BANGOR HOME COMPANION

It may have been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, the fictional hometown of “A Prairie Home Companion” host Garrison Keillor. But in Bangor, where Mr. Keillor broadcast his weekly radio show live from the auditorium Saturday night, it was anything but quiet.

The popularity of the public radio show, which has been on the air since 1974, was confirmed in Maine when tickets for the Bangor broadcast sold out shortly after becoming available in October. On Saturday night, the audience embraced the Minnesotan and his radio cohorts. And it’s possible the show’s 4 million listeners embraced Bangor and Maine, at least for the evening.

Whenever Bangor or Maine are on a national media stage, it’s natural to wonder: Are we being portrayed flatteringly, and is the exposure good for us? Both questions could be answered affirmatively.

Charles Beck, vice president of radio services for Maine Public Broadcasting, provided some demographics of “Prairie Home Companion” listeners; they’re the sort of people who would likely travel to and spend money in Maine, or possibly retire here. The 4 million are split evenly between the genders, the median age is 57, and 61 percent are between the ages of 35 and 64. Nearly 70 percent have college degrees or higher, and 46 percent have annual incomes of $75,000 or more. In short, these temporary residents of Lake Wobegon are a good target for Maine tourism efforts.

Beyond the economic benefits of the show’s visit, it was just plain fun. Mr. Keillor made several references to Stephen King and the University of Maine, which drew applause and cheers from the audience. The house band even performed an instrumental version of “The Maine Stein Song.”

As he customarily does when he takes the show on the road, Mr. Keillor included a thumbnail sketch of Bangor’s history. He also described his visit to Bangor International Airport, its past as Dow Air Force Base and its 2-mile-long runway, and the commitment of the local troop greeters.

Maine native David Mallett performed three songs, including his music-accompanied spoken-word piece that drew on Henry David Thoreau’s journal of his visit to Maine, and Mallett’s own folk classic, “The Garden Song.” Maine fiddlers Doug Protsik, Milo Stanley, Carter Newell and Lucien Mathieu also performed.

Seeing ourselves through an outsider’s eyes, particularly when those eyes are as sensitive to the wonders of small-town life as Mr. Keillor’s are, is somehow validating and uplifting. During the intermission, when Mr. Keillor read audience greetings to family and friends, one of the notes used the phrase, “Maine, the way life should be.” The audience roared its approval, suggesting that is how we see ourselves. For that moment, it was as if Maine were seeking a blessing from Mr. Keillor, the champion of small-town life, and he seemed to give it.

The stations of Maine Public Broadcasting Network will rebroadcast the Bangor show from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday. Then it is up to Bangor and Maine to rebroadcast the energy of the show and the appeal of the region to a receptive audience.