Parkes Elvis Festival 2026 - Love Me Tender Theme

Photo credit: Brent Young (supplied)

It’s time to get all shook up, Parkes Elvis Festival is back for 2026! Running from 7–11 January, the 33rd annual festival will pay tribute to Elvis with a Love Me Tender  theme, offering fans a packed program of concerts, dancing, markets, and family fun.

More than 25,000 Elvis lovers are expected to shake, rattle, and roll into Parkes, NSW, making it the largest celebration of The King in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia’s official Elvis hometown will once again come alive with festival favourites including the Evolution Mining Street Parade, Renewal of Vows Ceremony, bustling markets, delicious food stalls, and electrifying performances on the Cooke Park Main Stage and Memphis Stage.

A major highlight of the 2026 Festival will be the launch of the new Family Fun Zone, dedicated to younger Elvis and Priscilla enthusiasts. To top off this new zone, the Festival has secured global superstars Bluey and Bingo to perform their Live Interactive Experience on the Cooke Park main stage just after the Saturday parade. Joining them will be the beloved Humphrey B. Bear, performing live shows and roaming the crowds with magic tricks and bear hugs.

This year also marks the return of the Wall of Fame Concert, headlined by Australian music royalty Marcia Hines. Her glittering Disco Inferno production will transform the Parkes Leagues Club into a dazzling discotheque, filled with powerhouse vocals, sequins, and timeless hits.

International Elvis Tribute Artists Jay Dupuis and Louis Brown will feature in eight exclusive shows at the Parkes Leagues Club, backed by the world-famous Tributes in Concert Band. Jay Dupuis, celebrated for his authentic and accurate portrayals of Elvis, and Louis Brown, one of the fastest rising stars of the Elvis tribute world, will deliver unforgettable performances with new production elements created by Festival Director Brendan Shipley and Producer Jason Russo.

Festival favourites also return in 2026, including the Miss Priscilla Dinner on Thursday evening at the Parkes Services Club, where the 2026 Miss Priscilla will be crowned. The Little Theatre, renamed the Vegas Theatre for the Festival, will host acclaimed Elvis Tribute Artist Ted Torrin for a series of matinee performances. Other highlights include the Poets Breakfast at the Parkes Golf Club and the Classic Car Show along Festival Boulevard.

This year, the Memphis Stage will extend programming until 8pm, with additional food trucks and market stalls enhancing the festival atmosphere. The Festival Parade will also step off earlier, starting at 9am on Saturday 10 January.

The program also includes the preliminary round of the international Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, with leading performers from Australia and beyond competing for the chance to represent Parkes in Memphis during Elvis Week in August.

For an immersive journey, fans can once again travel aboard the NSW TrainLink Elvis Express. Departing Sydney on Wednesday 7 January - a day earlier than previous years - the journey will feature live entertainment, including performances by international tribute artists at Central Station before departure.

Tickets to the festival program are on sale now at www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au. 

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

EVENT: Parkes Elvis Festival

DATES: 7–11 January 2026

THEME: Love Me Tender

WEBSITE: www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

LOCATION: Parkes, NSW, Australia