“Strictly Elvis UK” brings tour group to Idyllwild

'Strictly Elvis UK” bills itself as “the UK’s largest Elvis fan organization.” The group is “Dedicated solely to keeping the legend of Elvis Presley alive and sharing his legacy with fans not only here in the UK but across the globe.” This week, founder David Wade brought 38 fans from overseas to the Idyllwild Area Historical Society Museum as part of this year’s tour.

IAHS Board members Marlene and Tom Pierce were there to greet the pilgrims, along with archivists Bob Greenamyer and Laura Zarecky. This group was especially lucky because they were invited to visit Hidden Lodge, one of the locations used in the filming of Elvis’ Kid Galahad. The present owners, Anthony Albano and Dana Francis-Albano, are members of the IAHS board.

Founded in 1972 as the Elvis Travel Service, Wade’s early tours took fans from around the world to see Presley perform in Las Vegas. Wade explained that, as an Elvis fan, he wanted to visit the US and see him perform and realized that he could pay his way by organizing a tour. This led to a career in travel services. Wade’s 1977 tour attended Presley’s last two performances, in Cincinnati and Indianapolis.

The tours always include the singer’s birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi, and his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, but also stop at locations used in his films, like New Orleans (King Creole), Crystal River, Florida (Follow That Dream), and Sedona, Arizona (Stay Away Joe.)

The group had just visited two homes associated with Elvis in Palm Desert, one he owned and his “honeymoon house.”. Participants have the option of a one-week tour focused on the south, or continuing for a second week including California. A few tours have even included a third week in Hawaii. They planned on visiting Elvis’ star on Hollywood Boulevard before flying home.