TIME TO BE ELVISH

The King is dead, but the parties live on. Elvis Presley died on Aug. 16, 1977, and now, 20 years later, it seems like every institution in Memphis, Tenn., from Graceland to Presley's old karate school, is playing host to memorial events. Some 50,000 fans are expected to descend on the city for Elvis Week, including a sizable number of fan-club presidents, for whom special events are planned.

But there's still plenty to do for the rest of us. Activities include a special concert in which the star, via the wonders of modern video technology, will "perform" with a whole slew of his old bandmates, as well as the annual Candlelight Vigil at Graceland, Elvis cruises, seminars at his old high school, light shows set to his music, an auction from the estate of an avid fan, and early morning meditations at his grave site (they're free, but they're at 6) Even if you can't make it to Memphis, you can still participate. A Blue Suede Shoes ballet, performed by the Cleveland San Jose Ballet, is touring the country, and rca is releasing the four-volume Elvis Presley Platinum: A Life in Music, which contains 100 recordings, 77 of them previously unreleased, including Elvis' version of Blowin' in the Wind.