2/3/2010 1:18:00 AM All Elvis, all day is local theme for Red Carpet weekend
ELVIS WAS a headliner at last year's Red Carpet Corridor festival in Wilmington, and this year, a whole day will be devoted to the King. The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce will host an all-Elvis day on Saturday, May 1, in downtown Wilmington. 2009 photo by Pam Monson
ELVIS IMPERSONATOR Frankie J. returns to Wilmington's Red Carpet Corridor festival this year, on a day devoted to Elvis.
Looking for a way to set Wilmington apart from more than one dozen other communities on Route 66 celebrating the Red Carpet Corridor festival, the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce is putting together a day that focuses on the King of rock and roll, Elvis Presley, and another day dedicated to family and the city's river assets.
The Red Carpet Corridor event is a 90-mile long celebration involving 12 communities on Route 66 between Joliet and Towanda. Its purpose is to provide towns, civic organizations and church groups the opportunity to raise funds and promote their business communities as well as local tourism.
It takes place the first weekend in May. This year's event will be held May 1 and 2.
The Chamber's commitment to music and entertainment will stay the same, however, Saturday's activities will celebrate the "Memphis Flash," who would have turned 75 this year.
Saturday will be "All Elvis, all day" in the city's historic business district. Plans are being made for look alike contests for kids, seniors and all ages in between - even the family dog; a hula hoop contest and a karaoke contest as well as other activities. "Elvis" will be the DJ for the day.
The Wilmington Lions Club will be selling a wide variety of Elvis' culinary favorites, like fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches.
Saturday's fun ends with a sock hop at the Loyal Order of the Moose Family Center.
Get a wholesome start to the day on Sunday with a 50s themed pancake breakfast sponsored by the Women's Auxiliary of Wilmington's Malcolm J. Mayo VFW Post 5422.
Plan to spend the afternoon in the North Island Park, where a good old fashioned family picnic will be held. Residents and visitors will be able to play horseshoes, bean bags, volleyball, catch or maybe a pickup game of baseball. Children can hula hoop, blow bubbles, run a three-legged race or play hopscotch. It's all about playing and having fun.
Highlighting the community family picnic will be a baby back rib cookoff and an apple pie baking contest.
Picnic lunches are acceptable, but the Wilmigton Lions Club members will try to entice everyone with their BBQ rib dinners - the aroma of which will be inescapable.
Wilmington businesses and organizations are encouraged to take advantage of the fundraising opportunities the festival presents, and residents hopefully will polish their saddle shoes and stoke their smokers in preparation for the event.
"While it's still early in the planning stages, we're excited about the All Elvis, all day theme and its potential for creating the right atmosphere for fun," said Chamber president Eric Fisher. "Our hope is other organizations and community groups will join in by having their own little fund-raisers. This is the fourth year for the Red Carpet weekend so we're expecting more travelers and the more to attract them, the better."
For information about what other communities in the corridor are doing, watch www.il66redcarpetcorridor.org or www.il66authority. com or call 800-835-2055.
