Parkes Elvis Festival

The Parkes Elvis Festival is usually held in January each year as it coincides with the birthday of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.

The festival started in the 1990s and has grown yearly, with over 150 events over five days.

There are many fun events to participate in, including Tribute Shows, renewal of vows ceremonies, Miss Priscilla Dinner, live music, competitions and best Elvis impersonation contests. The festival attracts over 25,000 visitors annually, with thousands dressing up to participate in the many events scheduled over the weekend.

Parkes Elvis Festival is back in 2025 with a jam-packed rockin’ n’ rollin’ fun program. The King-sized program is filled with hundreds of Elvis and Jailhouse Rock-inspired events. The souvenir program will be available from Elvis Central, Parkes Visitor Information Centre, and several local retailers starting in November.

Join in the fun of Parkes Elvis Festival and participate in our competitions. If you like to dress up, can sing or dance like the best of them, there’s a competition for you on the Main Stage.

McDonald’s Busking Championships

The footpaths, street corners, cafes, and shopfronts along Festival Boulevard become a stage for the brilliant array of talented, quirky, and beginner artists performing for Festival fans passing by.

Rock’n’Roll Dancing Competition

The Rock’n’Roll Dancing Competition is open to Rock ‘N’ Roll clubs, dance clubs and independent couples. The competition is held on the Cooke Park Main Stage dance floor on Saturday of the festival.

Elvis Photography Competition

The Elvis Photography Competition has become a popular Festival event for discovering and exhibiting photographs from past Parkes Elvis Festival. A selection of entries are placed on exhibit during the Parkes Elvis Festival. Winners of the Photography Competition will be announced at the Elvis Photography Exhibition on the Friday of the festival at 4pm

Miss Priscilla Competition

Ladies, it’s your time to shine by competing to become the Face of the Festival in the Miss Priscilla Competition. Get your lashes on and tease your air into a beehive for the ultimate Priscilla Presley look-a-like competition where you’ll become an instant celebrity.

Judges will examine the overall appearance, including make-up, hair, and dress, to determine whether it resembles Priscilla Presley’s pre-1969 look. The annual prize is awarded to both the stylist and model.

Tribute to Elvis Competitions

Are you or your son or daughter a budding Elvis tribute artist? Join one of our Tribute to Elvis Competitions. Many famous Elvis Tribute Artists have started their career in this competition. If you can sing like The King, this competition is for you. Battle it out against other Elvis wannabes to win great prizes.

Northparkes Mines Street Parade

The Northparkes Mines Street Parade is the major annual highlight of the Parkes Elvis Festival. Elvis-themed floats, vintage and classic cars and motorcycles join Elvis and Priscilla look-a-likes and marching bands as they head from Bushman Street to Cooke Park down the length of Clarinda Street.

Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest

Parkes Elvis Festival will once again stage a preliminary round of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest, officially endorsed by the estate of Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

Across two momentous days, leading Elvis tribute artists from Australia and abroad will compete for the opportunity to represent Parkes Elvis Festival in the semi-final round of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist in Memphis during Elvis Week in August 2025.

Heats will take place on the Friday of the festival, with the exciting finals on Saturday. Come along and cheer on your favourite Elvis tribute artist to win and enjoy the world’s best tribute artists!

The competition is open to professional and semi-professional Elvis tribute artists. First-timer or amateur performers are encouraged to enter the Senior Tribute to Elvis Competition.

Look-a-like competitions

Join in the fun of Parkes Elvis Festival, dress up and take part in our look-a-like competitions. There are no entry fees; turn up on the Saturday of the festival to register and join in the festivities.

Elvis Poetry Competition

Each year, Parkes Elvis Festival invites all aspiring and published authors of poetry to submit their best and greatest unpublished poems inspired by this year’s festival theme of Jailhouse Rock with at least one mention of Elvis, the Parkes Elvis Festival or a Parkes Elvis Festival event.

This competition is open to all Australian citizens or permanent residents, 18 years and over, with novice, open and people’s choice categories. All finalists will be announced at the beginning of the poets’ breakfast and will read or have their poems recited during the event for final judging.

There are so many events and competitions to discuss on this page, so please check out the official website’s event program and competition listings for full details on each event, location, dates, times, and entry prices.

There are many easy ways to travel around Parkes and the Festival venues. Many venues are within walking distance of the Festival hub, Cooke Park.

Regular shuttle bus services operate around Parkes and to Peak Hill and Forbes, as do taxi services based in the town. Hire cars are also available. Parking is available on side streets or at shuttle bus stops.

Parkes offers quality accommodation options, with approximately 1500 bed spaces across motels, hotels, bed and breakfasts, serviced accommodation, cabins, and caravan parks. From affordable 3-star motels to brand new, modern 4.5-star establishments, along with disabled rooms and pet-friendly options, there is something to suit all tastes and requirements.

A further 300 bed spaces are available in historic pubs, quality motels, and convenient caravan parks in the smaller Shire towns of Peak Hill, Bogan Gate, Trundle, and Tullamore.

Flights from Sydney to Parkes are an hour. Regional Express Airlines fly daily from Sydney to Parkes. Book the Hound Dog Express plane and be entertained in the REX lounge before departure. Travel to the Parkes Elvis Festival with NSW TrainLink on the Elvis Express special festival train or by timetabled operated services.