Parkes Elvis Festival unveils 2027 program with Dean Z headlining

The Parkes Elvis Festival will return to Parkes, NSW, from 6 to 10 January 2027 with more than 200 events, major concerts and several festival firsts. Organizers say the five-day event, themed Elvis On Tour, will be the biggest in the festival’s 34-year history as it marks 50 years since Elvis Presley’s death.

Why it matters: - The Parkes Elvis Festival is one of Australia’s biggest regional tourism draws, with more than 30,000 visitors expected to travel to Parkes from across Australia and overseas. - The 2027 program is designed to boost local tourism spending across hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions in the Central West. - The festival lands in a milestone year, marking 50 years since Elvis Presley’s passing.

What happened: - The Parkes Elvis Festival announced its 2027 program for 6 to 10 January in Parkes, NSW, under the theme Elvis On Tour. - The festival says it will stage more than 200 events across five days. - Dean Z, billed as the world’s leading Elvis Tribute Artist, will headline two major outdoor concerts at Spicer Oval: Dean Z: The Ultimate Elvis and Dean Z: EPIC. - The 2027 lineup also includes the first festival appearance of Wall of Fame inductee Mark Andrew and personal stories from Donna Presley in From My Heart. - Tickets are on sale now at the festival website and via 123TIX.

The details: - Dean Z’s concerts will feature the Southern Cross Symphony Orchestra and the Tributes in Concert Band. - Dean Z and Gamilaraay artist Mitch Tambo will appear together in a double-header that spans multiple eras of Elvis. - The Parkes Leagues Club will host five days of feature concerts led by Elvis Tribute Artists. - Mark Andrew will present My Story as Elvis on Wednesday 6 January. - Taylor Rodriguez and Charlie Gaylard will return with headline concert series including From Tupelo to Vegas, Love Letters, Solid Gold Hits, Lights, Camera, Elvis and Elvis Across America. - The pair will also perform solo shows Up Close and Personal with Charlie Gaylard and Up Close and Personal with Taylor Rodriguez. - The Fabulous Blues Brothers will open with a high-energy night-one performance. - The Parkes Services Club program will include From My Heart with Donna Presley, The Tour Begins Here! with Tristan James, Elvis: The Next Generation with Anthony Fenech and Brody Finlay, and That’s The Way It Was with Sean Luke Spiteri and Josuel Grech. - The Vegas Theatre at Parkes Little Theatre will run a four-day program of intimate concerts and specialty productions. - Vegas Theatre highlights include Houston 1970, ’68–’69 Magic, Class of ’59, ’71 Australia: The Concert That Should Have Been, Toki in Concert, Ultimate Elvis Returns and If I Can Dream. - Collaborative productions will bring together Maltese, Australian, Japanese and international tribute artists in Malta to Memphis, Ultimate Concert Elvis Champions and Rare Gems & B-Sides. - Ted Torres Martin will headline the Vegas Theatre, alongside Toki Toyokazu, Taureen K Mill, Paul Fenech and Joshuel Grech. - The Evolution Mining Street Parade will again fill the streets of Parkes with floats, costumes, vintage cars and live entertainment. - Organizers expect more than 20,000 spectators for the parade. - The NSW TrainLink Elvis Express will run again from Sydney Central Station with live performances onboard. - The Rex Airlines Hound Dog Express will return with themed entertainment beginning in the airport lounge and continuing to Parkes Regional Airport. - The Miss Priscilla Dinner will crown the Face of the Festival. - The Elvis Gospel Service will return to Cooke Park Main Stage. - Renewal of Vows will give couples a chance to recommit before an Elvis wedding celebrant. - Elvis-themed dining, markets, tours, exhibitions, family activities, the Family Fun Zone, Cooke Park Main Stage events and Movies in the Park after 8pm will also run across town.

Between the lines: - The festival is leaning harder into premium experiences while keeping free community events in the mix. - The addition of Dean Z, orchestra backing and multiple venue-specific programs suggests organizers want the 2027 edition to feel bigger and more theatrical than a standard tribute lineup. - The push for firsts, including Mark Andrew’s debut and the limited Golden Ticket release, points to a stronger focus on scarcity and ticket urgency. - Steve Kamper, NSW minister for jobs and tourism, framed the festival as a visitor economy asset that supports local businesses and raises Parkes’ profile.

What's next: - Early buyers can get 20% off Premier and Feature Concert tickets for the first 72 hours after launch. - Concert ticket buyers during that window will enter a draw for an Elvis On Tour Prize Pack valued at more than $300. - The prize pack includes one of the festival’s Golden Tickets, valued at more than $1,500. - Only 20 Golden Tickets will be sold, each unlocking access to 25 concerts and Elvis events across the program. - Destination NSW is backing the festival as part of the NSW Government’s tourism and major events support.

The bottom line: - Parkes is positioning the 2027 Elvis Festival as its biggest edition yet, with a larger program, marquee headliners and a heavy push for tourism dollars.