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
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