For the Reporter

“Weird Al” Yankovic’s Mandatory World Tour is coming Sept. 14 to the Washington State Fair, part of the Columbia Bank Concert Series.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m.

The tour – scheduled to visit more than 100 cities throughout North America, Europe, and Australia – follows the release of Weird Al’s album, Mandatory Fun (RCA Records). The album was released last July and immediately shot to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart.

It is the first time in over 50 years that a comedy album has topped the charts, and the first time ever that a comedy album debuted in the top position.

Mandatory Fun has also been nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Comedy Album.

Tickets are $60 for Golden Circle, $40 and $30 with reserved seating, and include fair gate admission. Tickets will be on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at www.thefair.com/concerts or by phone at 1-888-559-FAIR (3247) daily, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tickets also can be purchased in person at the fair’s Box Office at 9th Avenue Southwest and Meridian Street on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a $1 per ticket service fee will be charged for on-site purchases.

For more information about the Sept. 11-27 fair, visit www.thefair.com.