Meet 29 year volunteer, Ken McGrath
We are shining a spotlight on dedicated volunteer and Elvis fan, Cr Ken McGrath. Ken or Kenny as he is fondly known, has volunteered for the Festival right from the very start – 29 years to be precise.
Ken has been the President and Secretary Elvis Revival Inc and now manages the busking portfolio. So, when you rock into town to the sound of live music on every street corner and along shop fronts of Festival Boulevard, Ken is the person making it happen.
When we asked Ken what his favourite memory of the Festival was, he found it hard to choose just one. He talked about what an honour it was to unveil the plaques on the Elvis Wall of Fame for Col Joy and Johnny Devlin. He chuckled when reminiscing how some fans mistook him for Johnny Devlin.
Another highlight was when he attended the Festival’s 25th Anniversary dinner, watching Priscilla Presley’s video congratulating the Festival on the milestone.
What Ken likes most about the Festival is meeting so many true Elvis fans, some of them having seen Elvis live. He has loved helping performers on their journey starting as buskers who went on to perform at shows and on the main stage.
Ken and his wife Sue (who also lifetime volunteer of the Festival) have had a great friendship for many years with Festival Founders, Bob and Anne Steel. He reminisces about some good having dinner at Bob and Anne’s with Elvis Wall of Fame recipients
Having been an integral part of the volunteer committee since the start, Ken has loved seeing the Festival continue on its path of success. Each year he is chuffed at how Council continues to improve the Festival and how professional it’s become. It’s help put Parkes on the map and he couldn’t be prouder for being a part of that.
In addition to running a business and volunteering for the Festival, Ken has been a Parkes Shire Councilor for 30 years.
Thank you for everything that you’ve done and continue to do. We appreciate you!
