Elvis Lives - At Parkes Australia (10th Jan ‘08)

Uncle Leo reports:

On the 10th of January Leo, Judy and Flip set out for the Elvis Weekend in Parkes. Also on board as a virgin pillion was Leo's cousin Kate from Sydney.
Extremely hot all the way and our route took us through Frogmore and then through Goolagong and Eugowra and onto Parkes. Our accommodation was the prestigious 'Gracelands on the Green' - instantly recognisable as the Tent City from various AGMs.
Parkes takes the Elvis weekend quite seriously and you get to visit such attractions as the collection of Elvis memorabilia at the home of Elvis Lennox - yep, changed his name by deed poll. Elvis number plates, Elvis artwork on camper vans, Elvis serving in shops and banks, old Elvis (lots of them), young Elvis, Elvis buskers, and Elvis of every shape and size all over town. And then Priscilla - young , old and everything in between.
There were Elvis look-alike competitions, Elvis sound-a-like competitions, young Elvis competitions and Priscilla look-a-like competitions. And an Elvis Gospel Revival church service on the Sunday.
Every pub and club had Elvis functions and lots of dancing if that was our thing.  The main street was adorned with 50 members of the Fourth Reich 1% MC club - slightly incongruous but none of them was dressed up as Elvis.
Parkes had a market in the town parks and lots of free entertainment all weekend. While they were all keen all lot of them better not give up their day jobs. I've never heard 'Blue Suede Shoes' so many times in 50 years. The acts in the clubs were better and well attended but 
that may have been more about getting out of the 38C heat than anything else.
Lots of 50's and 60's vintage cars and NSW railways even run a 3801 special train out there for the weekend.
Flip was a sceptic at first but I reckon she'll be back next year with her Priscilla wig and the whole bit. And I've got to learn to dance.
Return trip was via Forbes, Young and Harden and Harden. Met the Fourth Reich again at the servo as Flip and Kate had been chatting them up in the pub but they declined to join us in Maccas for coffee.
All in all a fun week-end. Slightly odd but fascinating the amount of effort and passion people put into their hobbies.
Leo