The life and legacy of WWE Hall of Famer Andre the Giant will be celebrated in Ellerbe, North Carolina this weekend.
“A Giant Tribute” is a festival in Ellerbe that includes an Andre exhibit at the Rankin Museum of American Heritage, a street fair, an indie wrestling show put on by Titan Championship Wrestling, and a chance to meet Robin Christensen-Roussimoff, who is Andre’s daughter. There will also be a meet-and-greet with stars of Andre’s era – WWE Hall of Famers Ted DiBiase and Bob Orton, along with Haku, The Warlord, The Barbarian, AEW’s Mark Henry, and others.
Andre spent the final 12 years of his life in Ellerbe at the AFJ Ranch.
“Andre was such a big part of our town,” said Rankin Museum President Brett Webb to Sports Illustrated. “He lived in Ellerbe at the AFJ Ranch for the final 12 years of his life. When he wasn’t on the road, he was just another guy in Ellerbe. So to be able to honor him, it’s really special for the community. Andre was larger-than-life here. We’re honored to hold a giant celebration here.”
The Andre exhibit at Rankin Museum includes The Giant’s size-26 red wrestling boots, his pink ring jacket, his Giant Machine mask, one of his famed black singlets, plus Andre-inspired pictures drawn by WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart. Photos from Andre’s personal life and career will also be on display as famed Andre historian Chris Owens brought many pieces from his collection to Ellerbe.
“I am bringing around 50-60 photos for a display that will showcase Andre’s career in and out of the ring,” Owens told SI. “The majority of these photos will not have been seen before by the general public. The photos will show Andre at home in Ellerbe, as well as various photos from his time in Montreal, Japan, and the territories in the 1970s and 80’s.”
“A Giant Celebration” will run from 1pm until 10pm in Ellerbe on Saturday. You can find full details on the planned attractions by visiting the Rankin Museum website at this link.
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