Parkes Elvis Festival
The Parkes Elvis Festival grew out of Gracelands, a local restaurant that owners Bob and Anne Steel gave a rock ‘n’ roll makeover in the early 1990s. A newspaper editor’s suggestion to mark Elvis Presley’s birthday turned into a small community celebration, and the first festival drew just under 200 fans. It has since grown into what’s billed as the biggest celebration of Elvis outside of Memphis, with tens of thousands of fans now converging on the town each year.
Held annually each January around Elvis’s birthday, the festival takes over the Central West NSW town of Parkes for several days, with Cooke Park as its free entertainment hub and additional stages, venues and a life-size bronze Elvis statue scattered around the town centre. For the duration, shopfronts, cafes and streets lean fully into the theme, giving the whole town a Graceland-in-the-outback atmosphere.
Festival Highlights:
- Street Parade: A procession of vintage and open-top cars carrying Elvis tribute artists and performers winds through the main street, one of the festival’s most photographed events.
- The Elvis Express: A themed train service brings costumed fans and performers into town, turning the journey itself into part of the celebration.
- Gospel Service & Free Park Entertainment: Cooke Park hosts a full free program including an Elvis-inspired gospel service, live music and dance performances open to all.
- Tribute Competitions & Vow Renewals: Elvis lookalike and sound-alike competitions run alongside Elvis-themed wedding vow renewal ceremonies, popular with fans celebrating anniversaries.
Tips for Visitors & Trip Planning:
- Tickets: Much of the program in Cooke Park is free, while headline concerts and premium shows are separately ticketed and tend to sell out, so booking ahead through the official festival site is worthwhile.
- Venue Layout: Venues are spread across the town centre rather than one showground, so the official festival app’s interactive map and schedule make it much easier to plan a route between shows.
- Getting There: Parkes sits in the Central West region of New South Wales; visitors can drive in via the Newell or Mitchell Highways, or ride the themed Elvis Express train service that runs for the occasion.
- What to Wear: January in Central West NSW is hot and dry, so light clothing, sun protection and plenty of water are essential — many visitors also get into the spirit with 1950s/60s-style outfits or Elvis-inspired costumes.
- Accommodation: Parkes’ hotels and caravan parks book out well ahead for the festival, and nearby Forbes, Dubbo and Orange are useful overflow options, so booking well in advance is strongly recommended.
- Extend the Trip: Parkes makes a good base for exploring the wider Central West NSW region before or after the festival — browse tours and activities near you here.
The full program and venue schedule is published closer to the event. See details below, under “Event Related Information” section.
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