history. For the Baby Boomer, it’s a transportation back to your youth, to the precise moment in your past that you remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard these songs or saw this entertainer. For everyone else, it makes you appreciate the music from your homeland even more. While a concert wasn't possible this year, the unveiling is still taking place at the Parkes Visitor Centre.
• The arrival of the Elvis Express train (Thursday afternoon): A sight to behold and experience, not as a passenger (though that is a whole different journey worth undertaking) but as a spectator and well-wisher. Arrive early, find your place on the platform as it's about to get cosy and get ready to dance, sing and party as the Elvis Express slowly approaches the Parkes Railway Station. As the music rings out you'll be providing a welcome to some 300 passengers like no other, allowing them to feel like they're arriving on a new continent. Watch their faces as the passengers disembark.
• Cooke Park Main Stage (Wednesday to Sunday): It's diverse, it's quality entertainment and the best part it's free. Receiving several votes from our staff, the entertainment on the Cooke Park Main Stage goes all day and night. Most of the festival's entertainers appear here at some stage over the five days, including the world's best. And it's not just Elvis songs, it's other music and competitions too.
• Take a stroll, or a strut, down Festival Boulevade (Thursday to Sunday): The best way to soak up the atmosphere of the Parkes Elvis Festival is to walk down Festival Boulevade, the main street of Parkes, and you'll get a taste of a little bit of everything. See the costumes, listen to the buskers, admire the cars, pat the hound dogs, dine in the cafes, hear the beat drifting from the pubs and clubs, and feel the energy.
• Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition (Friday and Saturday): If you love your Elvis Tribute Artists and like to see the array of upcoming talent from around Australia and nearby countries, this is waiting for you at the Parkes Leagues Club. Why treat yourself to one artist when you can indulge in 20? Then these competitors are reduced to eight and if you're quick to book a seat at the finals, you'll bear witness the performance and crowning of the 2025 national champion who qualifies for the world titles at Elvis Week in Memphis.
• Feature Concert Series (Wednesday to Sunday): In your lifetime of attending the Parkes Elvis Festival, staff at the Champion Post say you must experience at least one of these shows at the Parkes Leagues Club. Barring a year or two, some of our staff have watched the headline act every year. These performers invited to the festival are the best in their industry in the world and this year is a real rarity with three international artists.
• Elvis Festival Street Parade (Saturday morning): This event tops almost everyone's list without fail purely for its range and vast amount of entries. There's something for everyone to enjoy - Elvis-themed floats, vintage and classic cars and motorcycles, Elvis and Priscilla look-a-likes and all the characters in between, and marching bands. It's a real spectacle and it goes for an hour and a half.
• Gospel Service (Sunday morning): Another extremely popular event of the Parkes Elvis Festival with very humble beginnings and a reputation to match. Starting at the Parkes Uniting Church before growing so large it now has to be conducted in the park, the Gospel Service is a unique gathering that celebrates a different yet very important part of Elvis' life, gospel music. As organisers describe it, it's a church service disguised as a concert or it's a concert disguised as a church service.
Some smaller events that have made our list of 'must-do's':
• Little Theatre shows (Thursday to Saturday): A relatively new venue added to the Parkes Elvis Festival over the last few years, one of our former journalists suggested attending a performance at the Parkes Little Theatre that's "off-track" to the more mainstream shows around town. It's air-conditioned and the experience has been compared to that of a mini Broadway show.
• Elvis rugby (Friday night): It's not in the program because it's an unofficial event organised by the Parkes Rugby Union Club but if you're looking for something a little more lighthearted, head to Pioneer Oval and our local rugby players sporting Elvis jumpsuits, wigs and all, have you covered. They on the other hand, may not be fully covered come the final whistle. Brace yourself there's nothing sophisticated about this performance.
• And finally, make sure you come back: Like we said, you won’t get it all done in the one festival, so come back, make a new list and experience the festival all over again, in a different way.
