By Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen

Following the enormous success of her third studio album and second consecutive #1 debut, “Best Damn Thing,” pop punker Avril Lavigne will kick off her 2008 Best Damn Tour on March 5 in Victoria, BC. The tour will be produced by Live Nation and feature dancers along with special guests Boys Like Girls. The first 32 North American concerts have been announced with more concerts to be revealed shortly.

“I can’t wait to get back out on the road!” said Lavigne, in a press release. “I have the most fun when I am performing for the fans. I think that energy comes through in my live show.”

“Best Damn Thing” was released in April and is certified Platinum in the U.S. and selling more than 4.5 million copies worldwide. The album was produced by Butch Walker (The Donnas, American Hi-Fi, Lavigne’s second album Under My Skin), Dr. Luke (Pink, Lady Sovereign), Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance) and her husband Deryck Whibley of Sum 41.

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Having sold close to 30 million albums worldwide, Lavigne is one of the biggest selling artists of her generation, bursting onto the music scene in 2002 with the critically acclaimed “Let Go,” which featured the smash singles “Sk8r Boi” and “Complicated.”

Tickets go on sale Saturday, Nov. 17, through Live Nation and Ticketmaster.

Avril Lavigne “Best Damn Tour” North American itinerary:

5-Mar Victoria Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
7-Mar Vancouver General Motors Place
8-Mar Kamloops Interior Savings Centre
9-Mar Kelowna Prospera Place
11-Mar Prince George CN Centre
12-Mar Edmonton Rexall Place
13-Mar Calgary Pengrowth Saddledome
15-Mar Regina Brandt Centre
16-Mar Saskatoon Credit Union Centre
18-Mar Winnipeg MTS Centre
21-Mar Chicago Allstate Arena
22-Mar Detroit Palace of Auburn Hills
25-Mar Pittsburgh A.J. Palumbo Center
26-Mar Cleveland Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University
29-Mar Buffalo HSBC Arena
3-Apr Ottawa Scotia Bank Place
7-Apr Toronto Air Canada Centre
9-Apr London John Labatt Centre
12-Apr Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena
13-Apr Manchester Verizon Arena
15-Apr Fairfax Patriot Center
22-Apr Biloxi Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
24-Apr Hidalgo Dodge Arena
26-Apr Dallas Smirnoff Music Centre
27-Apr San Antonio Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
29-Apr Las Vegas The Pearl
30-Apr San Diego Cox Arena at Aztec Bowl
2-May Phoenix Cricket Wireless Pavilion
3-May Anaheim Honda Center
4-May Los Angeles Gibson Amphitheatre
6-May Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Bowl
9-May Spokane Spokane Arena