Doreen Nash (91 years): I am very disappointed, but it is the right thing to do because of COVID. Luckily I have many wonderful memories as I have attended every festival from the very first inaugural dinner that Bob and Anne Steele held at their Gracelands restaurant. In the beginning everyone laughed at such a silly idea to have an Elvis Festival in a town like Parkes and said it would be an embarrassment. The things I loved most about the festivals have been the street parade, the Cooke Park festivities and most of all the Elvis shows at the Parkes Leagues Club and Parkes Services Club. My favourite Elvis has been Mark Andrew Tabone. I also attended the early gospel services in the Big W undercover carpark with my late husband Stewart Nash. These services also grew in popularity and had to be moved to Cooke Park.