Ed. Note: Memphis Comedy Fest 2020 is being postponed. I'll update with more information as it is received. Stay up-to-date on their Facebook page.

Memphis Comedy Fest 2020 is back and contributor Veena has a preview for this year's event: four days of stand-up, themed shows, and more. Tickets go on sale this week and the detailed schedule will be released soon, so be sure you're following MCF on Instagram and Facebook. 

Do you love to laugh? Do you want to see the next Phoebe Robinson or Baron Vaughn before they hit the big-time? The 9th Annual Memphis Comedy Festival is just the place to make that happen. I got to chat with festival president Nathan Hiller about all the great things they have planned for this year.

This year’s festival is an opportunity to see some of your favorite local comics and others from around the country. Fest organizers received a record number of submissions from comics this year, a testament to how much MCF has grown since it began in 2011. Headlining the 2020 festival is Eddie Pepitone, better known as the Bitter Buddha.

The Memphis Comedy Festival has a little something for everyone, so if you've never been, this is your year! If it is showcases you’re looking for, those take place at TheatreWorks. If you love a good themed show, those happen at Hi-Tone. And yes, Katrina Coleman’s hugely popular “You Look Like…” will be back at the Hi-Tone. 

This is also your chance to see some of comedy’s next big names as they are about to break into the spotlight. The Festival tends to be a launching pad for many comedians who have gone one to become huge successes.

In addition to Robinson’s career with Two Dope Queens and Vaughn’s successful run on Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, alumni of the festival have become writers for The Daily Show and The Tonight Show, among others. Josh Johnson has written for The Tonight Show and has a special on Comedy Central; he was a festival submission just a few years ago.

And the best part of it all is how affordable it is. You can get single show tickets for as low as $7, while Eddie’s headliner show is $25. A full festival pass, including the headliner, is $60, but if you want a regular pass it’s only $45 and gets you in to everything else. That’s an incredible deal to get to see some great shows.

According to Nathan, the Festival has a number of benefits. For Memphians, it provides the opportunity to see some of comedy’s best up-and-coming names. For comedians, it is the chance to get in front of a new audience, garner some new fans and followers, and enjoy some good ole Memphis hospitality.

“Every single year, the biggest takeaway that we get is that comedians may come in with a tainted view of Memphis, but they get here and enjoy our hospitality and meet the people of Memphis and they leave thinking that Memphis is one of the best places in the country. They leave thinking that Memphis is one of the best places in the country. That to me has been one of the best things about the festival.”

Tickets will be on sale soon! Follow them on Instagram (@memcomedyfest) and keep checking their website for updates on ticket info!

Go There: 

Memphis Comedy Fest 2020
April 2-5, 2020

About The Author
Veena Rangaswami grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River, and after many years of splitting her time between Memphis and India, she has finally returned full-time to the 901. By day she is a program specialist for the Bridge Builders program at BRIDGES, and by night she can be found reading and writing, eating her way around Memphis, cheering on her favorite sports teams, plotting her next out-of-town adventure, and pretending to be a runner. All she wants is a lifetime supply of Dr. Pepper and to see the Grizz bring home an NBA Championship. Read about her adventures, and follow along for yourself on Instagram and Twitter.