The 2027 Parkes Elvis Festival will be festival number three for Festival Director Brendan Shipley and his key message is that by purchasing a ticket you are supporting the Parkes Elvis Festival.

“Whether it be the Elvis Express, the shuttle bus, a feature concert, Dean Z, Poets Breakfast, or the Miss Priscilla Dinner – whatever it is, it goes a long way to supporting the festival,” said Brendan.

Parkes will host over 25,000 festival goers in 2027 from 6-10 January and Brendan said, “We want to put on as many shows for people as possible to really give the opportunity to go see something, whether its a paid show or free entertainment in Cooke Park, or the Memphis Stage in Clarinda St.”

The festival committee take pride in supporting local talent. One of the hot ticket items on offer at the 2027 event will be local girl, and former Miss Priscilla, Gracey Denham Jones performing her Miss Priscilla Concert.

In a first for the festival, 2027 will see Spicer Oval used as an outdoor venue for Dean Z’s epic concert where he will be performing with an orchestra. Brendan indicated this performace will also a world first, in that is has “Never before been seen across the world at this scale and caliber, and not with this technology.”

The official festival launch will take place on 1 October where multiple surprises will be announced including shows, experiences and celebrities.

To keep up to date with announcements as they happen follow Parkes Elvis Festival on Facebook. To check out the program and buy tickets head to www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

What a fantastic weekend for our local business community. The Forbes Business Awards (BOSCARS) made a big comeback on Saturday night, returning after a seven year hiatus to celebrate the very best of local business. With more than 160 people in attendance, the event recognised excellence across 14 award categories and highlighted the innovation, diversity and dedication that make our local businesses so special. Congratulations to Jessica’s Essential Beauty on being named Business of the Year, and to all finalists and nominees.

It was a wonderful evening celebrating the people and businesses that continue to drive Forbes forward.

Our sporting community also had plenty to celebrate over the weekend. The Forbes Magpies First Grade side secured a home grand final after an extra-time win over CYMS on Sunday. They’ll be joined on grand final day by Reserve Grade, Under 18s and Senior League Tag, along with four junior league teams competing in their respective deciders. In rugby union, the Under 14 Platypi recorded an excellent grand final win over Mudgee, while in

soccer the Forbes Foxes narrowly missed a grand final berth, going down 1-0 to the Raptors in their preliminary final. Congratulations also to the Under 14 Boys Jones Family Farms team, who recorded a convincing victory in their grand final in Young.

We wish all of our teams the very best for the weeks ahead and congratulate every player, coach, volunteer and supporter on their efforts and flying the flag for Forbes.

As we head into spring, our events calendar is filling up fast. Grazing Down the Lachlan returns on Saturday 12 September, with limited tickets still available. The Forbes Show will celebrate a remarkable 150 years with a special two-day celebration on 11 and 12 September. Local talent and creativity will take centre stage at Street Dreams on Friday 25 September, from 5pm to 9pm in Victoria Park, before the Forbes Rodeo rounds out a busy month on Saturday 26 September.

For more information on these events, including ticket details and program information, visit Council’s website.

God Bless, Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM

Bernardi’s Marketplace: Bernardi’s present CWA Eugowra Branch with $2,500 as the 1st Place Winner of Round 1 of their Building Better Communities program.

Thanks to the incredible support of customers and local community members, this funding will help support the valuable work the branch does for Eugowra and surrounding areas. The Country Women’s Association has a long history of bringing people together, supporting those in need, and strengthening rural communities. More information on Building Better Communities: https://bernardis.com.au/communityVisit Parkes Region: Are you ready to ride The Dirty Dish? Mark your calendar for 19 September and get set to explore the Parkes Region on two wheels at the Dirty Dish cycling event. With great riding, country roads and plenty of spectacular Central West scenery, it’s the perfect way to experience the region from a different perspective. For more info and registrations visit:

bit.ly/4oVY23m WIRES: Become a WIRES volunteer and help rescue native wildlife in need. Join local volunteers in Orange on Saturday 12 September for a face-to-face wildlife rescue workshop. Sign up today at www. wires.org.au/wildlife-training/rescue-andimmediate-care-course

Trundle Bush Tucker Day: Country storytelling with a bit of rock energy, Scarlett Gee is bringing her sound to Bush Tucker Day. Hailing from Orange, NSW, Scarlett Gee is known for a high-energy live show that mixes crowd-favourite covers with her own original music. Saturday 5 September 2026 at the Trundle Showground. Tickets are on sale now https://bit.ly/4gH9myI Beyond Blue: Make your club a gamechanger for mental health. Any sport, any size can take part. Sign up for a Mental HealthMatch with Beyond Blue andAustralia Post -breaking stigma and supporting our communities together. Sign up and host a match at www.mentalhealthmatch.

com.au Vinnies Parkes: We wanted to let you know that the blue Vinnies donation bins have been permanently removed. Moving forward, we kindly ask that all donations be brought directly to Vinnies Parkes during the following hours: Monday to Friday:

10am to 3pm. Donations can be dropped off either through the front door or the back door—whichever is most convenient for you. Donating outside of these hours contributes to illegal dumping which volunteers are forced to clean up. Dumping can attract fines of up to $4,000.

The people of Forbes are invited to the Uniting Church 2026 Fete to be held in the church grounds and church hall on Saturday 5 September. The church is on Brown Street near Forbes Public school. The fete will be held from 9am to 2pm.

With Father’s Day on the 6 September organisers hope families will come along to the fete and have an early Father’s Day BBQ lunch, coffee and cake or find a bargain on one of the stalls onsite.

Available on the day will be a silent auction held in the church hall, fresh coffee and cake, a cake stall and produce stall with a great supply of citrus and garden produce.

