Who We Are

The Oak City Comedy Festival is Raleigh’s premier independent comedy festival created by comedians, for the people with a mission to amplify and celebrate Black, Brown, LGBTQ+, and women voices in comedy.

Founded in 2018, the festival quickly became a vital cultural platform in the Southeast, showcasing performers whose voices are often left out of mainstream lineups. In just two years, we featured over 200 comedians across 50+ shows in 12 venues, turning Raleigh into a hub for fresh, bold, and unapologetically diverse comedy.

Past headliners have included Mike Mello, Chanel Ali, J Bliss, Gina Brillon, Andy Forrester, and Mia Jackson and we’re just getting started. After a 5-year hiatus due to COVID-19, we’re returning in 2025, bringing back our originally selected 2020 comedians and welcoming a new wave of boundary-breaking talent.


Oak City Comedy Festival is more than a series of shows. It’s a celebration of community, culture, and authenticity. We provide a platform for emerging and established comedians to connect, grow, and perform without compromise.

Our Culture

  • Matt White

    Co-Founder

    Matt White is a standout comedian known for his quick wit, heartfelt storytelling, and magnetic stage presence. From his roots as a class clown to stages across the country, Matt has built a reputation as a versatile performer, excelling in stand up, sketch, and improv. He’s the winner of Helium’s NC’s Funniest and Wilmington’s Port City’s Top Comic, and has earned “Best of the Fest” honors at both the Cleveland and Rubber City Comedy Festivals.

    Matt has performed at major festivals including Asheville Comedy Festival and Big Pine Comedy Festival, and is the head writer for a local sketch production. In 2018, he co-founded the Oak City Comedy Festival, bringing over 100 comedians to Raleigh and helping shape a cultural space for underrepresented comics. His presence on stage and behind the scenes continues to uplift the comedy community in powerful ways.


  • Shari Diaz

    Co-Founder

    Shari Diaz is a Bronx-born powerhouse with crossover appeal, quick wit, and an undeniable ability to work any room. She’s the founder of Boogie Down South Productions, launched in Raleigh and now based in New York City, and the producer of See Comedy Live, a dynamic live comedy show that highlights raw, unfiltered voices.

    Shari’s comedy blends sharp observation, Bronx grit, and a magnetic crowd-working ability. She’s opened for legends like Damon Wayans, and Maria Bamford. Her festival credits include North Carolina Comedy Festival (2018 & 2019), Big Pine Comedy Festival (Best of Fest winner, 2018), BTF Philly, Dallas Comedy Festival, DC Comedy Festival, New York Comedy Festival (2019), and Latina Comedy Festival (2024)

    You can catch her special on HBO Max’s “Entre Nos Episode 11: What She Said!”.

  • Brandi Roberts

    Co-Producer

    Brandi Roberts is a fierce comedic voice with a mix of realism, vivid storytelling, and a twist of absurdity. She’s featured in top comedy festivals including NC Comedy Festival and the Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest (NYC), and has opened for numerous national headliners.

    In 2024, Brandi was recognized by Qburgh Magazine as a “Queer Comedian to Watch,” toured with the Black Power Rangers Comedy Tour, and earned a comedy scholarship from the Steel City Arts Foundation in Pittsburgh. Her fearless energy, quick wit, and sharp insights continue to make her a rising star in the scene.

Contact us

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