PEA GREEN — Frigid winter temperatures gave way to the warmth of music on Jan. 24 as the 20th annual Pea Green Saturday Night season opened, a seasonal series of one-of-a-kind variety shows that combine live Americana and bluegrass music, comedy sketches and a community potluck the fourth Saturday of the month through April.
The nostalgia-tinged shows — think public radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion” or “Live from Here,” — are held in the historic Pea Green Community House located at the intersection of Colorado 348 and Banner Road, in rural Montrose County.
The doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the show starting promptly at 7, when the Pea Green Brothers, Len Willey and Dean Rickman then take the stage to open the show, broadcasting to the world from the fictional radio station KPEA in front of a red velvet curtain. Admission is $20 at the door and seats in the old and lovingly maintained grange-style hall fill up fast.
The show feels like stepping back into a simpler era, friendly and informal, a celebration of community, tradition and shared heritage through music and laughter.
“I can only say that I have been doing this show for 20 years, and I’m not sure if it seems like a long time or like no time,” said Willey, the show’s founder. “The best change in that time was the use of the red velvet curtains, with its antique trolley system, followed by the addition of Dean to the program and the creation and evolution of the Pea Green Brothers as a legitimate act in its own right.”
Willey and Rickman report that not much has changed since the last season. Attendees, known as “Pea Greeners,” will hear similar music from local musicians and bands — often playing fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin — delivering homespun, distinctly American tunes. The styles range from traditional old-time string music to bluegrass, with groups like Way Down Yonder and The Great Western Heritage Show featured in past years.
The North Fork Valley band Hypothetical Bluegrass Solution warms up backstage before their Pea Green Saturday Night performance Jan. 24. (William Woody, Special to The Colorado Sun)Over 20 seasons, 80 performances and countless songs, jokes, laughs, stories and memories later, Rickman describes that the journey has been a “blur,” but what happens in Pea Green on four Saturdays in the winter, is magical in its affectionate originality.
“For me it’s been a blur as there is not much for me to remember … especially the early years,” Rickman said. “At this pace, we will have over 50 seasons by 2056. Can’t wait to see how this goes!”
LEFT: Lapel buttons celebrating the 20th season of Pea Green Saturday Night sit in a metal pail near a tip jar for performers. RIGHT: Dean Rickman presents a can of peas in the show’s Can-O-Peas giveaway contest during the opening show of the season Jan. 24. (William Woody, Special to The Colorado Sun)
Last season, the pipes at the Pea Green Community House froze before one of the performances, this led to a delay in the performance and the potluck meal — snacks and homemade dishes brought by attendees — that gave the evening a family-reunion vibe. Longtime locals mingle with visitors, swapping stories and catching up on life in rural Western Colorado.
There have been many other logistical lessons learned over the years in putting together the show, according to Rickman.
“The microphone that we use at Pea Green has to be pointed in the right direction or it does not work. We gave a show one night a few years ago and the thing was pointing at the audience, not at us,” Rickman said. “Now we check that carefully to make sure we are using it correctly. It’s there to help everyone hear us and, if it’s not working properly, that spells trouble.”
LEFT: The Pea Green Brothers Dean Rickman, left, and Len Willey, perform during the 80th show of Pea Green Saturday Night. RIGHT: Dean Rickman signals to the audience when it’s time to applaud. (William Woody, Special to The Colorado Sun)
One of the best accomplishments over the past 20 seasons, according to Rickman, is the monthly “Can-O-Peas give-a-way” contest. Basically, one participant wins a can of green peas.
“I think it is, without a doubt, the most successful canned pea-related contest in Delta County,” Rickman said wryly. “It gives so many fans a chance to win something meaningful … something that can hold on to and pass down as a family heirloom. And if that doesn’t work out, they can eat it.”
The audience focuses on the performance of The Great Western Heritage Show while contributions to the community potluck wait on nearby tables. (William Woody, Special to The Colorado Sun)This past November, Willey attended a show by Garrison Keillor, the founding host of “A Prairie Home Companion,” at the Montrose Pavilion. Wiley said he was able to connect with Keillor and explain to him that PGSN’s roots are tied deeply to Keillor’s former national radio program.
“I told him about PGSN, and how 2026 is the 20th anniversary. I also mentioned the wooden floors, the red velvet curtain and its antique trolley system, two bands, food and the Pea Green Brothers,” Willey said. “He then asked, ‘Where’s Pea Green?’ Well, I’m glad you asked. Pea Green is an intersection, with buildings on three corners, and a corn field on the fourth. Keillor asked further, ‘Why is it called Pea Green?’ Because that is the chosen color of the three buildings.”
Keillor asked if the show is broadcast. “Yes,” Willey told him, “through our very own fictional radio station KPEA. He thought that was odd.”
Rickman said the Pea Green brothers and the volunteers who put the show together are grateful for each new season.
“Thank you for your support and we hope you keep coming,” Rickman said, adding, “always arrive early because seats sell out fast, parking is free, and don’t forget to bring a seat cushion for your chair. And 8-by-10 photos of the Pea Green Brothers are still available for autographs.”
The 20th Season of Pea Green Saturday NightFeb. 28: Hard Pressed, Stone KitchenMarch 28: Lynn and George, Zin ZinApril 25: Heaven When We’re Home, Hugh Phillips
Props and other performance materials sit backstage on the eve of the 20th season of Pea Green Saturday Night. (William Woody, Special to The Colorado Sun)Hence then, the article about pea green saturday night launches 20th season at the intersection of music and twang in cheek humor was published today ( ) and is available on Colorado Sun ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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