PARTY TRAIN: Parkes mayor Ken Keith and Alice Dean get ready to hop onboard the Elvis Express at East Fork in Orange yesterday. Photo: STEVE GOSCH 0110sgelvis7
MISS Priscilla jumped onboard the Elvis Express for the first time yesterday and it was not without hesitation.
Alice Dean, 21, won the prestigious title of Miss Priscilla at last year’s Parkes Elvis Festival and was excited, nervous and sad to be heading back to hand over the sash.
“I’m a little bit nervous, I have heard some stories,” she said.
“I’ve heard everyone is very excitable and there is lots of bottom pinching.”
Miss Dean expected it to be mayhem and it certainly was.
‘Annette Seitis jumped on the train in Sydney and had a ball all the way to Orange where it stopped at 2.13pm at East Fork.
“It’s been fantastic, really wild,” she said.
“We’ve got the best carriage, it’s been full of singing and dancing.”
Mrs Seitis was one of 387 people aboard the Elvis express who were getting ready to be let loose in Parkes for three days of everything Elvis.
For many it is not about the great man himself, the festival is about putting Parkes on the map.
“It’s just something really different,” Miss Dean said.
“Elvis never even came to Australia but everyone who comes loves it.”
Miss Dean is a true die-hard Elvis Fan, despite being born after he died.
“My mum tells a story of when I was three she came into the backyard to find me digging a hole,” she said.
“She asked ‘what are you doing?’ I replied ‘I am digging my way to Elvis’.”
Parkes mayor Ken Keith got into the spirit to hop aboard the rowdy train.
Following tradition, he donned a bright red Elvis suit and could barely contain his excitement.
He expected at least 500 Elvis impersonators to be wandering around the town of more than 11,200 people.