Parkes Elvis Festival

Start the 2020s off with a hip swivelling good time, Parkes Elvis™ Festival returns with a King sized program from Wednesday 8 January - Sunday 12 January 2020.

This year's Festival theme is the 1966 Elvis film Frankie and Johnny, a classic Elvis hit where The King played a Mississippi riverboat performer with a weakness for gambling. Featuring card sharks, casinos, a masked ball and theatrical costumes, the Festival is expecting to witness one of the most colourful events in history.

Festival Director, Cathy Treasure said, "This year's program is bigger and better than ever. There's a bunch of phenomenal free events, family focused activities, outdoor markets, and special performances sure to blow audiences away," said Ms Treasure.

"A major highlight of this year's program is the eclectic array of free events on offer."

Australian Rail Track Corporation CEO of Inland Rail, Richard Wankmuller, major sponsors of the Parkes Elvis™ Festival, said the program will yet again draw thousands of people to the beating heart of regional NSW.

"The Parkes community has been phenomenal in their support of the delivery of Inland Rail, with 395 locals working on the Parkes to Narromine project to date. This year alone we have injected $46.7M into the local economy, defining Parkes as a freight and logistics hub, and a regional success story.

"This year we encourage everyone to get down to the ARTC Cooke Park Main Stage, the epicentre of this year's Festival, offering audiences over 40 hours free entertainment ranging from world renowned Elvis Tribute Artists to DJs, bands and much more," Mr Wankmuller said.

2020 Highlights include:
• ARTC Cooke Park Main Stage - Known as the heart of Parkes Elvis Festival, ARTC Cooke Park will present more than fifty top-quality entertainers over the four days. There will be a little less conversation, a lot more action with all the non-stop entertainment that 2020 has to offer.
• Feature Concert Series – Californian Elvis Tribute Artist Dean Z was named the 2013 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist in Memphis. Dean Z will perform each day of the Festival with the impressive TIC Band.
• Adam Harvey: Elvis Country Special – Australia's most decorated country artist, with more than half a million album sales, back-to-back No.1 albums, multiple ARIA nominations, and a succession of Gold and Platinum certified albums, will be performing a tribute to Elvis' country music hits.
• ELVIS – A Legendary Performer starring Mark Anthony - Making his long-awaited return to Parkes Elvis Festival, Australia's leading Elvis Tribute Artist Mark Anthony presents an exceptionally dynamic show that exudes the raw energy and true essence of The King of Rock 'n' Roll.
• Parkes Little Theatre Shows –The Theatre opens its doors to a variety of shows this Festival including: the Mark Andrew Legends Show where he skilfully portrays Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Tom Jones & Jim Morrison; Dean Vegas and Damian Mullin will wow audiences with each of their spectacular tributes to The King; In Dreams: Elvis and Roy Orbison starring Paul Fenech and Aaron Mansfield; and even Hypnosis with Wayne Donnelly, where audiences will be in awe with a series of hysterical and hilarious hypnosis routines with an Elvis twist.
• Workshops – Returning to the Festival for a second year are a range of exciting workshops for young and old. Don your favourite Hawaiian shirt and strum your way through classics like Can't Help Falling in Love at the Ukulele Workshops, learn how to do 1950s hairstyles and make up; or gather the Mini-Elvii for a fun afternoon at the Kids Talent Workshop.
• Get out your leather jackets, pull on your bobby socks and imagine you are in Rydell High's senior class of 1959. Watch Mark Andrew perform his Grease Show on the ARTC Main Stage with special guest Shelly Minson as Sandy. Sing along with the unforgettable songs from the movie topping the evening off with a tribute to The King.
• Australian music legend Joe Camilleri will be inducted to the Parkes Elvis™ Festival Wall of Fame on Wednesday 8 January, 2020. To celebrate this achievement, Joe will perform with The Black Sorrows after the ceremony for Festival fans at the Parkes Services Club.
• Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist ContestTM - The preliminary round of the international Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest also returns in 2020, with leading Elvis tribute artists from Australia and abroad battling it out at Parkes Leagues Club. Officially endorsed by Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc, the winner will represent Parkes in the Semi Final round of the 2020 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Memphis, USA, during Elvis Week in August.

Don't miss your chance to experience one of the major highlights of the NSW events calendar, get your tickets to the 2020 Parkes Elvis Festival now!

Parkes Elvis Festival
DATES: 8-12 January 2020

THEME: Frankie and Johnny
WEBSITE: www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au
LOCATION: Parkes, NSW, Australia