Elvis Week
The enduring legacy of a legendary artist whose groundbreaking music and charisma transformed popular culture forever.
Drive pilgrimage traffic to Graceland and boost streaming/merchandise sales by positioning Elvis Week as the ultimate fan celebration combining nostalgia, live events, and cultural legacy.
- Plan your Graceland pilgrimage: candlelight vigil, tribute contests, and sock hop dances await
- Stream Elvis' 57-album catalog and 31 classic films during Elvis Week—from Jailhouse Rock to Blue Hawaii
- Meet Elvis' personal friends and fellow fans at the world's largest rock 'n' roll fan reunion
- Celebrate the King's enduring cultural impact with exclusive merchandise and limited-edition collectibles
Looking at the background of Elvis Week wouldn’t be complete without a bit of the history of “The King” himself. Sadly, his life seemed to both begin and end with tragedy. Born in 1935 to a working class Mississippi family, Elvis Aaron Presley was originally a twin but his brother was stillborn, leaving Elvis an only child. As a boy, Elvis enjoyed music at church, won his first singing competition at age ten and got his first guitar the following year.
By the time he was 21 years old, Elvis had started to become a recording star and already made his first television appearance. His movie career followed not far behind and Elvis’ fame eventually grew beyond what any single human should have to bear. Sadly, the 1960s brought drug abuse and a lifestyle that compromised his health, causing him to die of heart failure in 1977 at the young age of 42.
The first Elvis Week took place as a grassroots event that happened naturally in 1978 when people gathered at the gates of Graceland Mansion, Elvis’ estate in Memphis, Tennessee. Although it started as an impromptu vigil on the anniversary of his death, every year since for more than four decades, throngs of people have made the pilgrimage to Graceland during this week.
Visit Graceland
One excellent way for dedicated fans to celebrate Elvis Week might be to make the trip to Memphis to celebrate with a host of others. The famous estate of the rock ‘n roll star hosts a number of different events and activities throughout the week that guests can participate in. Tribute artist contests, live musical performances, classic sock hop dances, fan reunions, appearances by Elvis’ personal friends and, of course, the annual candlelight vigil are all ways that visitors from around the world can get involved during this important and memorable week.
Listen To or Watch Elvis
With 57 albums and 31 feature films to his credit, there will be no shortage of opportunities for entertainment during Elvis Week. Cue up a number of different playlists on Spotify, Apple Music or another favorite platform. Or make some film purchases online that can be watched on demand, including some of these famous Elvis movies in which he performs some of his most classic songs: Love Me Tender (1956). Elvis’ first film, he wasn’t even the first billed, but later the title was changed (from The Reno Brothers) to reflect the popularity of his songJailhouse Rock (1957). This musical romance is about a man who learns to play guitar in prisonKing Creole (1958). From the same director as Casablanca and Yankee Doodle DandyBlue Hawaii (1961). Another musical comedy, this quintessential film features Elvis playing a ukelele and wearing a lei