This weekend marks the 35th year of the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in Jamestown, celebrating the Western New York native’s birthday that was Aug. 6.
National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson says it’s a monumental occasion for the museum, but also the entire city.
“It feels really good to know that Lucille Ball's vision for her hometown has come to fruition here we are celebrating not just Lucy, but contemporary comedy, new voices in comedy, some of the most legendary voices in comedy, all in one festival that is now centered around a museum that never existed before.”
The festival includes appearances by Bill Murray and his band, and Saturday Night Live head writer Streeter Seidell.
Another headliner will be Daily Show host Jon Stewart performing standup on Saturday. Having an event like the comedy fest is a great resource because it provides access to the industry’s heavy hitters, right in Buffalo’s back yard, Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson said.
“Yeah, it's pretty extraordinary to see Jon Stewart take a stage live for the first time since the news of Stephen Colbert's Late Show being terminated, since the shake up with Paramount," she said. And so, to get Jon Stewart's take on what's going on Aug. 9 is a pretty extraordinary opportunity right here in Jamestown."
Other events include a children’s comedy workshop, ribbon cutting for Joan Rivers’ 67,000 joke collection, and Lucille Ball hometown tour.
