Comedians hope to bring laughs to support fairgrounds

Local comedians will be giving a performance Saturday, in hopes of supporting and raising some money for the Great Northern Fairgrounds.

At 7 p.m. the Community Center at the fairgrounds will play host to Funnies for the Fair, put together by community member Paul Verity.

Verity said he was inspired to organize a show after he met James DeRosier, a Chinook man who organized a similar show to support the Blaine County Fair.

“He was a major inspiration,” he said.

The Great Northern Fair Board at its meeting May 15 reported that the fair had received some insurance payments and hopes to remain solvent through the end of the fiscal year, ending June 30. Revenue from the campsite at the grounds and other revenue is expected to help, they said.

The board reported early this year that it had gone in the hole in its budget, leading to cutting expenses including eliminating the fairgrounds manager.

Along with being the promoter, Verity said, he will also be performing.

The other comedians rounding out the bill will be James Carden and City Council Member Lindsey Ratliff, both from Havre, and Phillip Tilly and Conner Roma from Billings.

Verity said he is hoping that a few more comedians from Missoula will also join the lineup.

It is going to be a very funny night, he added.

Tickets are $10 each with 50 percent of the proceeds going to the fairgrounds.

If a person would like to purchase tickets early, they can call Verity at 262-0059.

“I will deliver the tickets to them personally,” Verity added.