Also for sale will be jams and preserves.

There will be a book stall with an extensive range of children’s and adult books at very low prices. A white elephant stall will be loaded with donated goodies including soft toys and children’s toys. Kitchenalia is always fun to hunt through at a fete. A new stall will be a pick-a-box stall and the plant stall will be enormous.

A big welcome will be extended to all who attend.

There’s something special about a community coming together to celebrate the people, produce and passion that make it unique.

This spring, Dirty Gloves Nursery invites you to experience exactly that at its Harvest & Handmade event on Sunday, 6 September, from 10am to 3pm at 54 Corcoran Road, Parkes.

Harvest & Handmade is a celebration of local creativity and country hospitality. Wander through the nursery and discover an incredible collection of exhibitors, including Capped Cakes, 100% Pallets, C&S Stockfeeds, Posh Knots, Micki Moo, Westview Chickens & Eggs, and many more, offering everything from handmade gifts and home décor to delicious treats and fresh local produce.

The Corcoran Road Kidz Corner will be buzzing with activities, alongside a jumping castle to keep little adventurers entertained.

Food lovers can learn the art of breadmaking at the Sourdough with Kath Workshop, while gardening enthusiasts won’t want to miss Gardening 101 with local legends Faye Blackstock and Jade Wright, sharing practical tips to help every garden thrive.

Adding to the community spirit, the Wingz4Kids Fundraising BBQ offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy a classic barbecue while supporting a wonderful local cause.

Support local, make memories, and celebrate the season with Dirty Gloves Nursery.

It was soup and more soup on 20 August at the final Winter Walk-In Soup and Slice Kitchen for 2026 presented by the Forbes Evening Branch of CWA.

Branch members were again appreciative of the large number of individuals and community organisations who come through the door of the CWA Hall to support the clubs efforts and partake in the soups and slices offered.

The final Soup and Slice Kitchen for 2026 afforded patrons the opportunity of sitting and enjoying chats with friends and other members of our community in a warm atmosphere. Many had a prolonged sit to catch up over a cuppa and slice.

Some of the statistics from the 2026 Winter Walk-In Soup and Slice Kitchens:

• 261 soups were served along with 22 pasta and sauce (at the June event)

• Services included sit down, CBD sole traders and takeaway.

• The most popular soups were creamy pumpkin, chicken and vegetable, corn chowder with bacon.

The Forbes & Parkes Phoenix Editor, Roxane Manley, was spotted enjoying a hearty soup alongside local radio identity “Monte in the Morning” and local film maker Dane Millerd.

A lucky door prize was up for offer with the winner, Bernie Simmons taking home a beautiful hand painted artwork.

All funds raised from the Soup and Slice Kitchens throughout the year will be utilised locally to support community members affected by domestic violence and homelessness, as well as supporting the Forbes Show Rural Woman competition, support of local school projects and any urgent community event should it arise.

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the Soup and Slice Kitchens in 2026.

By Lorraine Everest
Publicity Officer of Forbes EBCWA

Sr Florence Kinsela, or “Flo” as she is affectionately known, recently celebrated her 103rd birthday with a lovely afternoon tea surrounded by friends and family at the Southern Cross Village in Parkes on 28 August.

Born in Parkes, or possibly Manildra, Flo has called Parkes home her whole life and she says “I’ve got a good family here.”

Very fond of her family, Flo is said to have had a great relationship with her sisters. Nephew David White spoke of being the eldest nephew of around 18 nieces and nephews, some of whom had travelled up from Sydney, the South Coast and even as far as Melbourne to help celebrate with Flo.

Flo left school and helped out at the convent until becoming a nun at the age of 17 and has dedicated her entire life to helping others since then. In fact, Sister Florence Kinsela is the oldest living nun from the Sisters of Mercy College.

By all accounts, Flo is well travelled and is a fantastic cook, spending a lot of time in Broken Hill, Wilcannia and Sans Souci, where her main duties were cooking and ordering food for the boarding students that they looked after. Her favorite place is said to be Wilcannia, where she spent a lot of time and developed a great relationship to the indigenous people. When Flo celebrated her 100th birthday her pride of joy on the day was a card that she received from the people of Wilcannia that she was so fond of.

Flo is an amazing lady and still keeps herself as busy as can be even at 103.

Discover the creativity, craftsmanship and stories behind some of the region’s most talented local makers at the third annual Meet the Makers event on Sunday 30 August at the Forbes Visitor Information Centre.

The free event will showcase some of the region’s finest food, beverages and handmade products, giving visitors the chance to meet the makers, hear their stories and see their skills in action.

Forbes Shire Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM said, “Meet the Makers is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the talented people behind our local products and experience first-hand the passion and creativity that goes into making them.”

This year’s event features a diverse range of local makers, including Tumbling Downs Olive Grove, Franklin Road Preserves, Small Acres Cyder, Rosnay Organic, and Wandary Cottage Candles and Diffusers.

Visitors can enjoy tastings, samples, giveaways and conversations with producers about their products and processes.

Adding to the experience will be live demonstrations from Creative Chaos and Mystic Crafts by Carly, providing a behindthe-scenes look at the techniques and craftsmanship involved in creating their unique handmade products.

“The live demonstrations offer something special, allowing visitors to watch local artisans at work, learn more about their craft and gain a greater appreciation for the skill behind their creations,” Mayor Miller added.

The free, family-friendly event is open to all ages and is a great way to explore local flavours, connect with producers and support local businesses.

Meet the Makers event will be taking place this Sunday 30 August 2026 from 10am to 1pm, at the Forbes Visitor Information Centre, 46 Mary Street, Forbes.

For more information, visit the webpage www.forbes.nsw.gov.au or follow @ForbesShireCouncil on Facebook for updates.