NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Hell Yes Fest is back, celebrating 10 years of comedy in New Orleans with more than 75 comedians, five venues and eight days of comedy.
Organized by Comedy House New Orleans and the New Orleans School of Creative Arts, the festival showcases a blend of local and broader talent.
Festival Director Chris Trew described it as the “longest-running comedy festival in the city. It’s like the New Orleans Comedy Super Bowl.” He added, “If you’ve never seen a local comedy show, this is the time to do it.”
The fest will take over The Joy Theater, Comedy House New Orleans, The Howlin’ Wolf Den, The Courtyard Brewery and The Attic at Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar for the next eight days.
It’s come a long way since its inception in 2011, and this year, they are highlighting local talent. Trew said many people love comedy but are only familiar with big names, “Hell Yes Fest is one of the ways that we help change that. We want people to come to Comedy House, come to any of our venues, and realize, ‘Oh my God, there is so much amazing talent that lives here.'”
Local comedian Amy Collins underscored the festival’s role in bringing together the city’s diverse comedy scene. “We have such a tremendous community of comedians here and such a wealth of talent,” she said, “and this is a showcase where everyone kind of gets to be a part of it.”
There will be something for everyone, Collins explained, “That’s one of the beautiful things about the New Orleans community is as diverse as we are as a city. We are in comedy like different flavors, different vibes, different backgrounds, different experiences. And that’s all filtered through the lens of comedy, so you’re going to see everything.”
The fest kicks off at The Joy Theater on Monday, Nov.13, featuring local comedians Mark Caesar, Ashley Zoerner, Ryan Rogers, Riga Ruby, Troy Duchance, Shep Kelly, JQ Palms, and Tee-Ray Bergeron. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m.
Tickets start at $20 per show, or you can get a festival pass, granting you access to all eight days of comedy! For the full lineup and tickets, visit the Hell Yes Festival website.
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