Fort Erie Radio comedy night supports local journalism May 22
May 20, 2026 at 3:03 AM
Fort Erie Radio is raising money for its newsroom May 22 through a pay-what-you-can comedy night at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 71.
The fundraiser offers residents a low-cost night out that supports local news in Fort Erie. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Fort Erie legion, where Niagara comedians Jesse Crisp, Trevor Cumming, Dickie Lakeshore and others will perform.
Brent Jones, Fort Erie Radio’s program director, said the station remains Fort Erie’s only daily local news source focused exclusively on the town and said community support will decide how much the newsroom can grow.
Dressed in his “Welland dinnersuit,” Trevor Cumming doles out jokes as questionable as his family’s gene pool but unquestionably hysterical. Credit: Andrew Hawlitzky | Fort Erie RadioCrisp, Cumming and Lakeshore were all part of January’s Big Giggle Gala in Ridgeway, a youth theatre fundraiser that pushed the Sanctuary Centre for the Arts close to capacity and produced no shortage of chuckles, chortles and giggles.
That night raised money for Down the Rabbit Hole Theatre Company.
Jones said the comedians approached Fort Erie Radio after the Ridgeway show and asked how they could help raise money for the newsroom.
“Laughter is a universal language that unites people,” said Jones. “It’s consistent with our on-air mandate to both inform and entertain, sometimes in ways that push the envelope.”
Jones said daily news coverage in a small town relies on donors and local sponsors to keep the newsroom running.
“We focus exclusively on our small town of less than 40,000 people,” said Jones. “To continue telling this town’s stories at this sort of scale, and to continue to grow, it’s going to take a village to get behind our mission.”
The show will run about 90 minutes. Admission operates on a pay-what-you-can basis. Fort Erie Radio merchandise will be for sale and organizers will raffle off a Blackstone grill, which was donated by Fort Erie RONA.
Jones described the lineup as “funny,” “raunchy” and eager to support the station’s journalism work.
“These are guys who just wanted to help and I know attendees are going to have a blast,” said Jones.
The doors open at 7 p.m. on May 22 at Legion Branch 71, which is located at 130 Garrison Road.
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About The Author
Andrew Hawlitzky
Andrew is a Niagara community journalist who has covered everything from local politics to annual festivals and breaking news. He works to make local news a platform where community voices lead the conversation. "If you don't like the news, go out and make some!"
This was fun and worth the price if admission (Pay what you can). Thank you to the comedians who put this on and came from far and wide to perform.
Appreciate you coming out. Thanks for being there. And glad you had fun.