INNISFAIL – The Boob Tour is returning this week and organizers are saying a record number of tickets have been sold for the comedy show to raise money in the ongoing battle against cancer.
This year’s Boob Tour is its 10th in Innisfail, despite it being cancelled from 2020 to 2022 by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s event, which is being sponsored by Field & Forge Brewing Co., is on April 26 in the auditorium at the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion Branch #104. The doors open at 6 p.m. The show starts at 7 p.m.
“We are really close to selling out tickets now for the first time ever,” said event chair Trish Proctor, who noted there were 275 tickets originally available to sell for $30 each but only seven left as of April 19.
She added the Boob Tour has raised an average of $6,000 in each of the prior nine events. All the proceeds go to the Central Alberta Cancer Centre in Red Deer.
“This year our goal is $10,000,” said Proctor.
Event host Danny Rieberger added prior Boob Tour had challenges getting the message out about the show but this year the organizing committee has the volunteer social media services from Serena Bos, zookeeper at Discovery Wildlife Park.
Bos said she has attended the Boob Tour event in previous years but the 2023 event is the first time she has been involved.
“It's important because I recently lost my aunt to cancer, and I'm in the process of losing my grandpa, and at Discovery Wildlife Park we've actually had a few staff members that we've recently lost to cancer,” said Bos. “We have a decent following on Facebook and have experience doing social media, so this was a way that we can give back.
“We're so pumped and excited that this is going to be a sellout year.”
Proctor said there are many reasons why the Boob Tour is popular and touches the hearts of Innisfailians.
“I think the fact that we're able to bring live events back to the community, and people can actually go out and have a night out and not be out until all hours of the night,” said Proctor. “But at the same time who hasn't been affected by cancer?
“It’s the fact they can support an event like this, while giving every single dollar we raise to the (Central Alberta) cancer centre.”
The fundraising event will have a silent auction, 50/50 draw and possibly a live auction.
“The silent auction is unbelievable. This year the business community and Innisfail have stepped up hugely to support this event,” said Proctor.
Of course the 2023 Boob Tour show will feature plenty of laughs from three comedians. Canadian award-winning comedian Dave Nystrom is scheduled to headline all the laughs at this year’s show.
Most importantly, there will be a guest cancer survivor speaker who won’t be named until the night of the event.
“It's a great community event and Field & Forge wants to help the local community. Non-profits and charities are a great way to do that,” said Jared Winder, social media and marketing administrator at Field & Forge.
He added the event is a "near and dear" cause for Robert (Bob) and Anita Bilton, the owners of Field & Forge.
“The mandate came right from Bob that it was important that we sponsor this," said Winder. "Cancer affects us all and we want to help the cancer centre and help Central Albertans fight cancer.”
