The 16th Annual Blue Suede Music Festival promises to be a rocking good time for Elvis fans and rock and roll music lovers.
There will be 14 Elvis tribute artists this year coming from across Canada and some from the U. S.
The VIP guest is Charles Stone, who was Elvis Presley’s tour manager and flew with Elvis on his personal plane, the Lisa Marie, while on tour, said Trudy Taphorn, the event’s founder and co-ordinator.
“He actually lived with him and travelled with him and worked with him and has some amazing stories. It’s pretty cool we have so few people left that actually lived and worked with Elvis so it’s cool to be able to listen to the first-hand stories.
“We have three new performers joining us this year, two for the very first time and one, Dino Macris from Washington State, returning after a few years away,” added Taphorn. “Mat Shank is a young dynamo from Gatineau, Quebec, who has taken the tribute world by storm and Scott Coon hails from Washington State. There is also a very special guest joining us to sing gospel on Sunday. “
The festival kicks off at 3 p.m. on Friday, July 26, and runs through to Sunday, July. 28.
A meet and greet with the performers will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Friday, with open mic karaoke from 7 to 11 p.m.
Performances start Saturday and go until 11 p.m. with a full nine-piece band, The Flashback Band, backing up all of the tribute artists starting at 8 p.m. on Saturday night.
Sunday’s gospel performances start at 10 a.m. and wraps-up around 3 p.m.
The beer gardens are open all three days.
A food bank donation is mandatory, either a non-perishable food item of things such as dog or cat food, diapers, toothpaste and toothbrushes, baby food, or a cash donation, said Taphorn.
There is also an entry fee. A weekend wristband is $60. For those who can only make it for one day, Friday is $10, Saturday is $45, and Sunday is $30.
Taphorn said she keeps the cost low to encourage more to attend.
“We need people to be generous with the food bank donations.”
The food will go to Westlock and Morinville food banks, as well as the Ripple Connection in Barrhead, said Taphorn, adding that the Barrhead food bank opted out this year.
The festival is held at the Westlock Ag grounds, with the concerts on the north side of the ag building and parking on the south side. There is no charge for parking.
The reserve seats are already sold out, as well as the preferred RV spots near the Ag building.
Taphorn says she’s expecting about 2,500 people to attend this year, topping last year’s 2,000.
This is the 16th year for the annual festival, with the first three years being held at Taphorn’s acreage, and a few years in Busby.
“This is our third year in Westlock,” she said.
“It’s super fun,” said Taphorn. “You don’t have to be a huge Elvis fan to enjoy it. We have a silent auction, a live auction, a trivia contest, and all kinds of things going on. There’s merchandise vendors and food vendors. It’s really a fun time.
“Some husbands come along because their wives want them to, and they say they are so surprised at how much fun they had, and they didn’t expect it to be that fun," she added. "I really want to keep it that way, keep that vibe that was there when it was on our acreage, but we have outgrown our acreage.”
So remember to don your blue suede shoes and join the party in Westlock July 26 to 28.
For more information please go to www.bluesuedemusicfestival.com
