Promotional products a highlight of Elvis Festival

Elvis Presley is as famous as an icon as he is a musician, with myriad items - including the famous "velvet Elvises" - emblazoned with the face and figure of the King of Rock and Roll. Scholar Greil Marcus has even written a book, Dead Elvis, about Presley's symbolic status in global culture. It is no surprise, then, that the Collingwood Elvis Festival extensively features promotional products made in the King's image.

At its Let's Talk About Elvis forum last week, participants outlined plans and considerations for the festival to take place in July, the Collingwood Connection reported. General manager Rosemarie O'Brien shared information about the festival's licensing agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises, which handles uses of Presley's image. The Festival pays an annual $8,000 fee to EPE to ensure their rights to manufacture and distribute promotional products that represent Elvis.

O'Brien emphasized that businesses should be careful to align their products with the festival, to avoid any potential licensing violations. "Ultimately if we lose our license, we lose the festival," Collingwood Connection quoted her as saying to vendors. "We want to see you succeed and the festival to succeed."

According to Brunswick News, the Collingwood festival is the largest gathering in the world devoted to celebrating Elvis.