Carson Valley Inn throws Elvis a birthday party

A birthday party for Elvis Presley?

He would have marked his 78th birthday on Tuesday, Jan. 8 and the Carson Valley Inn says that’s a good reason to celebrate with Elvis Week, Jan. 7 to 12.

Highlights include teddy bear giveaways on Monday, Jan. 7; cake and champagne on Tuesday, Jan. 8; Elvis drawings on Wednesday, Jan. 9; Elvis impersonators in the casino and Cabaret Lounge over the weekend and some of Elvis’ favorite food combinations served as specials in Katie’s all week.

The teddy bear giveaway kicks off Elvis Week when INN Club members earning 100 points or more that day receive a free teddy bear while they last. Elvis birthday cakes and champagne will be served in the casino on Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. and from 6 to 7 p.m.

On Wednesday use your INN Club card and earn points for Elvis drawings at noon, 6 and 8 p.m.and win up to $2,500.

Watch for the Elvis look-a-likes strolling through the casino from time-to-time between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Bring your camera or use your cell phone and have a picture snapped with The King.

Elvis impersonator Brian Andrews will be entertaining in the Cabaret Lounge on Thursday through Saturday with shows at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. each night. According to D.J. Fontana, Elvis’s drummer from 1954 to 1968, “Brian Andrews is the closest thing to Elvis that I’ve ever seen or heard.”

It’s no surprise that Andrews can re-create Elvis so well — he happens to have one of the best Elvis memorabilia collections around. He looks, moves, talks, sings — and most importantly — feels Elvis. He has amazed, thrilled and dazzled audiences for years with his exact Elvis persona — from the voice, to the way he grips the microphone, to the famous “bump and grind.”

Elvis was also known for his eclectic taste in food and a few of his favorites will be served in Katie’s on Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Included in the pickings are biscuits smothered in white sausage gravy, fried peanut butter and nana sandwich on country-style white bread served with bacon strips, cornmeal-battered fried catfish with cole slaw and tomatoes and banana pudding with vanilla nilly wafer cookies.

The Carson Valley Inn is located on Highway 395 in Minden, Nev., near the start of Highway 88.

For more information visit the Website at carsonvalleyinn.com.