Tom Parry
A LOCAL teenager is the toast of her hometown after being crowned 2023’s ‘Miss Priscilla’.
Stratford resident Nickyra Burley won the coveted titled at the recent Parkes Elvis Festival, which took place from January 4 to 8.
It was Ms Burley’s first time entering the Miss Priscilla competition, and only her second time attending the event.
“I went to Parkes last year (2022), hearing about a rock ‘n’ roll dance – because my family have done rock ‘n’ roll dancing our whole lives – and we turned up there and we discovered the Elvis Festival,” Ms Burley said.
It was at that same event that Ms Burley not only won the dance competition, but met last year’s Miss Priscilla, Ashleigh Smith, who encouraged the teenager to enter the competition herself.
Ms Burley said that she and her family had been thinking about entering since that moment.
The contest sees young women dress as Priscilla Presley – the wife of the late, legendary singer Elvis Presley – to vie for the title of Miss Priscilla and become the face of the festival.
Entering the competition took months of preparation for Ms Burley, with her entire costume – including dress, bow and handbag – all handmade, and her hair dyed black immediately prior to the festival.
On the day of the contest, she awoke early to be styled by Vicky Shield, who spent two hours applying make-up and another half-hour fixing hair.
The effort paid off – Ms Burley was crowned 2023’s winner, beating five other contestants for the honour.
“It was the biggest shock, but it was absolutely amazing… it was just a beautiful moment,” Ms Burley said of her win.
She added that the five other participants were “absolutely outstanding” and just as deserving of the accolade: “From the smiles to their outfits and their hair… anyone of them could have won and I would have been full-on supporting them”.
As the prize-winner, Ms Burley was gifted with a ceremonial sash, accommodation on a ‘Tribute to Elvis’ cruise at sea, and the full VIP treatment – including her own personal escort, Tony Fisher.
Her very busy schedule included a celebratory dinner, photoshoots, being paraded through the main street of Parkes, a visit to an aged-care residence, a visit to the Parkes Observatory – otherwise known as ‘The Dish’ – and meeting with several attendees at the festival.
One such attendee was the manager of an Elvis tribute artist, who invited Ms Burley to join them on their tour of Victoria.
Ms Burley also got to meet Mr Presley’s one-time tour producer, Charles Stone, and his former bodyguard and close friend, Sam Thompson, which she described as her “biggest highlight” of the festival.
Photo: Contributed
When asked whether she would recommend others enter the Miss Priscilla competition, Ms Burley’s response was emphatic: “Absolutely!”
“It is a big dedication, and the rules, they are quite strict; but it’s all worth it,” she said.
“You feel like Miss Priscilla as you go through the event, and you just meet so many new people – you make so many friendships along the way.”
Her advice for any would-be Priscillas is simple: “Be humble, and have fun”.
Ms Hurley expressed her thanks to a number of individuals for making her attendance at the event possible, including Ms Bailey, Mr Fisher, and dance instructor Andrew Camp, with whom she won last year’s rock ‘n’ roll dance event.
She also gave special thanks to her family, including siblings Sharnaye and Jyrone, mother Kelly and her late father Trevor.
The Parkes Elvis Festival is held annually in the regional New South Wales town of Parkes, and bills itself as the largest Elvis Presley tribute event in the southern hemisphere.
Each year of the festival is themed around a different movie starring Elvis, with 2023’s theme being Blue Hawaii.
Next year’s festival, which Ms Burley will also be attending, is set to be themed around Jailhouse Rock.
Ms Burley strongly encouraged others to attend the festival.
“It’s such a thrilling event – everywhere you go, everyone’s just having a ball. They’re all there to have a good time, and it’s so family-friendly,” she said.
“If you want to celebrate rock n roll; if you want to celebrate Elvis or Priscilla, or anyone of the kind, that is the festival to be at.”
Since dying in 1977 at just 42 years of age, Presley’s legacy and popularity has only grown, as evidenced by the success of the film Elvis – a biographical musical directed by Baz Luhrmann – which made $32 million at the Australian box-office last year.
Presley’s name was in the headlines again last Friday after his only daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, died at the age of 54.
“Our family and friends are saddened that we have lost another Presley dear to our hearts,” Ms Burley said of the news.
“Our thoughts go out to her three daughters, Riley, Finley (and) Harper, and her dearest mother Priscilla Presley.”
