While news has been trickling out since the taping of CBC Radio’s Laugh Out Loud comedy show at KV Billiards in Quispamsis, the official announcement was made today that Something Funny Inc. will be presenting a full blown comedy festival for Southern New Brunswick.
With James Mullinger’s Comedy Boot Camp getting a second season, the success of the Every Comedian In New Brunswick show, and the recording of CBC Radio’s Laugh Out Loud program bringing national attentional attention for some of our homegrown comedians, the comedy scene in New Brunswick taking on an unprecedented healthy glow. Comedy producers Mark Burnett and Didi Lloyd of Something Funny Inc. have decided that now is the time to get serious about a comedy festival here.
The festival is still the better part of a year away, taking place October 20th and 21st, 2017, with lots of preparations and final details still to get ironed out. We do know that much of the festival will be taking place at venues throughout the Kennebecasis Valley, and will be bringing some of Atlantic Canada’s best and brightest stand up, sketch, and improvisational comedians to the area.
The full event will include a live recording for future broadcast, open mic nights, multiple shows featuring national and international headliners, and a conference portion for those working in the comedy industry, and will conclude with a gala event on the Saturday evening at the Kennebecasis Valley High School theatre.
While there are still many details to come, those familiar with the flourishing comedy scene can make guesses as to which names will be gracing the line-up. In the meantime the festival has announced two of the participating comedians: Brian Aylward, winner of the 2016 Canadian Comedy Awards Best Standup Comic, and the very funny Jimmy MacKinley of CBC and SiriusXM.
“Having the opportunity to host so many comics here at once is very special,” says organizer Mark Burnett. “I’m thrilled that we can showcase the talent we have here in the east in this way. I’m beyond excited for the festival. Comedy has been growing steadily in New Brunswick over the last few years and I’m glad we have the opportunity to provide this experience to comedy fans here.”
Tickets and festival passes will be available soon, as will information on performing comedians and groups. Also, if you hadn’t already noticed the suspicious lack of a name for the comedy festival, now is the time to start thinking about it. Check back soon for contest details!