The Columbus Comedy Festival is back for its third year, bringing more than 100 comedians to stages across the city from August 27 through August 30.
This year’s festival includes more than 60 shows at venues throughout Columbus, with a lineup that mixes nationally touring comics, hometown favorites, improv, sketch, drag, game shows, and plenty of offbeat comedy.
One of the weekend’s biggest events features Columbus icon Nina West hosting an LGBTQ+ comedy showcase at the Palace Theatre.
The evening will be headlined by Kristin Key, whose television credits include Last Comic Standing, Comics Unleashed, and VH1.
The Columbus Funny Bone will host national headliners Greg Fitzsimmons and Arnez J. throughout the weekend, while Jason Banks returns with two original shows: the comedy dating game Cuffing Snz and a crowd work show co-hosted by Henry Allen.
Over at The Attic Comedy Club in Olde Towne East, audiences can catch Drew Dunn, Kasaun Wilson, Learnmore Jonasi, and Jazmyn W. in a series of smaller performances.
The festival also includes sketch and improv shows.
Those shows will feature James Adomian, Connor Ratliff, and Josh Fadem, along with returning favorites like FemaleAF, Drunk PowerPoint, Coffee + Comedy, Ha Ha Kedavra, Chad The Bird, the Columbus Roast Battle, and the OSU Buckeye Standup Club Show.
Shows will take place at venues across the city, including the Palace Theatre, Columbus Funny Bone, Seventh Son Brewing Co., MadLab, The Nest Theatre, The Hashtag Comedy Company, Don’t Tell Comedy: Columbus, and more.
“The local comedy scene in Columbus is one of the city’s best kept secrets, but we aim to change that,” festival co-founder Walker Evans said. “Every year we see new attendees that turn into new comedy fans that are excited to check out local shows on a regular basis. There’s really great comedy going on in this city every single weekend, all year long.”
The festival is organized by Columbus Underground, the locally owned media company behind events like the Columbus Coffee Festival, Urban Living Tour, and Sweet Treats Dessert Festival. Proceeds from its events help support local journalism throughout the year.
Tickets are on sale now, and the full lineup and schedule are available at ColumbusComedyFest.com.
