A Prairie Home Companion Coming to Bemidji

Garrison Keillor Chooses John S. Glas Over Sanford

By John Hanson and John Andringa

January 24, 2011

Bemidji, MN — You may want to stay off the ice on Lake Bemidji on Saturday as busloads of first-time ice fishers come up from the Twin Cities. "A Prairie Home Companion" is sponsoring “Invitation: Ice Fishing In Bemidji.” The trip includes a bus ride up from St. Paul to Bemidji, two nights at the AmericInn Lodge and Suites, a bonfire on the shore of Lake Bemidji, four hours of ice fishing, a walleye dinner, a “Logger’s Breakfast,” and sleigh rides.

On Saturday, Feb. 12, Garrison Keillor and his cast will be broadcasting "A Prairie Home Companion" live at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse. At press time, the "A Prairie Home Companion" marketing director, David O’Neil, had not returned calls and emails as to why the show will be performed at the John S. Glas instead of the larger venue, the Sanford Center. An email from the Bemidji city clerk on behalf of the mayor’s office stated, “Garrison Keillor wanted to have it at the John Glas and worked with BSU on the event. We are hoping at some future date he will have one at the Sanford Center.”

While working with "A Prairie Home Companion" management to set up the venue, Duane Biehn, associate director of campus recreations at the Gillett Recreation-Fitness Center, said, “'A Prairie Home Companion' wanted to keep to the theme of a campus tour so they are performing at the John Glas Fieldhouse.”

Garrison Keillor is a Minnesota born author, storyteller, and radio legend. He has written over a dozen books, but is most well known for his weekly radio broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion", which began in 1974, a variety radio show which includes the monologue “News from Lake Wobegon” about a fictitious town in Minnesota.


Currently, the show is broadcast to more than four million listeners on 590 public radio stations across the United States and internationally. "A Prairie Home Companion" will continue the tour at the University of Minnesota Morris and other cities across America.

Tickets are still available for students for $15 with an ID at the Hobson Memorial Union desk. 

John S. Glas Fieldhouse, the venue for "A Prairie Home Companion" in Bemidji on Feb. 12, 2011. 

Poster for "A Prairie Home Companion"