Wed 10/8-Sat 10/11
It’s the 18th year for the Cleveland Comedy Festival, an event that brings four big days of chuckles, guffaws and peals of laughter to the west side of Cleveland, with some five dozen performers, from across the country as well as from Cleveland. Each night features multiple events at venues primarily in Ohio City, but also Tremont, Gordon Square and Lakewood.
You can start on Wednesday with rising comedian/musician Samantha Archual (pictured) performing at the Market Garden Brewery’s Irishtown Bend Taproom; Cleveland comic Bill Squire’s “The Revival” at the East End Bar and Café in Lakewood; and the Village Idiot Open Mic at the Lakewood Village Tavern.
Thursday offers another Happy Hour showcase; a Women & Wine showcase; a Hi & Dry showcase at Hi & Dry Bowling and Beer in Tremont; and the My Cuzin Funny showcase headlined by Brooklyn comedia Rufat Agayev. Friday brings another Happy Hour showcase; a program headlined by Emma Dalenberg; Stephen Taylor hosting a late night show; and something called the King of the Castle Heckle Mic, where comedians perform for four minutes, the first two heckle-free and the last two ….well, it’s open season!
Saturday opens with the “Unsuitable Language” live podcast at Forest City Brewery; a recording of the Cleveland America podcast live with Bill Squire and friends, and an afternoon showcase at the same venue; another Women & Wine showcase over at Market Garden Brewery; and a Saturday evening show headlined by Josh Adams at Forest City (Don’t sweat it; they’re just a couple of blocks apart). The Roast Battle Cleveland at Forest City Brewery wraps things up.
Go here for a detailed schedule and tickets.