Friends:
A group of about 15 Elvis fans and Collingwood Elvis Festival supporters recently attended a Collingwood Council Committee meeting.
Rosemarie Garrity O’Brien answering questions. Photo credit: Wendy King.
Up for discussion was the potential discontinuation of the Elvis Festival after 2019 (they call it a re-imagining) and a more recent possibility of handing it off to a private company without too much town involvement.
I was there speaking as an Elvis fan first but also as a volunteer with the festival for years and a media rep for the entire life of the festival.
Following is a couple of excerpts of my presentation which incorporated information sent to me from many fans.
“There has been publicity suggesting the festival is not making money. I find that hard to believe. Perhaps, the money doesn’t go directly into the town coffers but you need to consider the spin off benefits. I did an informal FB survey and found that almost every person said they came for the entire festival and spend between 1-3 thousand dollars. Consider hotels which insist you book for 3 days minimum, gas, food, show tickets, vendor and general shopping. Many extend their stay making it a vacation taking in more local sites. Many return at other times of the year because of something they enjoyed while at the festival. Still others actually moved to Collingwood or invested because they liked what they saw.”
Wendy King speaking at the Collingwood council meeting. Photo credit: Wendy King.
I pointed out the Elvis fest has put the town on the global map. Elvis did that.
“You could never have paid for the free publicity you get from the local media who do pre-stories, on location reports and follow-ups. What about the national and international coverage? Rewards can come long after the festival is over.”
I wanted to make sure to let them know this is personal to us.
“The festival has launched some amazing music careers. It has introduced us to many celebrities we would never have met. The Collingwood Elvis Festival has given us a world-wide family and that is truly priceless. We appreciate the last 24 years and hope you realize how important this event is to thousands of people and vote to keep it going.”
General info shared:
The town pays $8,500 American to EPE for the rights to host a sanctioned event.
The town, itself, contributes about 50 thousand dollars give or take to the festival…this is out of a 60 million dollar budget.
Collingwood debrief, April 1st, 2019. Photo credit: Wendy King.
They did research on attendance and money spent but based it only on last 3 years NOT the totality of the event. They didn’t mention the festival had been reduced from 5 to 3 days.
They talked about a third party interested in taking it over. My understanding two local businessmen who have worked previously with the vendors. They have said they would still need town support in terms of using their facilities and staff knowledge. This committee sends the information to the full council for a final vote on April 8th. W.K.
Editor’s note: I wish to thank Wendy King for sending her informative write up and impassioned speech regarding the Collingwood town council meeting and the future of the Collingwood Elvis Festival. C.M.
News Flash!
Collingwood Council to Decide Future of Elvis Festival
NEWS 11:00 AM by Ian Adams Collingwood Connection
Broadcaster Wendy King, who has served for several years as a judge at the Collingwood Elvis Festival, speaks to the corporate and community services committee about the future of the festival. - Ian Adams/Metroland
Elvis isn’t leaving the building, but he could be headed to a parking lot.
Collingwood council’s corporate and community services committee is recommending the Collingwood Elvis Festival be discontinued as a municipally-sponsored event after the 25th annual edition in July.
Instead, the town’s parks recreation and culture director, Dean Collver, advised the committee the event should be transitioned to a private operator, with whom the town would work with over the next three years to ensure the reputation of the event is maintained.
While the event remains popular, Collver said, it is also seeing diminishing audiences and economic impact to the community.
The town launched an economic impact review of the festival in 2016; the review tracked estimated attendance and spending over three years. In 2016, the local economic impact was $917,000; in 2018, that was down to $728,000.
“As much as the numbers are still good, the trend is what bothers us more than anything,” Collver said.
The town does have an unsolicited offer to take it over, though Collver acknowledged the town doesn’t actually "own" anything, other than it pays Elvis Presley Enterprises US$8,500 annually for licensing rights. The proposal would see the event hosted in the St. Marie Street parking lot, and in the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena; the main street would not be shut down.
For the municipality, the event has net costs of about $50,000 annually to run, with expenses of around $300,000.
The event’s supporters, however, insist the festival — started in 1994 by tribute artist Billy Can and a handful of Elvis impersonators at what was then known as Vacation Inn Resort — has an impact beyond what the municipality is giving it credit for.
“To say Elvis has put you on the map would not be an exaggeration,” broadcaster and festival judge Wendy King told the committee, calling the festival the “most prestigious” outside of Memphis. She also found it surprising that it doesn’t make money, and suggested — based on an informal Facebook survey she conducted — that it has a spinoff after the event that isn’t measured.
“It’s gives us a worldwide family, and to us that is truly priceless,” she said.
After the meeting, King acknowledged it was an emotional issue for her, and fans of the festival.
“The Elvis world is very unique, and it’s not like any other festival,” she said. “I do not want them to say Elvis is no longer relevant, and it’s somehow his fault that people are no longer coming.
The idea of handing it off to a private operator “frightens me,” she said. “It’s not like it’s just a talent show … it’s really important to get it right, so if they water it down, cheap out on stuff or cut a lot out, fans won’t come. And then another town will pick it up.”
Council will deliberate on the recommendation at its April 8 meeting.