8 Celebs Spotted in the Yakima Valley
We get it, celebrities are just people like us; they eat and go to the bathroom just like anyone else...
When a famous entertainer or someone with notoriety comes to town, a lively spirit seems to fill the Yakima Valley air. Excitement gets kicked up a notch. When a celebrity makes time for a visit to the Yakima Valley it does feel kind of exciting, not going to lie. In fact, the only downside to a celeb being spotted in the Yakima Valley is that the negative and the toxic people get real bent out of shape over it. They act as though we should feel ashamed to feel just a little giddy about seeing a celebrity. We, however, say hey, if you get excited about spotting a celebrity in the Yakima Valley, that’s all that counts.
Whether a celebrity was spotted in Yakima for a concert tour or as a stop on their way to some other part of the state, it’s always fun when a celebrity visits our neck of the woods. They could have just kept on driving right past the “Welcome to Yakima, The Palm Springs of Washington” sign on I-82, but they came here anyway!
8 Cool Times That Celebs Have Been Spotted in Yakima Valley
8. Bob Hope
If you are lucky enough to take a tour of The Capitol Theatre in Yakima, you will get to see the old “Green Room”. It is a small room where celebrities got dressed and relaxed before they went on stage to perform. The room has a white brick wall that is covered in the autographs of celebrities that have been to The Capitol Theatre. One of the signatures is of Bob Hope, who was the first celebrity to perform after the theater was restored after a damaging fire. The year was 1978. It was a big deal back then that the legendary Bob Hope came to Yakima.
7. Alton Brown
Another performance at The Capitol Theatre that drew a big crowd of lookie-loos hoping for an autograph or selfie, was with Food Network’s Alton Brown. You can read about his visit here.
6. Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner was spotted in Grandview doing charity work at the middle school. She arrived unannounced to the general public so only a handful of people (mostly kids) got to see and meet her. You can read about that here.
5. Jim Gaffigan
Jim slid into Yakima/Union Gap unannounced. It was only after seeing this post on Twitter did we find out he had been through here. Hopefully the next time, he’ll give us a heads up so we can say ‘Hi.’
4. James Franco
James Franco directed a movie in the Lower Valley and held auditions near some orchards. This happened before he was accused of all that bad stuff, so people in Yakima were excited that he was in town.
3. Bernie Sanders
He may be considered just a politician, but Bernie made a big name for himself when he ran for President against Donald Trump back in March 2016. He held a campaign rally at the Yakima Sundome and thousands of people showed up to cheer him on or to watch the spectacle. Senator Sanders had dinner at Cowiche Canyon Kitchen and had Secret Service agents guarding the entryway of the restaurant whilst he ate.
2. Bill Murray
When actor Bill Murray stopped through Yakima, he craved Thai food and grabbed a bite to eat at Yakima Thai Cuisine restaurant. Despite accounts that Bill is rude and disrespectful, the staff at Yakima Thai Cuisine said he was extremely nice and left a great tip.
1. Robin Givens
The classy and elegant Robin Givens came to Yakima to speak about her experiences with domestic violence. She shared her story of survival at the Yakima Convention Center as a guest of the Yakima YWCA, which in addition to a mission of eliminating racism also runs an emergency shelter for battered women and their children.
Speaking of celebrities spotted in Yakima, if you want to catch a glimpse of one, these 5 places might surprise you.
RELATED: These 5 Restaurants Are a Hot Spot for Spotting Celebs in Yakima, WA
Got a news tip? Email us here.
MORE TO READ:
LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state
LOOK: Baby names that are illegal around the world
More From 92.9 The Bull
