The Sunburst Convention of Celebrity Impersonators returns to Orlando September 25–27, 2026, bringing performers portraying Elvis Presley, Cher, Dolly Parton and other celebrity and pop-culture figures to the Embassy Suites by Hilton Icon Park, 8250 Jamaican Court. Orlando Weekly reports that admission is priced from $25 to $35.
A convention built around tribute performance
The weekend combines public performances with an industry gathering for look-alikes and tribute artists. A Saturday, September 26, Sunset Gala will include a red-carpet event and is open to the public, giving attendees an opportunity to see performers outside the convention’s regular program. The gathering also gives artists a place to network and develop their acts, according to the event coverage.
Sunburst has a documented Orlando history beyond this year’s event. At the convention’s 15th annual edition, held August 30 through September 3, 2017, more than 100 celebrity look-alikes, impersonators and tribute artists attended at The Florida Hotel & Conference Center, Attractions Magazine reported. That earlier gathering establishes the convention’s scale and longevity, but it was held at a different venue and does not by itself indicate how many people will attend in 2026.
Why Orlando fits the format
The convention is taking place in a tourism-heavy part of Central Florida. Visit Orlando said the region’s tourism industry generated a record $98.6 billion in total economic impact in 2025, up 4.4% from the previous year. That figure covers the wider tourism economy, not the financial impact of Sunburst specifically.
The Icon Park location also places the event in the International Drive entertainment district. The district’s official site promotes six major theme parks and 35 additional attractions, providing a broader visitor setting for a convention whose appeal extends beyond a single performer. International Drive Orlando describes the area’s attractions.
Elvis tribute tradition, with a different format
Elvis impersonation is part of a wider, established tribute-artist culture, but Sunburst’s format is broader than an Elvis-only competition. Graceland says Elvis Presley Enterprises launched its Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in 2007, when 24 artists traveled to Memphis during Elvis Week to compete. That contest is a separate, single-artist program; Sunburst brings performers representing multiple celebrities together under one convention.
Dolly Parton is among the figures represented at the 2026 gathering. Parton’s official website says she died in Nashville on August 25, 2026, at age 80, placing the scheduled tribute roughly one month after her death. The official announcement supplies the timing; it does not establish how the convention’s Dolly performance will be staged.
For Orlando audiences, the September convention therefore offers both a live-entertainment program and a look at a specialized performance community with a history in the city. The 2026 event’s stated dates, venue, admission range and public gala give visitors the basic framework, while the earlier Sunburst gathering and separate Elvis competition show how tribute performance can function as both fan entertainment and a professional showcase.
