By Darlene Brace
Once again, it’s that time of year for the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival (aka Lucy Fest by locals). This year’s festival marks its 34th year and is named after Lucy as a celebration of her vision that Jamestown would be a comprehensive destination for the art of comedy. The festival will run Thursday, August 1-Sunday, August 4, 2024.
Lucy’s early dreams of being a comedian and actress were formed in the Jamestown area in local theater groups. She later moved to New York and Los Angles, where she starred in movies and in television and radio shows. She is most well known for her role in I Love Lucy from 1951-1957. I Love Lucy skyrocketed her as one of the pioneering leading female comedians of her time. Many years later, in 1989, the idea for The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival was discussed with Lucy, and it was her wish to have this type of festival to honor her instead of a statue or memorial. It had also been scheduled for her to be presented an honorary degree at Jamestown Community College. Unfortunately, Lucy died a month before this was scheduled.
In 1991, Jamestown held its first “Lucy Fest” and thousands of visitors from across the country came to Jamestown to take part in this one-of-a-kind event. In 2018, the National Comedy Center in Jamestown opened, and it took over coordinating this festival that embodies Ball’s vision. The current Comedy Center’s Vice President of Programming & Guest Experiences, Malachi Livermore, stated, “Our festival will have the best of comedy’s past and present. It will include outstanding headliners, the best touring stand-up comedians, and three nights of free block parties with live music. The Lucy Festival will have over fifty live events over four days, and also the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum will be open. We look forward to drawing festival attendees from across the U.S. They come for the comedy, but also stay in our local hotels and visit our restaurants, attractions, and local businesses.”
This year’s festival has a great line up of events. From well-known headliners to smaller events and block parties, there is sure to be something for everyone. On Thursday-Saturday, lunches and dinners will be served in the Tropicana Club at 11am and 1pm each day and includes a video performance on the big screen. There will be Block Parties before and after the headlining comedians. The Block Parties will include live music, vendors, and adult beverages. Late-night comedy shows (9:30pm &11pm) will be at the Tropicana Club and feature comedians from across the nation. Here are some other highlights that may interest you:
Thursday August 1st –1pm, A Step Back in Time: Feb 1956 in Jamestown- Includes a Reg Lenna tour with a historic look back to when Lucy came back to Jamestown in 1956, access to archives, photo ops and showing of Lucy’s 1956 movie Forever Darling; 5:30pm, Block Party outside of the Reg Lenna with the In Crowd; 7pm, Headliner Nicole Byer at the Reg Lenna. She is a comedian, actress, and is known for Netflix series Nailed It, Girl Code, and other television shows, Netflix, and movies.
Friday August 2- Lucille Ball’s Hometown Tours (check for various times). This guided bus tour stops at Lucy’s childhood home and other places significant to Lucy; 1pm, Lucy & Desi Super Fan Trivia Contest at the Doubletree Hotel; 5:30pm, the Untouchables play at the Block Party near the Reg Lenna. Headliner Jeff Ross will be at Reg Lenna at 7pm. He is a stand-up comedian and actor. He’s best known for his insult comedy as the “Roast Master General” and has roasted many celebri-ties; 8pm, Doubletree Hotel will host The Lucy and Desi Hollywood Soiree, including music, hors d’oeuvres, and a costume contest with prizes.
Saturday August 3- Lucille Ball’s Hometown Tours continue; 11am, I Love Lucy Trivia at the Dou-bletree Hotel; 3:30pm, Sarah Royal Book Signing, author of AKA Lucy: The Dynamic and Deter-mined Life of Lucille Ball; 5:30pm, Block Party with Smackdab near the Comedy Center; 8pm, Head-liner Nate Bargatze at the Northwest Arena at 8pm. Nate is a stand -up comedian. He has made ap-pearances on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show etc.. and has performed in stand-up comedy shows on Netflix and Comedy Central.
Sunday August 4 – 10am, Photo Opp with the Fab 4 on a recreated set at the Lucy Desi Museum; 1pm,
I Love Lucy Screening at the National Comedy Center’s 350-foot outdoor movie screen. I Love Lucy episodes will be playing at no cost. Just bring your chairs and blankets to sit on.
These are some of the highlighted activities that are offered during this year’s ‘Lucy Fest’. To find detailed descriptions and schedules of all the events or to buy tickets, go to comedycenter.org. Go to downtown Jamestown and join in the fun of this year’s Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. You will surely be laughing and having fun no matter what activities you decide to do, and you will remember why we all love Lucy.
National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum will be open