Return to Parkes: Sydney Elvis fans gear up for tribute festival

Die-hard Elvis fans in glitzy jumpsuits, greasy hair wigs and kickin’ boots are headed for the annual Parkes festival in honour of the king. WATCH grooving fans leave from Central Station.

Sydneysiders donned their best pair of blue suede shoes, said ‘‘thank you very much” to Central Station, and boarded the Elvis Express, with a one-way ticket to Parkes for the 32nd Annual Elvis Festival.

The Grand Concourse was well and truly thriving on Thursday, as fanatics gathered from 6am to sing and dance to all the Elvis classics, celebrating every era of the King as they waited to board the famous express train to Parkes.

The train has become a ritual for festival-goers wishing to party to and from the event, and seats have become quite the hot commodity.

“We are so excited to get a bit of hunka-hunka burning love on that train,” said Judy Maskell, an Adelaide local who made the trip to Sydney alongside her ‘Riverland Chicks’ to experience the renowned Elvis Express.

Helen Tye and April Weeks were boarding the Elvis Express for the first time, and dressed as a pair of Priscillas, the duo said there was plenty to love about The King.

“He loves me tenderly,” said Mrs Tye.

“I think he’s in a whole lot of trouble,” chimed Mrs Weeks.

Mrs Tye told The Daily Telegraph she was most excited for the music, the atmosphere, and most importantly “the peanut-butter, jelly and bacon sandwiches”.

Kelly Fisher and Helen Tye pictured at Central Station. Picture: NewsWire Monique Harmer

Elvis impersonator Alfred Vaz poses prior to boarding a train departing for Parkes Elvis Festival at Sydney Central Station. Picture: Don Arnold/WireImage

Canberran Kelly Fisher entered the Grand Concourse wearing the iconic white jump suit, excited to experience the express for the first time.

“I dressed as Elvis for my Year 10 formal in Jailhouse Rock,” she said.

I love everything about him. He’s trouble, just like me.”

The Elvis Express left the building just after 8am, with the party continuing all the way to Parkes, and the local community was sure to give the festival-goers one hell of a welcome.

Parkes Mayor Neil Westcott told The Daily Telegraph that the festival has “captured the imagination” of the region, and that he was proud to be Mayor of such a creative community.

“It’s the biggest Elvis festival outside of America, and it’s becoming known as the ‘fun festival,’” he said.

“It’s become a really important five days in our year and it’s been great to see it spread its connections into our neighbouring shires.”

Held every January in Parkes, the festival attracts upwards of 25,000 people every year, packed with plenty of rock’n’roll fans paying tribute to the King.

The rhythm and blues began on Thursday, aboard the Elvis Express, which promised to have Central station up and rocking at 7am.

Elvis tribute artists will shake, rattle and roll from carriage to carriage, entertaining passengers with some of the singer’s greatest hits on the six-hour journey.

Die-hard fan Ross Mancini has loved Elvis since he was a young kid, and will lead the party at the station and beyond.

Ross Mancini from Hurlstone Park is one of the Elvis Tribute Artists performing at the Elvis Parkes festival. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“I finally had the opportunity 16 years ago to be an Elvis tribute artist and I’ve never looked back since,” he said.

The Hurlstone Park resident not only looks like the iconic rock star, with his iconic blue powder jumpsuit – he travels like one too, with over half a dozen suits, capes and odd accessories to complete the look across multiple days.

Mr Mancini is also competing in the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contest at the Festival. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“We’ve got different shows so you don’t want to wear the same costume. One, it gets sweaty and you want to change, and two, people like to see the different costumes”

Mr Mancini will keep the party moving on the train and at the festival alongside his entourage – his wife Anna and Christina Barilla as Vegas showgirls

“Once you go on the train, it’s just party, party, party. Everyone gets along, everyone’s happy, singing, dancing. It’s all good fun.”

Once there, Mr Mancini hopes to take the top crown at the Parkes Elvis Tribute Artist competition, a feat which sends the winner straight to the same competition in Memphis during Elvis week in August.

Originally published as Return to Parkes: Sydney Elvis fans gear up for tribute festival