Elvis Week, the annual tribute to Elvis Presley that takes over Graceland each August, is in its final stretch. The commemoration began August 8 and runs through August 16, drawing crowds of fans to Memphis for concerts, panel discussions, film screenings and tribute-artist competitions built around the anniversary of Presley's death.
Close to 50 Graceland-sanctioned events are on this year's calendar, according to event listings published by Graceland. This week's schedule has included "Elvis Presley in Concert Live," pairing archival concert footage with a live band at the Graceland Soundstage, and "The Wives' Perspective," a panel bringing together spouses of members of Presley's inner circle, including his longtime backing group, the TCB Band. Other programming has featured longtime Presley associate Jerry Schilling, his former girlfriend Linda Thompson, actor Kent McCord, who appeared in five Presley films, and Andrew Solt, producer of the 1981 documentary "This Is Elvis."
The Candlelight Vigil
The week builds toward its emotional centerpiece: the Candlelight Vigil at Presley's gravesite in Graceland's Meditation Garden, which begins the evening of August 15 and continues into the early hours of August 16, the anniversary of his 1977 death. The free, all-night procession has in past years drawn crowds exceeding 30,000 fans, many carrying candles as they file past the grave.
This year's edition falls on what Graceland has described as a comparatively quiet year on its own calendar, as staff and organizers turn attention to planning a larger commemoration in 2027, the 50th anniversary of Presley's death. Ticket packages for this year's events, including concerts and mansion tours, went on sale in the spring through ElvisWeek.com, with overflow lodging offered at the Guest House at Graceland hotel adjoining the estate.
Presley died at Graceland on August 16, 1977, at age 42. The mansion, which he bought in 1957, has operated as a museum since 1982 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. It remains among the most-visited private homes in the country, and organizers say this week's turnout is tracking with recent years as fans arrive from across the United States and overseas for the annual gathering.