The inaugural Bend Comedy Festival is launching over Labor Day Weekend. More than 25 comedians from around the country will perform. Organizer Skylar King says it’ll be a mix of nationally touring headliners and local talent. The lineup includes Kate Berlant (Emmy-nominated comedian, writer, and actress), Susan Rice (“Don’t Tell Comedy”), Ehsan Ahmad (“Kill Tony”), Skyler Higley (“Conan,” “Comedy Central”), Peter Antoniou (“America’s Got Talent”) and more. Rice has been a professional comedian for 41 years, beginning in 1983. She’s appeared on Showtime, ABC and CBS. In 1998, she moved from Los Angeles to Portland. Now in her 70s, she continues making people laugh. Antoniou is a self-proclaimed mind reader. He’s traveled around the world combining British wit with an interactive performance where he reads the minds of audience members. Higley comes from the Chicago comedy scene, and was honored as a New Face at the Montreal Just for Laughs comedy festival and named one of New York Comedy Festival’s “Comics to Watch.” He currently writes for The Onion and has contributed to The New Yorker.
BCF will be held across multiple venues throughout Bend, including Midtown Ballroom, Volcanic Theatre Pub, Silver Moon Brewing, and The Capitol. In a news release, King says BCF is produced by a queer and women-led team and organized by the Bend Comedy and Arts Foundation, a nonprofit committed to building community and culture through comedy.
In addition to traditional showcases, festival events include a joke competition, a mind-reading magician, comedic jazzercise, musical comedy, a UCB sketch show, a screening of original digital shorts and a queer comic showcase, which the Source wrote about for the Pride issue on May 29.
Festival passes include access to all events, discounts and freebies from local businesses and an invite to a private afterparty. Individual event tickets are also available. All festival events will be for ages 21+ with the exception of the Sunday evening Comedy/MagicShow with Peter Antoniou which will be for ages 13+.
“We’ve been blown away by the enthusiasm from the community,” King says. “Bend’s creative energy is so unique and we’re excited to showcase that while bringing in some of the best comedic voices from around the country.”
This article appears in Source Weekly July 3, 2025.
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