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Photos: Elvis fans in their glittering best head to annual festival in Australia

Hundreds of hip-shaking and wig-wearing Elvis Presley lookalikes and fans of the late King of Rock and Roll took trains from Sydney bound for Australia’s annual Elvis festival in the town of Parkes on Thursday.

Updated on: Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM IST

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Elvis impersonator Sean Wright poses next to the Elvis Express train at Sydney’s Central station. Elvis fans shook up the station with hundreds rocking to his famous tunes before a special train departed for the 26th annual Elvis Festival being held in outback Australia. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

Elvis impersonator Sean Wright poses next to the Elvis Express train at Sydney’s Central station. Elvis fans shook up the station with hundreds rocking to his famous tunes before a special train departed for the 26th annual Elvis Festival being held in outback Australia. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

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Decked out in their glittering best, the fans were heading to Parkes -- a small town some 300 kilometres (190 miles) west of Sydney -- on the “Elvis Express” and “Blue Suede Express” trains to take part in the five-day Parkes Elvis Festival, an annual celebration of the music and life of Elvis Presley. (Peter Parks / AFP)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

Decked out in their glittering best, the fans were heading to Parkes -- a small town some 300 kilometres (190 miles) west of Sydney -- on the “Elvis Express” and “Blue Suede Express” trains to take part in the five-day Parkes Elvis Festival, an annual celebration of the music and life of Elvis Presley. (Peter Parks / AFP)

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Elvis fans pose for a picture before boarding a train to The Parkes Elvis Festival. The annual extravaganza is billed as the southern hemisphere’s biggest tribute to the rock ‘n’ roll legend -- who died in 1977 -- and attracts thousands of die-hard fans. (Peter Parks / AFP)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

Elvis fans pose for a picture before boarding a train to The Parkes Elvis Festival. The annual extravaganza is billed as the southern hemisphere’s biggest tribute to the rock ‘n’ roll legend -- who died in 1977 -- and attracts thousands of die-hard fans. (Peter Parks / AFP)

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Brody Finlay greets onlookers with a tune. Several impersonators belted out the legendary singer’s biggest hits on a makeshift stage before the seven-hour train pilgrimage, swivelling their hips and blowing kisses to adorning admirers amid loud cheers. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

Brody Finlay greets onlookers with a tune. Several impersonators belted out the legendary singer’s biggest hits on a makeshift stage before the seven-hour train pilgrimage, swivelling their hips and blowing kisses to adorning admirers amid loud cheers. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

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Elvis Presley impersonator Brody Finlay looks at his reflection in the Elvis Express train at Sydney’s Central station on January 11, 2018. Last year’s event drew 25,000 people to Parkes, more than double the town’s population, and generated millions of dollars for the local economy. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

Elvis Presley impersonator Brody Finlay looks at his reflection in the Elvis Express train at Sydney’s Central station on January 11, 2018. Last year’s event drew 25,000 people to Parkes, more than double the town’s population, and generated millions of dollars for the local economy. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

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“He’s such an icon and he hasn’t lost any of that magic that he used to have,” avid Elvis Presley fan Julie Mellae -- who wore an orange wig, tiara and fishnet stockings for the special occasion -- told AFP. (Peter Parks / AFP)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

“He’s such an icon and he hasn’t lost any of that magic that he used to have,” avid Elvis Presley fan Julie Mellae -- who wore an orange wig, tiara and fishnet stockings for the special occasion -- told AFP. (Peter Parks / AFP)

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“Elvis is close to my heart because we grew up with Elvis in India,” Alfred Vaz, who dressed in a blue flared jumpsuit and also goes by his stage name of Bollywood Elvis, or Raja, told Reuters. “From a very little kid, we always used to gyrate and try sing Elvis” he said, launching in to a rendition of “Blue Suede Shoes”. (Peter Parks / AFP)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

“Elvis is close to my heart because we grew up with Elvis in India,” Alfred Vaz, who dressed in a blue flared jumpsuit and also goes by his stage name of Bollywood Elvis, or Raja, told Reuters. “From a very little kid, we always used to gyrate and try sing Elvis” he said, launching in to a rendition of “Blue Suede Shoes”. (Peter Parks / AFP)

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An Elvis Presley fan wears glasses shaped in the form of guitars as she prepares to board the Elvis Express train. The focus this year is on celebrating 50 years since Presley’s 1968 “comeback special,” an intimate and unplugged show credited with reviving his then-flagging recording career. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

An Elvis Presley fan wears glasses shaped in the form of guitars as she prepares to board the Elvis Express train. The focus this year is on celebrating 50 years since Presley’s 1968 “comeback special,” an intimate and unplugged show credited with reviving his then-flagging recording career. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

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Mayor of the town of Parkes, Ken Keith, stands aboard the Elvis Express at Sydney's Central station. Street markets, lookalike contests, parades, a car show, displays of Presley artefacts and tribute performances are planned in Parkes. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

Mayor of the town of Parkes, Ken Keith, stands aboard the Elvis Express at Sydney's Central station. Street markets, lookalike contests, parades, a car show, displays of Presley artefacts and tribute performances are planned in Parkes. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

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“It’s just everybody’s in a good mood, everybody’s happy, nobody’s cranky,” said David Ward-Smith, wearing a specially made “Elvis Festival” T-shirt. “Up and down the streets (in Parkes), it’s Elvis singers. Every 50 metres, it’s somebody else trying hard. Everybody’s just in party mode, it’s a great little atmosphere. It’s like the Olympics every year,” he told AFP. (Peter Parks / AFP)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

“It’s just everybody’s in a good mood, everybody’s happy, nobody’s cranky,” said David Ward-Smith, wearing a specially made “Elvis Festival” T-shirt. “Up and down the streets (in Parkes), it’s Elvis singers. Every 50 metres, it’s somebody else trying hard. Everybody’s just in party mode, it’s a great little atmosphere. It’s like the Olympics every year,” he told AFP. (Peter Parks / AFP)

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A train conductor dressed as Elvis signals for the train to leave Central station to take people to the Parkes Elvis Festival. Even on-board, Elvis tribute artists entertained passengers during the trip over mountains and through wheat fields and grazing pastures. (Peter Parks / AFP)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

A train conductor dressed as Elvis signals for the train to leave Central station to take people to the Parkes Elvis Festival. Even on-board, Elvis tribute artists entertained passengers during the trip over mountains and through wheat fields and grazing pastures. (Peter Parks / AFP)

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An Elvis Presley impersonator hangs from the Elvis Express before it departs for the Elvis Festival. First held in 1993 to coincide with the singer’s birthday on January 8, 1935, the festival has since placed the town on the tourist map and also earned it the moniker of “Elvis Capital of Australia”. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

Updated on Jan 12, 2018 3:55 PM

An Elvis Presley impersonator hangs from the Elvis Express before it departs for the Elvis Festival. First held in 1993 to coincide with the singer’s birthday on January 8, 1935, the festival has since placed the town on the tourist map and also earned it the moniker of “Elvis Capital of Australia”. (Daniel Munoz / REUTERS)

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