In his trademark red checkered shirt, yellow sou’wester and rubber boots, Jimmy Flynn hits the stage like a summer storm.

Flynn is so closely identified  with having a good time that he is known as Canada’s ambassador of good cheer.

Anyone looking for a break from the winter blues should be sure to mark Feb. 29 on their calendar,  which is when Flynn takes the Algonquin Theatre stage. Showtime is 8 p.m.

Flynn has been entertaining audiences with his high-energy blend of side-splitting comedy and popular music for over 30 years. Nobody sits still when he is on stage.

“If there is one thing people have in common it’s the need to laugh,” said Flynn. “I know it’s   been said many times, but I really believe that laughter is the best medicine.”

People relate to Flynn. He is your next-door neighbour, your funny uncle and a lively entertainer all rolled into one. He bursts onto the stage with his trademark outfit and guitar, bringing with him his own brand of Maritime humour and music.

His ability to find the humour in everyday situations causes people to laugh at themselves. Flynn helps break down the walls people sometimes build around themselves. It is not unusual for him to have the chairman of the board singing arm-in-arm with the shop steward. This interaction between a performer and his audience is a rare talent.

Flynn became a popular radio and television personality during the early 1990s. To date he has produced and broadcast over 300 radio shows, a 13-week television series, three  feature-length videos – which have gone double and triple platinum – seven gold CDs, a Christmas recording for children and a four-time best selling joke book.

He has been a spokesperson for companies such as Pizza Delight Corporation of Canada, Walker Muffler International and Labatt Breweries.

Nevertheless, Flynn is most at home on stage interacting with his audience. People tend to let their hair down and enjoy themselves. No audience is too tough. He once played to 300 Germans who didn’t speak a word of English and still received a standing ovation.

For more information and photos visit www.jimmyflynn.com.

Tickets for Jimmy Flynn are $25 plus GST and available  at the Algonquin Theatre box office on Main Street, by calling 789-4975, or online at www.algonquintheatre.ca.