The King reigns in north Georgia

Alex Swindle

The 13th Big E Fest (that’s Elvis in case you’re confused) & ETA (Elvis Tribute Artists) Competition will be Nov. 11 and 12 along Main Street in Cornelia, Georgia. In other words, it’s a celebration of males who like to dress up as the King.

The fun begins Friday when Demorest native Hendricks Coates warms the stage for Big E  Champion Alex Swindle from Birmingham, Ala. Door prizes will be distributed, snacks will be available and participants are encouraged to come dressed in 1950s or 1960s attire. General admission is $15 with front row seats at $20. The show starts at 7 p.m. and doors open at 6 p.m.

Then on Saturday, Nov. 12, the Elvis Tribute Artists Competition begins at 1 p.m., where 12 artists will compete for the Big E Champion title plus $1,000, courtesy of Springer Mountain Farms. Participants (those watching the crazy people in Elvis attire) can enjoy some of Elvis’ favorite foods including the newly created Elvis S'more made with peanut butter, bananas, marshmallows, Graham crackers and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Robby Dean the Spirit of the King will act as master of ceremonies and, according to the press release we received, will entertain with his famous rendition of “Polk Salad Annie.” Doors open at noon, tickets available at (706) 499-1370. We’ve been told the last two years sold out, so get your tickets now.

For more information, visit www.bigefest.com.

While you're in town, be sure and visit the Loudermilk Boarding House and Everything Elvis Museum. Built in 1908, the historic home houses 30,000 Elvis items, the largest collection of Elvis memorabilia in the world and listed in the Guinness' World Book of Records. Some of it's just plain weird, like the Elvis wart — yes, we said wart, preserved in formaldehyde — and the "Maybe Elvis Toenail." You can read more about Loudermilk at the blog, Roadside America. 

Cheré Dastugue Coen is the author of several Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire. She is also the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.