A local team is working to transform a truck into a paddlesteamer tonight, in preparation for their 10th Elvis Festival parade.
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The team from David Bicket Accountants gather a group of family and friends each year to be part of one of the most iconic features of the festival.
Each year on the Saturday morning of the festival, the vintage cars, dancers, tribute artists, marching bands, Elvis-themed floats with Elvis and Priscilla look-a-likes take over the town.
It all starts at 10am Saturday, the parade heading from Bushman Street to Cooke Park, and organisers expect about one-and-a-half hours of entertainment.
For the Bickets, it's become a reunion as David and Michelle welcome friends including Kathy and Steph Garland from the Blue Mountains each year to create their entry in the parade.
The girls arrive a few days in advance and work on their vision for the float, depending on each year's theme.
Frankie and Johnny has them inspired to turn Dave Hall's truck into a paddle steamer ... but it's all down to a Friday night working bee to make that vision a reality once the truck gets off work.
The team embraces each year's theme, their contributions growing from walking through the street with a ute and trailer to turning the truck into a jukebox as they did this time last year.
"Our first was Jailhouse Rock," Michelle recalls.
They've made tinfoil paper chains, wrangled hundreds of balloons in more than 40 degree heat, and this year they're looking at giant cable reels.
The use of the truck "has changed the whole scope" of what they can do and they admit their plans for this year are ambitious.
There's usually half a dozen of them working on the float in the street, while visitors to the neighbourhood watch it all evolve.
The logistics might be difficult, but it's all worth it.
"It's a good, fun thing," the girls say.
They also make costumes each year for the theme.
And come Saturday morning, they have a blast, making new friends as they welcome everyone from tribute artists to television crews on board.
"The more the merrier," Steph says.
The locals love the festival and the visitors love their annual reunion in Parkes.
Even with a significant time commitment to their float, they love to walk the street, explore the markets, get their hair done and attend feature shows.
They're also heavily involved in Sunday morning's gospel service, Michelle has taken on the role of volunteer coordinator for that.
"It's just so much fun," Kathy says.
"The music is fun and Parkes is so friendly: everyone is smiling and you can talk to anyone."