Thanks in part to Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-nominated biopic, officials at Graceland are expecting larger-than-normal crowds later this summer for the annual Elvis Week celebration.
The film has helped create renewed interest in Elvis Presley, the superstar singer and actor who died in 1977.
Graceland officials will hold Elvis Week August 9-17, marking the 46th anniversary of his death.
“Elvis Week has become a pop-culture phenomenon and an annual pilgrimage for music lovers from around the world,” Graceland officials said in a release announcing plans for this year’s event.
Anniversaries To Be Marked
Graceland will mark two special anniversaries during the week: the 55th anniversary of the King’s 1968 Comeback Special with an enhanced screening on August 14, and the 50th anniversary of his Aloha from Hawaii concert, to be shown August 16.
Both events will take place at Graceland’s soundstage and feature special guests and a live band.
Two events held annually during the week are back on the schedule as well.
A candlelight vigil will take place on August 15 at the front gate, with fans allowed to walk up the driveway to pay their respects in the garden. It will also be streamed live online.
The annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest will also take place for four consecutive days, August 9-12.
Plenty Of Guests
Other events planned for the week include a celebration of Lisa Marie Presley on August 15, featuring Jerry Schilling. Elvis’s daughter died earlier this year.
Other guests to play a role in events during the week include Linda Thompson, Jay Osmond, Sam Thompson, Glen Hardin, Spencer Sutherland, Mike Deasy, and The Blackwood Brothers Quartet.
There will also be a Memphis Music Brunch on August 13, a Dancing Through the Decades Farewell Party on August 17, and nightly, continuous live entertainment at the music pavilion at the Graceland Exhibition Center.
Tickets Available Now
Most of the events will require paid tickets, although a handful of items are free but also will need tickets. Tickets for all of the events are on sale now.
Individual event tickets range from $20 to $85 depending on the event and location. VIP packages for multiple events range from $315 to $2,000.
“If you want to enjoy the Elvis tribute artist experience while at Elvis Week this year, these packages offer you the best seats for all ETA Soundstage shows, as well as some can’t-buy experiences and offers,” Graceland officials claim.