Parkes Elvis Festival 2024
Dust off the blue suede shoes and get ready to ‘Rock n Roll’. Celebrating its 31st year, join us for our tour to Parkes for the Elvis Festival. We are here for 3 fun-filled days, taking in a number of fabulous events. The theme for the 2024 festival is Jailhouse Rock so pack your best striped shirts and let’s rock!
7 Day Tour
Wednesday 10 January - Tuesday 16 January 2024
Tour Cost (GST inclusive):
$2,685 per person twin share
$660 single supplement
Inclusions
- Luxury Coach Travel in our Business Class Coach
- Transfers to Parkes for three days of the festival
- Entry to Henry Parkes Centre
- Entry to Megamuseum at Coonabarabran Visitors Information Centre
- 6 nights accommodation
- 6 cooked breakfasts, 5 two course dinners, 3 lunches
- The Festival program includes free entry events which are subject to change. Tickets to individual shows are not included in the tour cost and may be purchased directly from the venue or via the website Parkes Elvis Festival. *Note our evening accommodation for the festival days is in Orange and we will be returning there at ~5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday nights but we will stay later in Parkes on Friday 12th January, if you wish to book an evening show.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: (D)
Brisbane to Armidale
Wed 10 Jan 24
Welcome to our fantastic Parkes Elvis Festival Tour. Step back into the 1950s with muscle cars, Priscilla lookalikes and an Elvis on every corner of Parkes. We are welcomed onboard our touring coach by our Blue Bus Tours crew as we begin our journey to Armidale. We stop for convenience breaks to stretch our legs and time to purchase lunch before arriving at our motel for our first night on tour together late afternoon.
Day 2: (BLD)
Armidale to Orange
Thu 11 Jan 24
We have a travel day ahead as we head through Tamworth to Dunedoo where we stop for lunch. While here we have the chance to look at the Silo Art which features Winx, a retired champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse and her famous rider Hugh Bowman, who was born in Dunedoo. Also featured is Winx’ trainer, Chris Waller, who helped make this very famous horse the true champion that she was. We will have time to take photos and appreciate the size of the silo art. From here we express through to Orange, where we can unpack and settle in for the next four nights.
Day 3: (B)
Elvis Festival
Fri 12 Jan 24
Excitement is in the air as today is the first day to see Elvis… well a few lookalikes, to say the least. We have a leisurely morning before heading to Parkes. On arrival, we visit the Henry Parkes Centre that houses the King’s Castle Elvis Exhibit “Walk a Mile in My Shoes – A Day in the life of Elvis Presley”. This interactive exhibit is designed to bring to life some of the highs and lows that Elvis encountered throughout his life and career, through an audio-visual journey, genuine artefacts from his home and items he wore or used onstage. The Parkes Motor Museum is also in the same complex with an impressive collection of motor vehicles. The remainder of the day is ours to enjoy the festival events and entertainment on offer. Purchase lunch at one of the many food stalls at the markets which fill Cooke Park from corner to corner with unique clothing, food and souvenirs on offer. We also spend our evening here to soak up the incredible festival atmosphere and free performances on the Cooke Park Main Stage. You may wish to book a show for tonight*. At a designated time, we meet up and head back to Orange after a wonderful night of entertainment.
Day 4: (BD)
Elvis Festival
Sat 13 Jan 24
Up early to make our way back to Parkes to take our positions for the fabulous Street Parade. After that, the day is ours to explore. The Cooke Park Main Stage will feature free music and entertainment including competitions such as Miss Priscilla Look-a-Like, Elvis Look-a-Like, and the Cars of the Era Show, exhibiting the automobiles that ruled the road from a time when Elvis ruled the airwaves! For those wanting to do some additional local touring in Parkes, there is an option (own expense) to visit the CSIRO Radio Telescope, also called “The Dish”. The visitor centre features many hands-on displays and exhibits to discover.
Day 5: (BD)
Elvis Festival
Sun 14 Jan 24
The Elvis Gospel Service is a beloved feature of the festival program. The special interdenominational service on Sunday morning pays tribute to Elvis’s first love, gospel music, and celebrates Elvis through song and prayer. The remainder of the dat is at leisure to enjoy the festival.
Day 6: (BLD)
Orange to Moree
Mon 15 Jan 24
We farewell Orange and begin our journey home, travelling through Coonabarabran where we visit the very interesting megafauna museum at the Visitors Centre where we’ll find the bones of a giant Diprotodon, the largest marsupial ever to have lived! We enjoy lunch at a nearby café before continuing to Narrabri and Moree for our overnight stay. We enjoy our farewell dinner together in the motel restaurant.
Day 7: (BL)
Moree to Brisbane
Tue 16 Jan 24
With our bags packed one last time, we head for home. We stop for lunch in Warwick before arriving in Brisbane late afternoon from a wonderful tour to the Elvis Festival.