Penticton Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival The first Elvis Festival in the Northwest, sponsored by E.P.E and hoping to become as big as the one that is held in Collingwood Ontario every year. Although not seeing the 30,000 some odd people that make the yearly commute to Collingwood, Penticton did have its fair share of Elvis fans! With names like Joe Esposito, DJ Fontana, & Darwin Lamm, it was a great opportunity for Elvis fans to have a chance to meet with the people that knew Elvis. I personally had the opportunity to stand beside these stars in the middle of a field watching the Sunday Gospel Session. Of course, being the Elvis fan that I am they were quite easy to pick out! No sooner had we arrived at the park and just hanging around, I noticed the first familiar head standing within arms reach in front of me. DJ really hasnt changed a bit in looks, although a bit older, but still in his glory. After making a fool of myself, which isnt that hard. I turned and started to relate my excitement, when in the middle of my cheerful speech about the whos, whats, and whys of who DJ was, I glanced up and realized I was standing in front of Joe Esposito! I took a quick look around to see if anyone else had seen or recognized these men who were such a part of Elvis life. I couldnt believe I was the only one noticing these fellows! I think my better half was right when he said that most people must have wondered what I was all excited about. Because of course if you are not an Elvis fanthrough and through then you wouldnt have known really who or why I was asking for autographs! So on with the show Heading out of town early Saturday morning, stopping to gas up-- I received an eyeful of Elvis on the front page of the local paper! By this time I couldnt gas up quick enough, I knew I couldnt get there any faster, but after reading the write up about Robin Kelly, Danny Vernon and the rest I was ready to burst if I didnt get there- and soon! Nestled in the Okanagan Valley, Penticton is a community surrounded by cherry trees, apple trees, and every conceivable flavor of ice cream that a roadside stand can carry! Today the flavour of the day was Elvis! Everywhere you went within miles of this community sized Graceland, Elvis could be seen, heard, or touched. Although no performers were scheduled until Friday, the small community of Penticton started receiving Elvis fans, entertainers and folks from Ontario, Alberta, Oregon, Washington, and from many areas throughout BC. The performers all gave a sneak preview of their talents on Friday night at Gyro Park followed by the competition running full force the next morning. Entertainers would have to be followed to three different locations within the small community of Penticton, each place accepting a 20-dollar bill per person. At all three locations, the entertainer would be scheduled to perform 2-3 songs, and then move on to the next location. If you and your travel companion happened to be following one performer in particular, it would be a 120.00 worth of entertainment for the day! And that is only for one day! NO, this competition was not a cheap thing for us spectators. Even the grand show on Saturday, which featured many headliners, including Stephen Kabakos was 45.00 to attend-per person! And the final competition night was also a pretty penny. No, even though I love Elvis, and totally give my days to taking care of his memory through all Elvis Tribute Artists- I refused to cough up any more money, I would have to hear about the winners of the competition through other sources. You know for Elvis entire existence you can hear of money type of issues, from him being the poor boy from the South, to being the rich, famous, and so incredibly generous man that he was. What amazed me the most about this weekend in particular was the amount of money that we all had to dish out. You know the story that Elvis never wanted his ticket prices to be too high, that everyone should be able to see the show, the rich and the poor. Well I can assure you that if you were poor, you wouldnt have stood a chance! Granted, I realize that Graceland, Memphis, and countless other places, make extreme amounts of money off of Elvis and his name, but this particular weekend was suppose to be fun, entertaining, enlightening, and a fair game competition. Not a weekend where you need to go and get a larger credit line! I was disappointed to say the least. *********************************** PART TWO CONTINUES..... PICTURES Robin Kelley in Action- picture from Linda.. with many thanks! Brian Simpson, Curtis Cowan and Melody ********

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Penticton Festival- Part Two Author: Melody Sanders Published on: July 26, 2002

The Penticton Money Fest- Continued This was a tourism opportunity for the valley, and a new E.P.E. adventure. I would have to guess that my main concern would be when we had to walk through thousands of people standing outside the gates, to where we purchased our park pass- and soon after, the organizers started wrapping banners in front of the gates so no one could catch a glimpse unless they paid. Thankfully there was nothing you could do about the noise, and even if you were not rich enough to attend, at least you were able to hear the sounds of Elvis drifting out behind the plastic banners. I think Elvis would have welcomed them all in with open arms, knowing full well that they are the mainstream of Taking Care of Business. That because of all those people standing in front of the gates at that little park that they all had a hand somewhere down the line in making Elvis what he was, it was their loyalty, money, and youth that helped push his career to the memory it is today. I have to admit that I am a little harsh when it comes to functions like this. But you know in all fairness, even in Memphis where the big bucks roll in you have the opportunity to be a part of the whole thing, without wringing out your checkbook! With full screen movies, concerts, and sound piped outside of the complex across from the mansion, to the tent at the Graceland Crossing, where you can go and watch hundreds of people heading to the stage to belt out a tune or two. Even the at the hotel where the Images of Elvis contest takes place, you can go into the lobby at just about any hour and see one of the guys singing or jamming with the pack. Giving something to the people, the fans, and the memory of Elvis Presley. Although Penticton boasted about all the street corner happenings, I personally was only witness to one free shindig. Something that was thrown together at a corner pub, outside A Elvis Tribute Artist, Randy Friskie, Roy Orbison - Dereck Dee, and Patsy Cline-Candy Wright together they pulled in hundreds of spectators, and a full street corner full of standing, sitting, walking-Elvis fans! This particular night, there were many people there that could not or would not pay 45.00 an evening performance that was just down the way, including me! But you know what? The appreciation and standing ovations that was shown, for the 1 hour turned into 3 hour impromptu get together was intense. People loved it, and didnt want it to end! Now I am wondering, for this set of performersthat gave of their time and energy, without charge will this little show be as big of a memory as that big show down the street? What a great promotional tool that night I know that there were many of the guys out there, that would have been doing the same thing, if the opportunity had of presented itself. The guys really just wanted to be on stage performing for the people; just doing what they do best...money had nothing to do with it But unfortunately politics and money took precedence. The judging is always critical, no matter what competition, what event, or where.. there will always be an argument of whom was better then who, who did what right, wrong or not at all. Always an argument, there is no way to avoid it. As far as I can see they are all winners, and the only real star was Elvis Presley!