FREE ADMISSION: 21st Annual Elvis Festival

Check the other listing on Eventbrite for PAID Reserved Seating at the Festival under 21st Annual Elvis Festival. The Festival, with the exception of paid seats, is free to the public, and includes free parking at Concorde and Coastline College Lots in Garden Grove.

PRINT OUT the FREE ADMISSION TICKET to be entered in a drawing for Elvis memorabilia, which will be done throughout the day from the Main Stage. DROP it at the INFO/CHECK IN booth in front of the Entertainment Stage. Winner need not be present to win.

Themed after an Elvis Presley movie it will be “A Change of Habit” when the 21st Annual Elvis Festival returns to Historic Main Street in Garden Grove on Sunday, October 10, 2021. Traditionally held in August near the anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death (August 16, 1977) , the festival was postponed last year and rescheduled for this fall due to COVID.

October included many significant events in Presley’s life and career including the first time he sang “Old Shep” at a public event when he was 10 years old at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. Two of his legendary concerts of the 1950’s happened in October: The Cotton Bowl in 1956 and the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles in 1957.

California’s only Elvis Festival, the all-day tribute to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature a combination of traditional Elvis performances as well as not so traditional including a set of performances by singers inspired by the King but do not aim to look or sound like them.

Kirk Wall of Anaheim, who has served as the Festival’s Ambassador since its inception, will perform songs from the movie Blue Hawaii along with the Halau Hula Lani Ola dancers and then bring bluegrass versions of Elvis hits with his band Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies, which plays regularly at Knott’s Berry Farm.

Among the highlights this year is special guest and Elvis songwriter Mike Stoller, who along with the late Jerry Leiber, wrote many of the songs Elvis performed and turned into hits including” Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog” and “Treat Me Nice.” Several Elvis Tribute Artists and other vocalists will perform several of their Elvis songs in a tribute to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Songwriters.

While music history might have convinced people that Elvis Presley and the Beatles didn’t get along, some said it was just their competitive spirit in the rock and roll world. No matter what both are music legends, and Elvis did sing many of the Beatles’ hits such as “Hey Jude,” “Something,” “Yesterday “and the Beatles sang Elvis hits such as “That’s All-Right Mama,” “ I Got a Woman” and “ I Forgot to Remember to Forget.” And they both recorded other rock hits such as “Johnny B. Goode” and “Long Tall Sally.”

In keeping with that spirit, the festival’s finale band will combine the diverse vocal talents of Elvis Tribute Artist, James King with Beatles Tribute Band, The Walrus: The King and the Walrus will perform a variety of Presley and Beatles songs along with other rock and roll hits from the 1950’s and 60’s.

Earlier in the day, King will sing along with accordionist Katrina Saroyan in a special set of Elvis songs featuring the squeezebox.

Other performances will include multi-award-winning Elvis Tribute Artist Martin Anthony singing Elvis gospel, duets with vocalists Erika Boychenko, Marlena Khramova and Dahlia Valdez and other selections. Also featured will be Elvis tributes by Steven Williamson, Brad Carrow, Gary Anderson and Ronnie Po.

In addition to stage entertainment the festival will include the King of Cadillacs Car Show for passenger cars from 1977 and earlier, Elvis fan clubs: Jailhouse Rockers of California and Blue Suede Shoes of California, vendors with memorabilia and collectibles, stilt Elvis and Priscilla, Abbit the Average Elvis, food trucks with special “Elvis” menu items and Main Street restaurants and merchants.

Dignity Memorial™ is returning as the presenting sponsor reminding us that Every Detail Remembered is an important part of honoring our loved ones including the King of Rock and Roll. Participating Dignity Memorial locations include Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, Santa Ana; Fairhaven Memorial Services, Mission Viejo and Dimond & Shannon Mortuary, Garden Grove, and are part of the network, which also owns the Memphis Funeral Home that handled Elvis Presley’s arrangements.

In addition, the festival is supported by the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association and the Garden Grove Community Foundation.

Host or Publisher Garden Grove Downtown Business Association