Thousands of Elvis Presley fans and lookalikes travelled to the rural Australian town of Parkes to take part in the 25th annual Parkes Elvis Festival.
Elvis Presley tribute artist Stephen Fletcher puts on eye make-up in the mirror before competing in a singing contest during the 25th annual Parkes Elvis FestivalJason Reed/Reuters
Held every January in Parkes, Central New South Wales, the Elvis event coincides with the king rock n'roll's birthday on 8 January. Parkes is home to some passionate Elvis fans, with one local going as far as to changing his name to Elvis by deed poll, while a couple ran a 'Graceland Restaurant' for years. Yet if it wasn't for this kind of Elvis enthusiasm, the festival would have never started. The first festival, held for one-night-only happened in 1993, and saw a mere couple of hundred people attend. Over the next decade, more events were added and the festival lasted for two days. The festival now holds singing competitions, rugby matches (Reddy Teddies vs the Blue Suede Shoes), lookalike contests and a street parade. IBTimesUK presents some of the highlights of this year's Elvis extravaganza:
Elvis fans board a train to take them to The Parkes Elvis FestivalPeter Parks/AFPElvis fans board a train to take them to The Parkes Elvis FestivalPeter Parks/AFPElvis impersonators with plastic hair and oversized sunglasses arrive at the 25th annual Parkes Elvis FestivalJason Reed/ReutersAmateur rugby players from the Blue Suede Shoes and Reddy Teddies teams arrive at a local field in Elvis Presley suits before their annual matchJason Reed/ReutersAn amateur rugby player dressed as Elvis Presley from the Blue Suede Shoes team gets a wet sponge-down during a break in their rugby union game against the Reddy Teddies Jason Reed/ReutersAmateur rugby players wear Elvis suits as they play a game between the Blue Suede Shoes and Reddy TeddiesJason Reed/ReutersAn Elvis fan arrives at Central station to board a train to take them to The Parkes Elvis FestivalPeter Parks/AFPElvis Presley tribute artist Pete Storm from London, dressed as 1970s Elvis, is pictured during the 25th annual Parkes Elvis Festival in the rural Australian town of ParkesJason Reed/ReutersAl 'Alvis' Gersbach, the official ambassador of the 25th annual Parkes Elvis Festival, walks through town with his Elvis belt buckle in the rural Australian town of Parkes, west of Sydney, AustraliaJason Reed/Reuters13 January 2017: Elvis Presley tribute artist Brendon Chase from New Zealand applies make-up to his chest in the dressing room before competing in a singing contest at the 25th annual Parkes Elvis Festival in the rural Australian town of Parkes, west of Sydney, AustraliaJason Reed/ReutersElvis Presley tribute artist Brendon Chase from New Zealand practices his lunges in the dressing room before competing in a singing contestJason Reed/ReutersElvis Presley tribute artist Stephen Fletcher performs in a singing contestJason Reed/ReutersElvis Presley tribute artist Stuart Vieyra receives a kiss from a member of the audience after making the final 8 contestants in a singing competitionJason Reed/Reuters
