North Carolina Town Pays Tribute To Elvis
Elvis Presley has had a weird, peripheral intrusion into my adult life. It started with my wife’s late aunt who was obsessed. She once got in trouble for skipping school just to watch Elvis’ bus go by on his way to enlist in the army. Then there’s the legendary story of her two cousins getting in a fight at an Elvis show in Las Vegas over a scarf the king had thrown into the crowd. In recent years I’ve gotten to be good friends with one of the most in-demand Elvis impersonators based out of Myrtle Beach. So, when I see that there’s an Elvis tribute festival coming to Lexington, North Carolina, I’m more than intrigued.
WHAT’S WITH LEXINGTON AND ELVIS?
I know, right? I asked the same thing. It seems kind of random. For starters it can all be traced back to 1956 when a young Elvis Presley came to Lexington’s packed-out YMCA gymnasium. 5,000 people shake, rattled, and rolled the night away. Then, according to the NC Tribute to the King website, fast-forward 60 years and Lexington played host to the sold-out performance of the King’s Broadway-style tour “Elvis ’56”. The community embraced the comeback show and wanted more. Then in 2019, the Lexington Tourism Authority brought the “Elvis Back in Lexington” performance to the Edward C. Smith Civic Center.
THE BIRTH OF LEXINGTON’S ELVIS FESTIVAL
Following the success of that event, folks in and around the town would often inquire when Lexington would be doing another show. After checking out a similar festival in another state, the city authority’s in Lexington said, “Why not us?” And in 2022, the “North Carolina Tribute Festival To The KING” came to fruition.
THIS YEAR’S NC TRIBUTE FESTIVAL TO THE KING
This year’s 3rd Annual Tribute to the King is a 2-part, 3-day event (April 26-28) that will have Elvis daytime competitions, headliner shows featuring some of the top Elvis performers in the nation plus exclusive parties and more! General Admission tickets range from $40-$60 and are available here.
The Craziest Festivals You Can Attend In North Carolina and Elsewhere
I’ve always said the most fun I’ve ever had at any fair or festival was the first time I attended the “Woolly Worm Festival” in Banner Elk.
Literally, you have people drinking, eating, and gambling at the speed of a fuzzy worm (see above pic) racing up a string. Just thinking about it now, I start laughing. Totally, preposterous fun. However, Banner Elk’s pride and joy are just the tip of the crazy festival iceberg.
