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Jan. 7--The band will be jumping and the joint will swing at Little Graceland in Los Fresnos where "Elvis" still visits, at least twice a year.
"Elvis would be 71 this coming Sunday," said Simon Vega, founder of the Little Graceland museum and the bi-annual Elvis Festival. "He's only nine months older than me." About a dozen Elvis impersonators, a few Selena impersonators and several local personalities will turn out for the "Jailhouse Rock"-themed Elvis Fest today. The festival opens at 11 a.m. and continues to 6 p.m. Vega served in the U.S. Army with the King of Rock â??n' Roll from 1958 to 1960 while both were stationed in Frieburg, Germany. "He was a quite guy, and being so big at that time, it seemed like it never went to his head," he said. "He would talk to anybody and give his autograph to anybody." After Elvis' death in 1977, Vega dedicated his life to preserving the memory of the King. He feels he has been successful so far and appreciates the participation of Rio Grande Valley Elvis fans. "I think he should be proud because people remember him. Plus, he wanted people to be happy all the time, and that's one of the reasons I do this twice a year," Vega said. "I want to keep Elvis' name going." A second festival is held each year in August to commemorate Elvis' passing. With a $3 donation to the Los Frensos Chamber of Commerce Elvis Fund, visitors can tour the museum, enjoy musical performances and meet other Elvis fans. The event has been going for more than 10 years. "It went from about 25 people in 1993 to about 3,000 people now," Vega said, adding that the chamber of commerce and city are now involved annually. "They saw it was getting too big for me. They wanted to help me." kgarcia@brownsvilleherald.com Elvis Fest Celebrating Elvis Presley's Birthday When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today Where: Little Graceland, downtown Los Fresnos, West Highway 100 Admission: $3 donation to benefit the Los Fresnos Chamber of Commerce "Elvis Fund" Schedule of Events: 11 a.m. â?? Museum opening 11:55 a.m. â?? The Brenda McAllister show 12:30-1:45 p.m. â?? Elvis impersonators perform 2:20 p.m. â?? Los Fresnos Junior Falcon Cheerleaders 2:50 p.m. â?? Presentation of colors, pledge and special guests 3:30 to 6 p.m. â?? Elvis and Selena impersonators perform ----- Copyright (c) 2006, The Brownsville Herald, Texas
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