Casey Richardson

Don’t be surprised if you spot an Elvis or two wandering through town, Penticton’s iconic Elvis Festival kicked off on Friday.

Now in its 22nd year, the multi-day event is known as the longest-standing Elvis festival in Canada.

Starting off with opening ceremonies on Friday in Okanagan Lake Park, 24 amateur and professional Elvis Tribute Artist (ETA) contestants from all over the world began their performance for round one of the competition, hoping to be crowned the grand champion of the Penticton Elvis Festival.

The ETA who wins the professional division will go on to the Memphis “Ultimate Elvis Finals,” with the chance to become recognized as #1 in the world.

President Mike Schell, who has been a part of the festival for 20 years, said the ETAs have taken a lot of time to hone their craft.

“Some are 50s Tribute Artists, some are 60s, some are 70s. So each era has its own uniqueness and very creative outfits, as you see with the jumpsuits behind me, very cool,” he said.

“The ones that are pro, they’re out there doing this as a full-time living whereas the non-pros, more doing it as a hobby, do some paid gigs, but not a lot.”

As a huge Elvis lover and supporter, Shell also has a 12-piece band that performs for the festival called the Cadillac Kings and Queens Show Band.

He said he’s happy to see the love for the ‘King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ continue to live on.

“The nostalgia, the music, you can’t beat the old, bare-bones, classic rock and roll back up to the Vegas concert years. Elvis, as you can see with the crowd behind me, young and old, it’s a full mix, especially with the Elvis movie coming out a couple of years ago that actually sparked the new generation of Elvis fans,” Schell added.

“The music is timeless. And when you have the new generation coming up, and the young kids starting to get into the tribute world, his memory and music will always live on.”

Saturday is round two of the competition, with gates open at 8 a.m. The contest starts at 9 a.m. and will run until about 4 p.m.

“We’ve actually got a couple surprises lined up tomorrow. We have a Patsy Cline tribute artist that’s going to do a set, and then we have a special tribute artist performance that we’re going to do,” Schell said, adding that their VIP this year is Jerry Scheff, a bassist who played and toured with Elvis for multiple years.

After that, the top seven non-pros and seven pros will be named, who will then go and compete on Sunday.

Saturday night is the headliner show at the Penticton Trade and Convention Center, which is sold out.

Sunday will feature the gospel show and pancake breakfast, along with the final round for competitors at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. For the full schedule, head to their website here.

Schell said sales for 2025 have already opened up and seen immediate support.

Elvis events run through Saturday night and into Sunday evening. It is cash only for park entrance tickets and vendor purchases.