Ryan Pelton started his career because his mother dared him to enter an Elvis contest in Columbus, Ohio, with one week to prepare and no singing experience. He won. By 2001 he had taken the World Champion title at the Worldwide Images of the King Contest in Memphis. What followed: nearly a decade with Legends in Concert, including six years based in Myrtle Beach; a stint as Elvis’s body double alongside Celine Dion on American Idol; and lead roles in two feature films: Hounddog with Dakota Fanning and The Identical with Ray Liotta and Ashley Judd. On Saturday, December 5, Pelton brings An Elvis Christmas Show to Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe for the closing night of a three-night run.
About the Show
An Elvis Christmas Show combines classic Elvis material with holiday music — what the venue describes as “entertaining and dazzling.” It’s the final night of a December 3–5 run that includes matinee and evening performances across the weekend. No support acts are on the bill. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the show begins at 8:00 p.m.
Pelton describes himself as “the Forrest Gump of the ETA world,” which is a funny self-assessment for someone who has spent nearly three decades building one of the more unusual careers in tribute entertainment. His 2026 touring schedule stretches from Pennsylvania county fairs to a Westbury, New York music-fair date to an ongoing residency with Legends in Concert in Branson, Missouri. He also released a debut album of original material, Wash Over Me, in 2011 and was signed as a songwriter by a Nashville publishing company. Jim Thorpe is one of his annual December stops.
Venue & Logistics
Penn’s Peak sits in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, in the Pocono Mountains — accessible from the Hudson Valley region and worth the trip out into the hills. If you’re making the drive for this one, build in some time before doors: Jim Thorpe has a reputation as one of the more scenic small towns in the region. Tickets for the December 5 evening show are also available through the Penn’s Peak box office, Roadies Restaurant & Bar, and by phone at 866-605-PEAK.
Tickets
Tickets range from $25 for Regular Reserved seating to $30 for Premium Reserved and $35 for Super Premium Reserved. On sale to the general public starting July 17, 2026; Sneak Peak Club Members had access beginning July 13. Buy tickets