Do you have a Burning Love for Elvis?

Calling all lovers of The King. Elvis Presley, that is, not Wally Lewis.

Head to country New South Wales for the 2025 Parkes Elvis Festival, which will run from January 8-12.

The 32nd annual festival will pay tribute to Elvis (Presley not Costello) with a 1960s Easy Come, Easy Go theme, offering fans a program of concerts, dancing, markets, and a few surprises.

The event is expected to attract 25,000 Elvis lovers, more than doubling the population of the town.

Festival favourites like the Evolution Mining Street Parade, Renewal of Vows Ceremony, bustling markets, and performances on the Cooke Park Main Stage and Memphis Stage all return.

A highlight of 2025 will be the launch of the Gates of Graceland, a full-sized replica of the iconic Graceland gates, located at the Parkes Visitor Information Centre.

Jack Gatto, one of Australia’s leading Elvis tribute artists, will perform a live solo show.

This year also introduces six new ticketed shows at the Parkes Services Club, featuring top Elvis tribute artists from Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland (who knew?).

“Each year we work to capture the essence of Elvis, and the 2025 Festival will be no different," says Joel Ulbricht, the festival producer.

"This year’s program offers something for everyone—whether you’ve been rockin’ with us since the early days or are discovering the King’s magic for the first time.”

For details and tickets see www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

Meet the whiskey that pays tribute to Elvis in a very strange way

Celebrity endorsements are nothing new in the drinks business, but you have to wonder what the late Elvis Presley would think of a new whiskey named in his honour.

South Carolina-based Elvis Whiskey has launched a new peanut butter, banana and bacon-flavoured whiskey into its portfolio.

Which sounds downright absurd to me - but is probably considered normal in the land of the crazies.

The new whiskey was apparently inspired by Elvis’ favourite sandwich, the flavours of which just so happen to create “a perfectly balanced blend of sweet, savoury, salty and smoky” notes when recreated in whiskey form, the makers say, tongue firmly in cheek, I hope.

Or perhaps not, as their website blurb says: "Midnight Snack delivers the hunka hunka burning love for peanut butter, banana and bacon flavor you’ve been dreaming of."   

The singer was known for his food cravings and the Midnight Snack is the third product to come from Elvis Whiskey, joining the brand’s flagship offerings Elvis Tiger Man Tennessee Straight Whiskey and Elvis The King Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey.

Elvis Whiskey is produced by Charleston-based Grain & Barrel Spirits, The Drinks Business reports.

“Elvis is one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century and continues to inspire his fans today, as we’ve seen by the massive success of the recent Elvis movie, both in its record-breaking box office numbers and awards,” said Matti Anttila, founder of Grain & Barrel.

Grain & Barrel Spirits recommends serving Midnight Snack as a straight pour, on the rocks, or as a shot or in a cocktail.

The whiskeys are part of a licensing collaboration between Grain & Barrel Spirits and Authentic Brands Group, who bought the Elvis brand from Presley's family.

The Tennessee-bottled whiskey is priced at US$34.99 so is clearly aimed at an, ahem, distinct market segment.

Crying in the Chapels: Elvis-themed weddings to be banned

Is it Heartbreak Hotel time?

Elvis Presley-themed wedding chapels in Las Vegas face closure with The King’s licensing company Authentic Brands Group having sent cease-and-desist notices to several operators.

The Las Vegas’ wedding industry is worth about $US2 billion a year and Elvis-themed nuptials have played a major role.

The court orders demand chapels stop using Elvis look-a-likes in ceremonies and seeks to halt unauthorized use of Elvis’ name, likeness, voice image and persona for commercial purposes.

Some wedding chapels have said they could go out of business, Travel Mole reports.

"We are a family-run business, and now we're hanging with the big dogs," said Kayla Collins, who operates two Elvis-themed chapels with her husband.

"That's our bread and butter. I don't get it. We were just hitting our stride again through Covid, then this happens."

Clark County Clerk Lynn Goya, who led a marketing campaign promoting Las Vegas as a wedding destination, said the order for chapels to stop using Elvis couldn't have come at a worse time for the sector.

The licensing company also oversees the estates of star names like Marilyn Monroe and Muhammad Ali.