Nevin Grant sums up the weekend

A SUPER WEEKEND

It was one hot July weekend with clear blue skies and brilliant sunshine. Fortunately Collingwood’s perpetual off-shore breezes helped everyone cope with the warmth. Town retailers were really into the spirit of “Elvis” with creative window displays and special prices. A record number of Elvis Tribute Artists performed at a number of venues in and around Collingwood. A record number of Elvis fans attended all of the festival events.

This was “Collingwood 2007” and the competition was never stronger as an influx of top-notch ETAs competed not only for the Collingwood honours but for a chance to be the overall Pro, Non-Pro total points winner and grab that precious entry into ‘The Ultimate Elvis” competition in Memphis during “Elvis week”.

Several ETAs raised the performance bar a notch or two and we witnessed some career highs in scores and entertainment. Probably the single most dynamic performance on the weekend was that of Jay Zanier in the Pro Concert Finals, saluted by a full-house standing ovation in the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena. Jay will be representing Collingwood in Memphis . At the Collingwood Gospel competition veteran ETA Anthony Von was the overall winner… completing the cycle for him: Anthony has now won Collingwood as a Non-Pro… Pro and now in the Gospel.

Everyone worked hard to make Collingwood 2007 work. Rosemarie and her cast of volunteers did another magnificent job. The judges judged for a record 25 hours, evaluating more than 130 ETAs … some of them several times. The concessionaires, the carnies, the restaurateurs, and the organizers of Saturday’s “Elvis Parade”… everyone played their part to the hilt.

This was the THIRTEENTH annual Collingwood Elvisfest. Obviously, in Collingwood, THIRTEEN is a “LUCKY” number!

The Judging Group

(left to right, back row) Harry Groves (assistant tabulator), Don Luther,
Wendy King, Mary Thombs (tabulator), Burt Thombs
(front row) Nevin Grant, Heather Grant, Dean Hollin, Echo Starr Parker.