Nottingham Forest arrive at The Racecourse in the FA Cup third round with the Reds determined to see exactly where they stand.
For Parkinson, the tie has its obvious romance and history, but it will also serve as a very useful measure of current progress and performance for the Championship club, who sit just a point outside of the play-off positions.
Forest’s visit marks the first time Wrexham have faced top-flight opposition since Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac bought the club almost five years ago, and the manager is eager to embrace the challenge.
“I feel we are in a good place at the moment,” said Parkinson, whose side go into the game on the back of four straight league wins over the festive period.
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That run has lifted Wrexham to ninth in the table and underlined the sense that momentum has been carefully built with this fixture in mind.
It’s both a perfect TV offering as well as a measuring stick.
“Cup competitions are very special in football, they can breed confidence and they are good benchmark games as well,” said Parkinson.
“We have used them in the past and spoke about meeting teams from higher divisions and testing ourselves, and now we are going up to that next level against Nottingham Forest.
“It is a great test for us and we'll see how we acquit ourselves.”
Wrexham have already carved out a reputation for cup drama under Parkinson.
Twice they have reached the fourth round, most notably when they stunned Championship promotion-chasers Coventry City as a non-league side in January 2023.
That same run also featured a gripping 3-3 draw with Sheffield United, a tie that captured global attention and underlined Wrexham’s ability to compete well above their station.
Now, Parkinson feels the timing is right to take on elite opposition.
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“When the draw came out, we had a target to get to this game in good form in the league over the Christmas period and we've achieved that,” he said.
“It is one of those ties that everybody is looking forward to. We have been waiting for a Premier League team here at The Racecourse and we have got a really good team coming here in Nottingham Forest, with a great manager in Sean Dyche.
“It will be a terrific atmosphere and we are looking forward to a break from the league and enjoying a night of cup football.”
The occasion will inevitably stir memories of Wrexham’s rich FA Cup past.
From Mickey Thomas’ famous strike against reigning champions Arsenal in 1992 to knocking Brian Clough’s Forest out of the competition a decade earlier, the club’s history is steeped in giant-killing.
Parkinson, who masterminded Bradford City’s shock win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2015, knows better than most how the competition can create moments that define careers.
“This has always been one of the great weekends of the season,” he said.
“It starts with the draw. You always want to be in it, if (you are) a lower-division club. Obviously, this year we entered at this stage.
“That’s been fantastic, as this is a very prestigious stage of a prestigious competition. We are delighted to have landed a home draw against a Premier League club.
“That’s something we have been hoping for for a while — a bit of cup magic at The Racecourse.”
While the FA Cup may no longer carry the same weight for some top-flight clubs, Parkinson believes its power to create unforgettable nights remains undiminished.
“The FA Cup is huge for Wrexham,” he said. “There’s been so many big days for this club. I found that out very quickly after coming here. So many fans would tell me their stories about the FA Cup.
“You don’t forget days like beating Arsenal. Even that Sheffield United tie from a couple of years ago fitted in with the history of the club.”
That Sheffield United match still resonates strongly, not least because of the adversity Wrexham faced on the day.
“A classic British cup tie,” Parkinson recalled. “Funnily enough, I used that game recently as an example to the current squad of how a team often has to play through adversity.
“On the day, we paid the price by losing a couple of players to injury. But, it was still a great day of cup football, between two teams who were hugely committed and going for the win.
“You don’t forget a cup tie like that.”
Friday night’s clash will also bring practical considerations.
Wrexham have played four matches in 10 days, while Forest have endured a similarly punishing schedule, and Parkinson has hinted at changes to keep his squad fresh.
Leading scorer Kieffer Moore could return after missing the last two games with a hamstring issue, but rotation is likely on both sides.
“Will they make changes, will we make changes?” Parkinson said. “Both teams have had busy schedules but both teams are going to pick the team they feel is right to progress into the next round.
“It will be a similar vein to what we did over Christmas in terms of a bit of freshness in the team.
“That will be important and we have just got to make the call right to get the balance of the team right so there's continuity but a bit of freshness as well.”
Forest’s arrival also represents a landmark moment in the Reynolds-McElhenney era, with the Hollywood owners watching their club finally test itself against Premier League opposition.
Whether this tie produces another chapter to add to Wrexham’s long cup folklore remains to be seen, but for Parkinson the significance is already clear.
This, he believes, is exactly the kind of night Wrexham need — a chance to measure themselves honestly, test their progress against the highest level, and discover how far their remarkable journey has taken them.
