The final curtain will come down on the Freeport Lioness-Lions Club Variety Show on the night of April 9 at the Freeport Performing Arts Center.

The 30th and final variety show, which goes off at 7 p.m., is entitled “Return to 1986: Everybody Have Fun Tonight,” from the popular disco song of the era. More importantly, 1986 was the first year the Lioness Club put on the show, well before the group merged with the Lions Club in 2007. That arrangement will continue.

Martha Daly, Lioness-Lions Club treasurer, said that the fun show is just naturally coming to its end.

“We’re tired,” Daly said. “It’s a fun thing to do but it’s a big commitment. If you’re in the chorus, you practice for nine weeks for two to three hours, every Sunday. We have lots of newer members, and we’re looking into different things.”

The club itself is continuing its mission toraise money for scholarships, Freeport Community Services and other charitable causes. There are about 30 members who meet on the second and fourth Thursday of the month at Oak Leaf Terrace on South Street. The club also holds a craft fair in the fall.

Daly said that a committee picks the songs to be performed at every variety show. Club members will be wearing costumes to match the 1986 music. Last year, the club performed “one-hit wonders.” There have been shows with Broadway themes, USO themes and “America by rail.”

“It’s all volunteer,” Daly said. “The ‘Happy Hoofers,’ a dance group from Gorham, come and dance for us. Sherry Cheney of Freeport is one of their members. We try to pack a lot into our shows, and people enjoy them.”

Cindi LaHaye, vice president of the Freeport Lioness-Lions Club, agreed with Daly that it’s time the club looks for a different fundraiser.

“It’s kind of bittersweet,” LaHaye said, “but we’re looking into something different. It’s a lot to ask of families to give up a member for that long, plus a dress rehearsal and steering committee meetings once a week.”

Daly traced the history of the Freeport Lioness-Lions Club.

“We were originally a Lioness Club,” she said. “In 2007 we became a Lioness-Lions Club. They let us keep the name ‘Lioness’ when we joined the Lions Club. Back in the dark ages, Lionesses were Lions Club auxiliaries. There are only three or four Lioness-Lions Clubs in the state.”

Daly thanked everyone who has helped with the variety show.

“We just want to be sure that our thanks go to our volunteers on the stage and behind the scenes, our advertisers and the audience that has supported us all these years,” she said.

A closer look

The Freeport Lioness-Lions variety show, “Return to 1986: Everybody Have Fun Tonight,” will be performed Saturday, April 9, at 7 p.m.,  at the Freeport Performing Arts Center. Tickets for the fundraiser can be purchased in advance or at the show, and are $10 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. For more information, call 865-6188 or 846-5697.