Las Vegas Hilton Hosts 1st Annual Elvis Festival, 7/28-30

It's been 35 years since Elvis graced the stage at the Las Vegas Hilton but his spirit will make a triumphant return to Las Vegas when the hotel which hosted his iconic run of 58 consecutive sold out shows plays host to the first annual Las Vegas Elvis Fest July 28-30, 2011.

The three-day event will be hosted by one of Elvis' closest friends, Joe Esposito and will feature over forty of the world's top Elvis Tribute Artists (ETAs) participating in a Tribute Artist Showcase, the Heart of the King Awards Concert, and the special recreation of Elvis' "That's the Way it Is" concert featuring Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Shawn Klush appearing on stage with Elvis' back up singers the Sweet Inspirations, Elvis' Imperials and comedian Sammy Shore who opened for Elvis during the original show.

"We are thrilled that Shawn will be performing on the very stage that Elvis made history, with many of the cast, friends and coworkers who were there during his triumphant shows in Las Vegas," said Dan Lentino, Klush's manager and one of the producers of the event. "The festival will also feature the country's finest tribute artists performing some of Elvis' most beloved songs."
To date, professional ETAs from all corners of the country and as far a field as England and Australia have been invited to appear. The Tribute Artist Showcase will give the performers the opportunity of a lifetime. "The theater at the Las Vegas Hilton and the hotel itself is such a rich part of Elvis' history that the performers are lining up to get a chance to sing on it," comments Jason Sherry, another of the event's producers.

In addition to the Showcase and the Saturday Concert, the festival will feature a very special event on Friday night. The Heart of the King Awards and the concert that will immediately follow is billed by the producers as the "Oscar Ceremony" of the Elvis world. The event features top Elvis performers Shawn Klush, 2009 Ultimate Winner Bill Cherry, 2008 Ultimate Winner Brandon Bennett, Dwight Icenhower and others. During the ceremony they will be recognized for their contribution to keeping Elvis' memory and music alive and relevant and will perform for the audience.

Other highlights on tap throughout the weekend include Elvis collectibles, Elvis at the Hilton Memorabilia Displays, Welcome and after hours parties and events, discounted tickets to Viva Elvis by Cirque du Soleil, tours of Elvis' dressing room, original stage and other Las Vegas attractions and a very special Celebrity Forum during which Elvis fans will have the ability to meet many of Elvis' friends, confidants and movie costars as well as fans who were there when Elvis made history in Las Vegas.

For those interested in obtaining a seat for Saturday's "That's the Way it Was" concert and a pass to all the other festival activities, packages range from $110-$200. Tickets for Saturday's concert alone start at $60. Tickets are on sale now at http://www.lasvegaselvisfest.com.
Overnight accommodations are available at the Las Vegas Hilton where all events will take place. A special rate is being offered to festival attendees and can be booked by calling (800) 732-7117 and mentioning the code "P Elvis."

For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit http://www.LasVegasElvisFest.com or call the Elvis Festival Hotline at (518) 681-7452.

About Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) is based in Memphis, with additional offices in Los Angeles. In addition to Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program, merchandising, music publishing, and television, film, video and Internet projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit http://www.elvis.com. EPE is a subsidiary of CKX, Inc.

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