Have a whale of a time

Now in its fourth year, Blue Whale Comedy Festival has matured from its relatively modest beginnings in 2014—when a few notable headliners and a handful of local and regional performers took over Comedy Parlor and the PAC—and blossomed into a can’t-miss Tulsa party in the Brady Arts District across multiple venues.

National comedians like Natasha Leggero, Eric Andre, Fortune Feimster, Michael Ian Black, and Nikki Glaser have all graced Blue Whale’s main stages, which is fantastic, but the real magic—and utility—of the festival can be seen in the way it’s become a vital showcase for Oklahoma’s growing roster of homegrown comics.

Paralleling Blue Whale’s evolution and stand-up’s mainstream renaissance is the rapid growth and coalescence over the last several years of our city’s own local comedy scene, which has never been more exciting—or funnier. This year’s festival line-up reflects the diverse array of voices that are making Tulsa a comedy city gig by gig, open mic by open mic.

As you peruse this guide and plan your weekend around Eugene Mirman, Kyle Kinane, Naomi Ekperigin, Liza Treyger, Byron Bowers, and the dozen other fantastic national acts performing, also make a point to support the comics whose names you might not recognize. In other words, go laugh at the locals.

Blue Whale Comedy Festival
Thurs., Sept. 7 through Sat., Sept. 9
Brady Arts District (Guthrie Green, Soundpony, Cain’s Ballroom and Side Stage, The Yeti, and Chimera)
For tickets and more information, visit bluewhalecomedyfestival.com