THE TUPELO ELVIS FESTIVAL

ARTICLE BY BRANDI PERRY, PHOTOS BY DORI LOWE

Children in Mississippi learn at an early age that Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo. Even though he did not spend much of his life in Mississippi, it is where the King of Rock and Roll got his start and his first guitar. The Tupelo Elvis Festival does a tremendous job at paying its respects to its local legend while also celebrating the impact he had on other towns, Elvis Tribute Artists, and other musicians around the world. One thing is for sure, a trip to Tupelo for this festival is something everyone should experience at least once in their lives. This year’s Elvis Festival will begin in Tupelo on Wednesday, June 8, and end with a tremendous gospel concert on Sunday, June 12.

Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo on January 8, 1935, to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room shotgun house that his father built for this special occasion. He grew up very close to his family and soon found his musical inspiration at the Assembly of God church, where his family attended. In 1946, when Elvis turned 11, his mother took him to Tupelo Hardware, where she had planned to buy him a bicycle. It is widely believed that Elvis wanted a rifle instead, but they were able to come to a compromise and settle on a new guitar. Little did Gladys know that her decision to give her son a guitar could change music history as they knew it. That guitar would rarely leave the hands of young Elvis, and before long, he could play entire songs. Tupelo Hardware is still just as busy as it was on the day that Elvis walked in, and the stories that circulate in that showroom when the visitors are in town seem to get better and better as the days wear on. Additionally, Elvis’ birthplace is much the same as it was the day it was built. The house and the museum are one of the largest tourist attractions in Tupelo and draw huge crowds during the festival. To fully understand the reasons for this festival, visitors must visit both of these locations. The Elvis Festival is held at the Bancorp Arena in Tupelo and even though you can buy

tickets for each individual session, the ticket packages offer visitors a lot more bang for their buck. The Bronze Package, which will cost you $225, will give you access to the two concerts on June 9, three events on June 10, and three events on June 11. These events include everything from concerts to the UETA Competition. The great thing about this package is you can also buy add-ons, including the Opening Night Concert, the After Party that is hosted by Jeff Lewis and Friends, and the Sunday Gospel sing. The Silver Package will cost $250; in addition to the two events on June 9, you will also get three events on June 10 and three more on June 11. Plus, you can also add the previously mentioned events to the package! Finally, the Gold Package may be the best for your money. For $325, you will get two events on June 9, three events on June 10, and three events on June 11, plus a wide variety of add-ons! Make sure to check out the website at tupeloelvisfestival. com to choose what ticket package is best for you!

The list of Elvis Tribute Artists and other performers that will be in Tupelo is worth the price of tickets alone. The Elvis Festival simply would not be the same without the host Tom Brown. Brown will be the host of the Elvis Festival for the 11th year and is a Tupelo native who recently moved back and is the host of the local radio station, Sunny 93.3. For more than 16 years, Brown has served as the host for Graceland’s Elvis Week and is the host of the Gates of Graceland YouTube Series for Elvis Presley Enterprises. He also serves as the Co-Producer and Host of the Nashville Elvis Festival!

Jeff Lewis is a Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter who began his career in 2011. He hosts the Jeff Lewis and Friends Music Festival and the popular Elvis Week After Parties in both Memphis and Tupelo. Everyone that attends the Elvis Festival should experience an after-party at least once.

Ben Thompson, Bill Cherry, Brandon Bennett, Cody Ray Slaughter, Cote Deonath, David Lee, Diogo Light, Jay Dupuis, Nick Perkins and Taylor Rodriguez will be the Elvis Tribute Artists performing throughout the weekend. Dean Z has traveled all over the world as an ETA and won the title Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist in 2013 and the Heart of the King Award in 2014 in Las Vegas, on the same stage that Elvis performed on. These ETAs will have you reminiscing about the times you might have seen Elvis in concert, on television or just sang along to his music while driving along the roads in life.

There is simply so much to see and do during the Tupelo Elvis Festival that you won’t be bored. When there are breaks from the event, most festival-goers find themselves in stunning Downtown Tupelo where they can take the Elvis Driving Tour, dine in the same locations as Elvis or shop in the Tupelo Hardware Store, gazing at many of the same types of items Elvis would have as a kid.

If you enjoy being active as a runner or a walker, the Tupelo Running Club hosts a 5k run on the Saturday morning of the event that takes participants very near the birthplace of Elvis and the surrounding beautiful area. This race is well organized, and you will get to leave with a nice Elvis 5k t-shirt and maybe even a medal!

If you are planning to attend the Tupelo Elvis Festival, make those plans today. You can reach out to the organizers of the event by calling (662) 841-6598 or by emailing them at info@ tupelomainstreet.com. This will absolutely be an event that you will want to attend every single year! edm