Sydneysiders donned their best pair of blue suede shoes, said ‘‘thank you very much” to Central Station, and boarded the Elvis Express, with a one-way ticket to Parkes for the 32nd Annual Elvis Festival.
The Grand Concourse was well and truly thriving on Thursday, as fanatics gathered from 6am to sing and dance to all the Elvis classics, celebrating every era of the King as they waited to board the famous express train to Parkes.
The train has become a ritual for festival-goers wishing to party to and from the event, and seats have become quite the hot commodity.
“We are so excited to get a bit of hunka-hunka burning love on that train,” said Judy Maskell, an Adelaide local who made the trip to Sydney alongside her ‘Riverland Chicks’ to experience the renowned Elvis Express.
Helen Tye and April Weeks were boarding the Elvis Express for the first time, and dressed as a pair of Priscillas, the duo said there was plenty to love about The King.
“He loves me tenderly,” said Mrs Tye.
“I think he’s in a whole lot of trouble,” chimed Mrs Weeks.
Mrs Tye told The Daily Telegraph she was most excited for the music, the atmosphere, and most importantly “the peanut-butter, jelly and bacon sandwiches”.
Canberran Kelly Fisher entered the Grand Concourse wearing the iconic white jump suit, excited to experience the express for the first time.
Canberran Kelly Fisher entered the Grand Concourse wearing the iconic white jump suit, excited to experience the express for the first time.
“I dressed as Elvis for my Year 10 formal in Jailhouse Rock,” she said.
I love everything about him. He’s trouble, just like me.”
The Elvis Express left the building just after 8am, with the party continuing all the way to Parkes, and the local community was sure to give the festival-goers one hell of a welcome.
Parkes Mayor Neil Westcott told The Daily Telegraph that the festival has “captured the imagination” of the region, and that he was proud to be Mayor of such a creative community.
“It’s the biggest Elvis festival outside of America, and it’s becoming known as the ‘fun festival,’” he said.
“It’s become a really important five days in our year and it’s been great to see it spread its connections into our neighbouring shires.”
Held every January in Parkes, the festival attracts upwards of 25,000 people every year, packed with plenty of rock’n’roll fans paying tribute to the King.