If you haven’t been paying attention, Columbus’ comedy scene has been booming. We’re not just talking about a few open mics here and there. We’re talking full-on comedy renaissance.
Don’t Tell Comedy, the national comedy powerhouse known for hosting secret shows in non-traditional venues, held more shows in Columbus than any other city in the country last year. That’s right… more than LA, New York, and Chicago. Columbus is officially the biggest market in the U.S. for Don’t Tell Comedy.
And it’s not just Don’t Tell. We’ve got legit venues like The Funny Bone, The Attic, The Nest Theatre, and Hashtag Comedy Co., with even more open mics popping off weekly in bars across the city.
So yeah, it makes a lot of sense that the Columbus Comedy Festival is back, and it’s coming in hot.
Putting Columbus Comedy on the Map
The first-ever Columbus Comedy Festival took place just last year, and even then, it was a beast. We’re talking over 150 performers, 5,500+ tickets sold, and some truly unforgettable sets.
This year? We’re going bigger. The shows are bigger. The names are bigger. It’s getting hype.
Major Names Are Coming to Town
Already announced for this year’s lineup:
- Pauly Shore
- Mo Welch
- Sam Tallent
- Geoffrey Asmus… I’ve been obsessed with Geoffrey’s stand-up lately. The man knows the capital of every country, lost his virginity in his mid-twenties, and talks about both of those things a lot on stage. It’s unhinged. It’s brilliant. It’s so funny.
And that’s just scratching the surface.
The Second City Is Bringing the Heat
If you’re into improv, and even if you’re not, you need to see The Second City’s performance at the festival.
The second city is responsible for helping launch the careers of:
- Tina Fey
- Steve Carell
- Chris Farley
- Amy Poehler
- Stephen Colbert
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus
- Tim Robinson (we love you, you little freak)
- And a dozen other SNL legends and comedy giants
Seeing a Second City troupe live is like getting front-row seats to a future Emmy winner before they blow up.
When & Where
🗓️ Dates: Thursday, September 4 – Sunday, September 7
📍 Location: All over Columbus (multiple venues)
🎟️ Tickets: Available here
TL;DR: Columbus Is a Comedy City!
If you haven’t caught a local show yet, let this be your sign. Columbus isn’t just keeping up with the national comedy scene… we want to lead it!
Get your tickets now, and prepare to laugh so hard you forget how messed up everything is for a couple hours.
👉 Check out the full schedule and ticket info for the Columbus Comedy Festival here