The Collingwood Elvis Festival is an annual event that has been going since 1995. It is held in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. It attracts Elvis Impersonators from around the world.
According to Redefining Success: Still Making Mistakes by W. Brett Wilson, the festival is the largest one of its type in the world and is sanctioned by Elvis Presley Enterprises under an annual Licence Agreement. During the week of the festival, Elvis Tribute Artists will be performing in local bars and night clubs, with "Vegas style" shows in the municipal Arena. The highlight of the festival is on a main stage in the center of the town.
Hal Niedzviecki's book, Hello, I'm Special: How Individuality Became the New Conformity tells of a former Anglican priest, Rev. Dorian Baxter who went by the name of Elvis Priestly was no longer welcome at the festival due to his performing Elvis funerals for dead fans. Baxter was persuaded by his daughter to enter the festival in 1996.
Rosemarie O'Brien, Collingwood Elvis Festival Event Co-Ordinator for the Town of Collingwood, confirms that Rev. Baxter has never been "not welcome" back to the festival but rather would be required to adhere to the festival's rules and guidelines which precludes any activity that could be interpreted by Elvis Presley Enterprises as derogatory to the image and likeness of Elvis Presley, and could therefore, jeopardize the festival's license agreement.
The winner for 2016 was a German performer, Oliver Steinhoff. He was the first German to win at the festival.
Previous international winners of the Collingwood Elvis Festival includes Elvis Tribute Artists from the United Kingdom, Australia, the U.S.A. and now, Germany.
1995 - Ray Guillemette, Jr., Anthony Giavon1996 - Anthony Giavon, Pasquale Ferro, Vili Verhovsek, Will Chalmers1997 - Eric Gustafson, Ray Guillemette, Jr., Shawn Barry, Thomas Gilbo1998 - Shawn Barry, Matt King,, Pete Irwin, Leo Days1999 - Chris Purtee, Roy LeBlanc2000 - Dean Vegas, Shane Jeffery2001 - Roy LeBlanc, Paul Ross, and Lance Dobinson (Youth)2002 - Robin Kelly, Darrin Hagel, and Paul Fracassi (Youth)2003 - Gino Monopoli, Jeff Bodner, with Zach Peddie, Matthew Lawrence (Youth)2004 - Shon Carroll, David Lee Roseberry, Pete Paquette, Marcus Wells, and Steven Pelleriti, Paul Fracassi (Youth)2005 - Ben Klein, Roy Evans, Glenn Aitchison, David Stewart, with Brenen Katolinsky, Joshua Bravener (Youth), and Ray Guillemette, Jr. (Gospel)2006 - Pete Paquette, Irv Cass, Lance Dobinson, David Muggeridge, with Brenen Katolinsky, Brycen Katolinsky (Youth), and Paul Ross (Gospel)2007 - Dwight Icenhower, Jay Zanier, Chris Ayotte, Doug McKenzie, with Brenen Katolinsky, Matthew Lawrence (Youth), and Anthony Giavon (Gospel)2008 - Pete Paquette, David Muggeridge, James Gibb, John Cigan, with Brenen Katolinsky, Anthony C. (Youth), and Roy LeBlanc (Gospel)2009 - Chris Ayotte, Thane Dunn, Brent Morrey, Patrick McGuire, with Luca Lavoie, Anthony C. (Youth), and Jay Zanier (Gospel)2010 - Mark Anthony, Tim Hendry, Joey Cundari, Rev. Matt Martin, with Ethan Chalmers, Anthony C. (Youth), and Ben Klein (Gospel)2011 - James Gibb, Pete Storm, Matt Cage, Wayne Junior, with Connor Russo, Brycen Katolinsky (Youth), and Daylin James (Gospel)2012 - Matt Cage, Ben Portsmouth, Brycen Katolinsky, Anthony C., with Connor Russo, Drake Milligan (Youth), and Thane Dunn (Gospel)2013 - Brycen Katolinsky, Jesse Aron, Richard Wolfe, Kevin Bezaire, with Connor Russo, Drake Milligan (Youth), and Norm Ackland, Jr. (Gospel)2014 - Cliff Wright, Gordon Hendricks, Brent Freeman, Daniel Barrella, with Hank Poole, Drake Milligan (Youth), and David Lee Roseberry (Gospel)2015 - Austin Irby, Bruno Nesci, Norm Ackland Jr., Eric Evangelista, with Benjamin Dalske, Drake Milligan (Youth), and Corny Rempel (Gospel)2016 - Ryan Pelton, Oliver Steinhoff, Brenen Katolinsky, Sylvain Leduc, with Benjamin Dalske, Connor Russo (Youth), and Matt Cage (Gospel)During the festival there is another event called the Live & Original Music Series which began in 2015. More of an event at grass-roots level, this is for unknown artists to show their talents and original material. The winner for the L & O Showdown for 2015 was Gina Horswood and for 2016 was Mike Charette.
