The Onion And A.V. Club Announce The 2nd Annual '26th Annual Comedy Festival'

By Gina Provenzano in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 19, 2015 6:20PM

Image courtesy of AVClub.com

Other than hot dogs, brutal winters and questionable politics, Chicago is possibly best known for fostering some of the nation’s best comedic talent at powerhouses like The Second City and iO. And this year The Onion and A.V. Club plan on celebrating Chicago as a comedic capital in a big way. The partner publications have just announced they're hosting their The 2nd Annual 26th Annual Comedy Festival, expanding the event to five nights—May 26 through May 30—at multiple venues throughout the city.

Building upon last year's stellar standup line-up, comedians John Mulaney (Kroll Show), Joe Mande (Parks and Recreation) and Chicago's own Kyle Kinane will take to the mic with their routines. In addition to expanding the number of nights, the festival will showcase a variety of new events outside of standup to include film screenings, panel discussions and local comedy showcases. Fans of Weird Al's cult hit U.H.F. and Chris Elliott's Cabin Boy can see their offbeat favorites on the big screen along with Q&A sessions with each movie’s filmmakers. Those who have mastered The Simpsons’ trivia can attend an Onion-hosted panel discussion on the long running, extremely quotable and influential series at the Athenaeum Theatre.

Funny seekers looking to embrace the local scene will be treated to a curated comedy showcase entitled The Upperclassman featuring Chicago's top student talent, while The Katydids ensemble will show off some of the city’s most celebrated funny ladies. This is just a sampling of what to expect. The festival also promises a few surprise guests and exclusive after shows at the hip new Virgin Hotel Chicago. For a full lineup, schedule and ticket information, head over to the festival's event page.

Tickets go one sale tomorrow, Friday March 20, at noon.