Get ready for laughs at the Columbus Comedy Festival

Things are going to get funny around here in September. The city welcomes the Columbus Comedy Festival from September 4-7, 2025 for the 2nd year in a row.

A laughter-filled extravaganza awaits, featuring a diverse array of comedic talent from national headliners to local gems. Columbus is making its mark in the national comedy scene, already home to many comedy clubs, theatre groups, and venues.

Columbus Comedy Festival

The event is spread across various venues including The Columbus Funny Bone, Palace Theatre, Shadowbox Live, Maroon Culture Lab, The Attic Comedy Club, MadLab, The Nest Theatre, The Hashtag Comedy Company, Don’t Tell Comedy: Columbus, Leisure Club, and more.

The lineup of shows will include a mix of stand-up comedy, improv, sketch comedy, live podcast recording, variety/alternative shows, game shows, industry mixers and more.

This year’s festival boasts several exciting additions, including:

• Multiple comedy magic shows featuring homegrown talent including Michael Kent and Chris Hanowell.
• More venues including the Up Front Performance Space (renovated in 2024), Leisure Club, Boxland Media and the Maroon Culture Lab (previously known as the Pythian Theater, next to the King Arts Complex).
• More showcases and thematic shows to help audience members discover new performers. That includes a showcase featuring all Asian and Asian-American performers, a show that is all “crowd work” for fans of interactivity, a “roast battle” show, and a student-centric showcase of up-and-coming performers straight from OSU’s Buckeye Stand Up Club.

credit: Columbus Comedy Festival

Who’s performing at Columbus Comedy Festival?

Headliners include a “who’s who” of nationally acclaimed talent, including: Pauly Shore, The Second City, Shadowbox Live, Sam Tallent, Mo Welch, Geoffrey Asmus, Kasaun Wilson, Ric Diez, Katie K, Aiko Tanaka, Chad the Bird, Henry Allen, Curtis Cook, Gwen Rose, Jordan Conley, Sean Reilly and many more.

Favorites from 2025

• “Female AF” – An all-women lineup of stand up comedians from NYC, LA and Columbus.
• “Drunk PowerPoint” – A hilarious slideshow presentation of topics that are equal parts entertaining and informative.
• “LIVE•REC” – A live taping of local performers delivering their best 10 minute sets, which are published on YouTube and social media afterwards.
• “Chicago Showcase” – Rapid-fire standup comedy from five Chicago comedians, hosted by viral sensation Chad the Bird, a puppet act with some NSFW hot takes.

Mark your calendars for a laughter-filled week in September. 

Buy tickets for each event separately. Most shows are in the $15-$20 range, and there are even some free options. For more information and tickets, visit https://columbuscomedyfest.com. 

The Columbus Comedy Festival is organized and operated by Columbus Underground, an online news/media company that hosts multiple large-scale annual events including the Columbus Coffee Festival, Urban Living Tour, Sweet Treats Dessert Festival and more.

Find more upcoming events for adults over the next week....