NEW SOUTH WALES (REUTERS) - It has been almost 40 years since Elvis Presley died, but for five days in early January, the memory of "the King of rock and roll" lives on in the central New South Wales town of Parkes.

What started out as a dinner in the Parkes Gracelands restaurant has blossomed into the iconic Parkes Elvis Festival, which after a shaky start is celebrating its 25-year anniversary in 2017.

With this years theme being Elvis' classic 1964 film Viva Las Vegas on Friday (January 13,) fans not only donned rhinestone embellished jump-suits, their best wigs, but sequins, feathers and all things Vegas, while buskers entertained the crowds - all in the scorching heat of 42 deg C.

The festival sees Parkes balloon to over double it's normal size with organisers expecting 25,000 to 30,000 people to attend in 2017.