FAIRMONT — Finding something to occupy our free time is a little more challenging in 2020.

Everybody still needs a chance to unwind and enjoy themselves, but with multiple cancellations and postponements the options are limited. Fortunately, Red Rock Center for the Arts has announced it will host its annual murder mystery dinner theater and a contact-free auction on July 31 and Aug. 1.

In light of the pandemic, Red Rock will only be able to host 50 guests at a time instead of the usual 120.

The murder mystery dinner, written and directed by Paul Warshauer, is an interactive event with guests allowed to talk with members of the cast at one point. Warshauer shared some of his history with Red Rock, as well as a few hints as to what the show is about.

“This is the ninth annual show I’ve done for the Red Rock Center,” he said. “That’s the longest run that I’ve ever had with any organization since I first started doing shows in 1991. It’s one of my favorite venues.”

That’s saying a lot, as Warshauer notes that he has offered shows around the country and the world.

“It’s always fun to come up with a storyline for the Fairmont group,” he said. “In one show, we were going to bulldoze channels so a riverboat could go through all five lakes. In another, we were going to build a women’s prison in the downtown area.

“A lot of the fun that I have is with the women of the Chubb House. I meet with them in January and they ply me full of sweets and goodies and coffee, and for the last eight years or so we’ve had these wonderful meetings where we talk about different scenarios.”

This year, Warshauer has come up with a show titled “Murder at the Hippy Dippy Market,” revolving around two families who live in Imogene.

“The families have been fighting for three generations; one has a hog farm and the other raises artichokes,” he said. “They’re arguing about whether or not to make the whole of Martin County into an organic farm haven, and it’s right before a murder.”

Warshauer wants his audience to get to know the characters before the murder takes place. He also has the deceased come back to deliver some kind of speech. Another feature is the interactive element, which Warshauer explains.

“The audience gets to cross-examine the suspects after the murder occurs,” he said. “They spend about 15 minutes doing that, and the questions are spontaneous. The actors have to be ready to go, and they’re usually very good.”

The event also includes a contact-free auction, which Red Rock director Sonja Fortune explained.

“The auction features items from donors near and far, from convenience store gift cards and car details, to things like Valley fair, Chanhassen and casino stays,” she said. “Due to the limited capacity in person, for the first time ever the auction will be open to the public, and can be accessed through our website beginning at 6 p.m. on July 28, and will close during the dinner theatre on both Friday and Saturday night.

“All of the proceeds from the auction will be used for our upcoming season of events and operating expenses. Although we don’t know exactly what the next season will look like, we do know the season will go on. Some events will be in person while others may be virtual and sometimes a little of both. We will continue to evolve just as the world around us will evolve and change over the next several months.”

Fortune asks those who would like to help Red Rock to consider a tax-deductible donation to the Martin County Preservation Association, which manages Red Rock Center for the Arts and Chubb House. She also noted that although tickets for the Saturday night show are sold out, there are tickets available for Friday that can be purchased online at redrockcenter.org or by calling the Red Rock and leaving a message at (507) 235-9262.