Editor’s Note:  Under brilliant summer skies, Mountain News contributing writer and Cooper sleuth Meyer Louie attended last weekend’s first annual DB Cooper Music Festival, held near Olympia, WA.  Here is his report:

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 August 4, 2013     

 Report on the DB Cooper Music Festival at Medicine Creek Winery

 I attended the festival this afternoon at Medicine Creek Winery in Nisqually, WA. It was only 10 minutes from my house, so I thought, “Why not?!” I arrived mid-afternoon and had the option of paying $10, $15, or $20 – depending on how long I wanted to stay. I paid $15.

I listened to three bands – mostly reggae and blues – it was all top-notch music – very nice. It was hot, mid 80s, but the Medicine Creek Winery facility was quite spacious, cool, and comfortable.  The inside area was a nice bar and restaurant, with lots of elbow room.  People were sunning, shading, eating, drinking, and listening to good music.  The turnout was pretty good, and it was clean and comfortable – quite classy, in fact.

I looked around for anything Cooper – any booths, costumes, or people just talking about Cooper – and all I found was one guy in the first band I listened to – he was dressed up just like DB Cooper – shades, black tie, dark sports jacket, white shirt. The resemblance was uncanny – shocking, in fact.  He looked a lot like the sunglasses composite of Cooper. He was a bit young, but the resemblance was scary. Then he posed next to the composite of Cooper that was hanging on the wall (the official DB Cooper Music Festival poster – check it out on Google or Facebook – I’m sure it will be there) – and, except for being a little young, he looked just like the Cooper composite. I’m serious! I asked him if he was a nephew or grandson of DB Cooper, he said he didn’t think so.

Other than that, there was nothing else Cooper at the DB Cooper Music Festival. I must admit, I was disappointed. The focus was the music, not our man. So I got a little creative – or so I thought.

I asked around about who had any information on the man for whom the festival was supposed to be about. One of the concession ladies said her husband had written the Facebook ad about Cooper for the festival. I found him.

Turns out he was a member of one of the bands. He acknowledged writing the piece on Cooper, and he said he got all of the information from Wikipedia. I had read it last night, on Facebook – most of the write-up was correct, just a couple of glitches on the basic facts. He, in turn, introduced me to the emcee – the guy who was introducing all of the acts. I informed him that I am one of the guys who is still investigating the Cooper case. One band had just finished, a new band was coming on, so what does the emcee do? He gets up and tells the crowd there is an actual “Cooper investigator” in the crowd. He pointed me out and introduced me as “Louie” and encouraged anyone who wanted to talk about the DB Cooper case to find me and I’d be willing to answer their questions (okay, I agreed to this beforehand). I got several takers actually. It was fun answering their questions and talking about the many suspects and theories out there.

Before I left the festival, I gave the emcee my business card and offered to set up a booth at next year’s festival. The booth would be an information booth about DB Cooper – books, articles, souvenirs, T-shirts, if you will – you know – real information and facts about DB Cooper – for whom the festival was supposed to be about. The emcee (who was also one of the event organizers) was open to the idea. So, next year we might have a booth.  If it comes to that, I will ask for your assistance – volunteers, books, articles, souvenirs –whatever you think should go into our little DB Cooper information booth. There were some big name local sponsors for the festival – so, who knows, the festival may become a big deal someday. It was fun.

 ©  2013  Meyer Louie