‘Best ever’ Elvis festival becomes a family affair
ELVIS impersonators come in all shapes and sizes and from all backgrounds – from brick layers to lorry drivers and both men and women.
And hundreds of them headed to Wales this weekend as part of the annual Porthcawl Elvis Festival.
This year’s Elvis Festival has been dubbed the “best ever” by event organisers.
It marked the 40th anniversary of Elvis’ death and event organiser, Peter Phillips, has said it was the busiest he’s ever seen it.
To mark the occasion, photographer Gareth Cattermole took a series of portraits of some of those taking part in The Elvies – the award show for Elvis tribute acts.
The striking black and white images show the very different people who love to pay tribute to The King.
The event started in 2004 with just a handful of visitors and has grown to have international appeal.
It started as a way to boost the uncertain future of the Grand Pavilion. New additions to this year’s bill included a 90-mile coastal walk.
The six-day walk, which was in collaboration with mental health charity MIND, ended in Porthcawl on the opening day of this year’s extravaganza.
But Mr Phillips explained there was another new addition that made the day special.
He said: “This year is the first year we’ve had a family zone and it will definitely be a permanent fixture.
“People have been dressing their dogs up as Elvis and walking them up and down the promenade. It’s been like a real dog show here.
“We also had a show at the Grand Pavilion that featured a performance from our Welsh-speaking Elvis.”
The programme also included the opening day being dedicated to Welsh-language Elvises called Diwrnod i’r Brenin or Day Fit For A King.
It saw local Welsh-speaking schools involved during the day with an Elvis-themed show in the evening featuring top Welsh language artists.
The 2017 festival has seen Elvis impersonators having their faces scanned by police in a bid to catch troublemakers and criminals.
South Wales Police used facial recognition technology – used at the Champions League final.
Peter added: “I think Saturday was the best we’ve ever seen it here.
“I’d say there were about 5,000 people on the seafront – between the weather and the turnout it’s been brilliant.
“The biggest criticism we’ve faced over the years is that there hasn’t been enough things here for kids, because events are mostly held in pubs or the Grand Pavilion.
“I think the family zone has changed that and now we know it works.”