GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Gilda's LaughFest is officially underway, bringing plenty of big-name comedians and events for your whole family to West Michigan!
The festival runs through Sunday, March 12. Comedians including Tig Notaro, Pete Holmes, the Clean Comedy Showcase, DJ Demers, Daphnique Springs and Mike Vecchione will be sharing the laughs.
The festival also features free events like the Seriously Funny Adventure Challenge, Sunday Night Funnies, Kids Joke, Family Improv, the Cancer Survivors Showcase, All Y’All Showcase and Drums for All. Nearly 50 events, including improv and local comedy shows, will be held for people of all ages.
Proceeds from the festival and donations raised go to support the free cancer and grief emotional health program offered through Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids.
"Folks that are navigating life's tough stuff, they have somewhere to come to, somewhere to relate to folks, and our programming at Gilda's Club Grand Rapids is 100% free to our members," said Zack Berends, Festival and Events Manager. "And that's thanks to things like LaughFest that help support that organization."
Hannah Dayton, Vice President of Brand Awareness, said comedy can lead to mental health benefits.
"Laughter can actually help us, it's one of the universal things," she said. "We might not all speak the same language, but everybody laughs. The more you laugh, the better you feel."
DJ Demers kicks off the festivities Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Special Olympics Michigan Unified Sports & Inclusion Center. 13 ON YOUR SIDE's Juliet Dragos will be emceeing.
Gilda’s LaughFest is the nation’s first-ever community-wide comedy festival. It began in 2011 and has become a staple in the Grand Rapids entertainment scene. Every year, people flock to Grand Rapids to experience comedy gold, all while supporting a local organization.
To get your tickets and see a full list of events, click here.
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