Elvis has left the building, but the love lingers on. The 2026 Parkes Elvis Festival has officially come to a close, with 26,000 Elvis fans filling the streets of Parkes, NSW, to celebrate five unforgettable days of music, nostalgia and connection.

Running from Wednesday 7 – Sunday 11 January 2026, the Festival marked its 33rd year, welcoming visitors from across Australia and around the world for a joyful celebration of Elvis Presley’s legacy, wrapped in this year’s theme, Love Me Tender.

Festival Director Brendan Shipley said the event delivered significant outcomes for both the community and the region.

“Across five days, the 2026 Parkes Elvis Festival generated an estimated $13 million for the regional economy, delivered more than 200 events across 50 venues, and was supported by over 100 volunteers," he said.

“Love Me Tender gave us the opportunity to celebrate Elvis not just as a performer, but as a cultural icon who brought people together through music, emotion and storytelling. The atmosphere across Parkes this year was warm, inclusive and full of heart. Exactly what our Festival is all about.”

The Parkes Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest was once again staged at the Parkes Leagues Club. Taurean Kenny Mill from New Zealand placed first, followed by Anthony Fenech of Fraser Rise in Victoria in second place and Brendon Chase of Paradise Point in Queensland in third. Taurean will now travel to Memphis, USA, to represent Australia at the Contest Semi-Final during Elvis Week in August.

The 2026 Miss Priscilla, Face of the Festival, was awarded to Luana Bugeja of Malta, marking the first-ever international winner of the title. Luana received the sash from outgoing 2025 Miss Priscilla, Gracey Denham Jones, on the Thursday of the Festival.

On Saturday, 10 January, the town came out in droves for the Northparkes Mines Street Parade, with thousands of spectators lining the streets to enjoy the rock ’n’ roll spectacle of Elvis-themed floats, vintage cars, motorcycles, walking groups and marching bands.

Looking ahead, the Parkes Elvis Festival has confirmed a major highlight for 2027, with the world’s number one Elvis Tribute Artist, Dean Z, set to headline a special open-air concert. Backed by a 50-piece orchestra and the Tributes in Concert Band, Dean Z will bring a full orchestral Elvis experience to Parkes, celebrating the power and spectacle of Elvis Presley’s live performances.

Extending the Festival’s national reach, the Parkes Elvis Festival has also entered into a new promotional collaboration with Universal Pictures Australia to celebrate the Australian theatrical release of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, directed by Baz Luhrmann, arriving in cinemas nationwide on 19 February 2026.

Following another successful year, attention now turns to 2027.

In 2027, Parkes Elvis Festival will celebrate its 34th year with the theme Elvis On Tour.

Parkes Elvis Festival is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.