Popular Penticton Elvis Festival ready to again celebrate the King of Rock and Roll

| June 14, 2018 in Entertainment

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Penticton’s festival dedicated to The King of Rock and Roll is just around the corner.

It has been 41 years since Elvis Aaron Presley passed away, but his music and legend remains in the hearts and minds of his millions of fans across Canada and around the world.

The Penticton Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival Society is all set to present the 17th Annual Penticton Elvis Festival, which kicks off next Thursday, June 21 and continues all weekend at various venues in Penticton.

The festival, which will have showcase events at the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre and outdoors at Okanagan Lake Park, will feature dozens of Elvis tribute artists competing in professional and non-professional divisions.

The Penticton Elvis Festival is one of many preliminary events held across North America leading to the Ultimate Elvis Competition held annually in Memphis, Tennessee.

The winner in the professional division in Penticton will gain automatic entry into the Ultimate Elvis finals held during Elvis Presley Week in August.

The fun begins next Thursday with an Elvis Festival Pre-Party event at The Mule Nightclub on Martin Street. Tickets are $10 and doors open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling The Mule at 250-493-1819 or at the door, if still available.

Gates open at noon on Friday in Okanagan Lake Park with the opening ceremonies set for 1 p.m. The first series of competitions takes place all afternoon and into the evening. When the park closes, there will be Elvis karaoke at Tugs Taphouse on Martin Street.

Gates open at 8 a.m. in Okanagan Lake Park on Saturday morning, with competition resuming at 9 a.m.

The always-popular Sunday Gospel and Pancake Breakfast takes place in Okanagan Lake Park Sunday morning. Gates open at 7 a.m., with the show starting at 9 a.m. Tickets for the pancake breakfast are $5.

And After Party on Sunday takes place at the Lakeside Resort. Tickets are $25 and includes dinner and a drink. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the Lakeside Resort or by calling 1-800-663-9400.

One of the most popular events every year is the Sunday morning Gospel showcase, which shares Presley’s impressive inspirational music library through the talents of numerous Elvis tribute artists.

Tickets for the Okanagan Lake Park are $15 on Friday and Saturday or $25 for a wristband to attend the Friday Night in the Park concert and Saturday Competition in the Park event.

The headlining Elvis Tribute Show will take place Saturday evening starting at 8 p.m. at the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre. This year’s headliners include Elvis tribute artists Dean Z and former Penticton professional division winner Johnny Lee Memphis.

Tickets for this event are $42.60 and $53.80, plus taxes and service fees.

The judged finals in both the professional and non-professional division also take place at the convention centre starting Sunday at 2 p.m.

Tickets for these events are now on sale at the Valley First Box Office at the South Okanagan Events Centre or online at www.valleyfirst.tix.com or by calling 1-877-763-2849.

A remote box office at Entrance 2 to the convention centre will be open Saturday from 5 p.m. until the second intermission for sales and will call ticket pick up. On Sunday, the remote box office will open at 11 a.m. and remain open until the intermission.

People are asked to bring photo ID, confirmation numbers and the credit card used to purchase tickets.

The Cadillac Kings will once again perform over the course of the weekend. The band is a cast of heavily experienced and multi-talented professional musicians, currently touring or gigging with a large number of various tribute shows from Elvis to Roy Orbison to Rod Stewart to Marilyn Monroe, Cher, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash.

The group consists of Steve Soucy (keyboards and vocals), Mike Fic (bass and vocal), Scott Gamble (tubs), Mark Larmand (guitars and vocals), Sandy Deshner (background vocals), Carley Bailey (background vocals), plus the ever-popular Uptown Hornz, including Mike Schell (trumpet/acoustic guitar and background vocals), Chris Manuel (trombone, mandolin and background vocal), Dean Bates (tenor and alto saxophone, flute and background vocals) and Gordy Frie (alto and baritone saxophone and background vocals).

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