Video: Annual Elvis Fest in Tupelo

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The day started out with a race. The running with the King 5K event at Veterans park. The action then moved downtown as fans gathered near the Lyric Theater to see Round two of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute. Of course, there were true Elvis fans, members of the Tupelo Elvis Fan Club which has been around since 1956.

Inside the sold out Lyric the crowd got to hear a medley of Elvis songs performed by 15 contestants in the Ultimate Elvis tribute. Glenn Bowles came all the way from Cincinnati Ohio to compete. He’s been a Elvis impersonator for 35 years.

“I actually won the very first Elvis worldwide contest ever in Memphis in 87. With that one it was the only one for many years. The more experience you have you have at anything, the better off you are of course. Being on stage to me is what I’ve always done since I was 15-year old,” says Bowles.

A statute of Elvis Fairpark was recreated from the iconic photograph of Elvis taken on September 26, 1956 the date of his homecoming concert here in Tupelo.

Sara Palmer was there.

“My daddy brought me because then kids didn’t go out by themselves so may daddy brought me to the fair. And he wouldn’t let us holler, me and my sister, ” says Palmer.

Palmer says she can holler for Elvis anytime she wants now.