The night will feature Ballarat’s Hap Hayward and Melbourne International Comedy Festival stars Shaun Rosaia and Cody Jones.

Entry is free, with patrons asked to donate what they think the show was worth at the end.

Rosaia will close the show and Jones will MC, with Ballarat comedians Ross Watson, Scott Angove and David Germon also booked.

Titled ‘Locally Grown Funnies’, creator and comedian Tim Young said it would give up and coming comedians from western Victoria a gig in front of their home crowd.

“The idea is to make it a regular thing,” he said.

“We just want to get it out there and see how the Ballarat public respond.”

“People can show their stuff in Ballarat without having to go to Melbourne.”

Locally Grown Funnies will run monthly if the opening show is a success on Saturday night.

Rosaia, who is from Bendigo, said he would use the gig to trial material for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in April.

“Sometimes you might be funny in your own head but until you say it in front of an audience you don’t know,” he said.

“With a festival show coming up it will be a chance to trial new stuff.”

Other comedians to booked for the night include Nhill’s Alison Dahlenburg, Bendigo’s Zach Storer and Bellbrae’s Tait Middleton.

Rosaia said travelling to Melbourne for shows can become tiring for comedians based in regional areas.

“For a major regional city like Ballarat it is a good opportunity to grow the scene,” he said.

“It is very much there to provide an opportunity, any chance to do things like this show is an opportunity to develop their skills and get stage time.

“They learn to know when the crowd is on your side, how to interact with them and all the skills they need.”

More information about the show can be found at the event’s Facebook page.

It starts at 8pm at Babushka Bar on Humffray Street North.