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The Prettiest Part of Washington?

June 11, 2008 | 2 Comments

Dear Garrison,
I have a quick, but important question. How come A Prairie Home Companion has a majority of its shows on the "east coast" but rarely the "west coast"? I have been a fan of your show since I was 11 (I am now 13), and have yet to witness a live performance. Sure, Washington is gray and rainy, but we have plenty of A Prairie Home Companion listeners. I hope you take my plea into consideration.

Miranda M.
Olympia, WA

We love to do the show in Washington, Miranda. Though we've never done it in Olympia, we've done ten or so shows in Spokane and in Seattle, at various theaters downtown and at UW and outdoors at Chateau Ste. Michelle, the winery, and at a park north of town. It only rained on us once that I recall. But the last one was probably around the time you started listening, so that's why you didn't know about it. I happen to like gray rainy weather a lot and always feel sort of invigorated by it. Seattle is a city where people aren't afraid to get a little damp. In fact, we're doing a Rhubarb show at Marymoor Park in August, and I'm sure A Prairie Home Companion will come back to Seattle soon. Or maybe Olympia, who knows? That's on the Olympic peninsula, right? The prettiest part of Washington?

2 Comments

Elisabeth Fredericksen | June 12, 2008 1:05 AM | Reply

Dear Garrison,

I am a Washingston state native and I must inform you that Olympia, the capitol of our state, is not on the Olympic peninsula. It's on Interstate 5 roughly halfway between Seattle and Portland, Oregon. However, I can see where an assumption might be made that Olympia is on the Olympic peninsula. Olympia is the southern gateway to the peninsula. Go to Olympia, head west, hit the Pacific coast, and you're there on the peninsula. The peninsula contains many wonders including the Olympic mountain range, the Hoh rain forest, many wonderful coastal areas, the Quinault archeological dig, a ski resort, etc. but it does not house our state capitol. The Olympic mountains are so formidable that you cannot drive directly west from Seattle to the Pacific coast; you must drive around the mountains either through aforesaid Olympia to the south or take the northern route through Port Angeles.

No geographic ignorance will ever kill my love for your show! Also I devoured your last book with relish.

Regards,
Elisabeth

A Former Seattle Native | June 18, 2008 9:05 AM | Reply

If you drove directly west from Seattle, you would immediately fall into Puget Sound, long before you hit the Olympic Mountains.