Taylor Rodriguez faced the ultimate occupational hazard for an Elvis Presley tribute artist.
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A strong breeze caught his perfect pompadour hairstyle right before he was due on camera.
Luckily, longtime Elvis impersonator Allan Gersbach was close by with a can of hairspray.
"See, this is why we all stick together," joked Mr Rodriguez, a tribute artist from Virginia in the US.
Elvis lookalikes, decked out in bedazzled jumpsuits, flares, wigs, gold sunglasses, and jewels on every finger, have filled the main street of Parkes, in central west NSW, walking in their blue suede shoes for the 29th Elvis Festival.
The farming town turns into a mini-Memphis every year, with swing dancing in the streets, women in rockabilly skirts and Victory rolls in their hair, vintage cars parked on the streets, and music blaring from every shop on the main drag.
Mr Rodriguez, who was named the Tupelo Elvis Festival Champion in 2019, said fans and impersonators around the world are deeply connected.
"We all have one thing in common, and that's the love of Elvis Aaron Presley," he said.
"It's almost like a big family reunion."
Ashleigh Smith, a Parkes local, was crowned Miss Priscilla for the second time on Thursday night.
The Miss Priscilla lookalike competition judged four finalists on their appearance, dress, and hair to resemble the pre-1969 style of Priscilla Presley.
The judges look for stylists who use "appropriate combing out techniques" to create the classic beehive hairstyle, which should be black, shiny and smooth, and signature Priscilla make-up.
Ms Smith, who also won in 2015, said the beehive is the hardest part to perfect, with the entire look taking four hours to complete.
"I love that vintage sort of style. It was so beautiful, so natural back then," she said.
"I love that about the era, and about her. She's wonderful."
It's not just hard work for women transforming themselves into icons.
Impersonator Graham Lawrence, from the Gold Coast, spends weeks growing out his hair and shaping his sideburns to become a lookalike King.
It's more than a gimmick for Mr Lawrence, who is a diehard Elvis fan.
"My wife says I never listen to anything else," he said.
Parkes - a town of about 14,000 people - attracts about 25,000 visitors during the Elvis Festival, adding nearly $30 million to the local economy.
Mayor Ken Keith said people are excited to let their hair down, after the festival was cancelled last year and postponed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Rodriguez said crowds in country Australia have been warm and welcoming.
"There's so much more excitement because a lot of people here haven't been able to go to Graceland, and (Elvis's birthplace) Tupelo, Mississippi," he said.
"It's the friendships and the people here.The one thing I will always remember is the people of Parkes."
Australian Associated Press
