Featuring some of the most incredible impersonators and also a "Priscilla" look-alike contest: http://www.visitnsw.com/events/parkes-elvis-festival If this bloke doesn't win there's something wrong: please log in to view this image
You must have heard the one about the fat bloke who booked 2 seats for a long flight? They gave him two, at either side of the aisle...
The National Broadcaster is making a real pigs ear of reporting this event. Tonight they further reported that next year would mark the 25th anniversary! In 1993 I was in Parkes when a few hundred were there celebrating the first festival.
We were regular visitors to Parkes in the 70's when they held the annual "Country Music Jamboree" and would take a bus load from Melbourne every year. Great trip and a great time. Didn't they make the film "The Dish" there? Since then of course the "Elvis" thing has really caught on and brings about 20,000 people each year.
Only scenes involving the Radio Telescope, including the on- top cricket game, were filmed there. Most of the rest were shot at Forbes about 20miles away. Enjoyed "The Dish"- a highly rated Aussie film. Passed through Parkes many times for work and leisure. One of our favourite destinations was Coonabarabran which was a base for walking in the National Park there and climbing the Warrumbungles. My wife was a rock climber when she lived in Cumbria and loved the area. Never been to the Parkes Country Music event- only to the Tamworth Country Music festival a couple of times.
We never missed Tamworth in the 70's. We used to travel overnight from Melbourne (had a bar set up in the bus) check in at the hotel first thing. Stay the night, watch the Presentation (John Minson used to do it then) on the Sunday night and then travel back overnight. You reckon we didn't shift some stuff. The first trip we had the driver said that there was no drinking on the bus so we canceled it there and then and after a few frantic phone calls they allowed us to on the understanding that the first time we stopped the bus for a leak then all the booze came off. Needless to say we lagged in the empty cans and chucked them out of the window. When we got back we took the bus to the back of the pub and hosed all out and cleaned it spotless. The following year they rang us as they were that impressed. We had to book in to the Tamworth Hotel where we stayed as we left for the following year as they were that packed. Happy days.
