Nashville Comedy Festival Presented By Outback Presents Concludes Successful 11 Day Run Of The Hottest Acts In Comedy

Iconic Nashville Venues Packed With Legendary Sets By Kill Tony, Jay Leno, Nikki Glaser, Wanda Sykes, Arsenio Hall, Mark Normand, Jim Jefferies & More

Tuesday, April 15 - On Sunday, the Nashville Comedy Festival wrapped its 11th season with Outback Presents - the leading independent, full service promoter of live entertainment in North America - bringing the hottest and best in comedy to packed iconic venues across Nashville. The 60+ show lineup with over 100 performances during the nearly two week stint brought in headliner acts such as Kill Tony, Jay Leno, Nikki Glaser, Wanda Sykes, Handsome LIVE with Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster & Mae Martin, Arsenio Hall, Mark Normand, Rodney Carrington, Jim Jefferies, Dusty Slay, Adam Ray is Dr. Phil Live & more. Additionally, audiences could catch a diverse number of showcases, improv, live podcasts and benefit shows. Kicking off a new decade, the festival made its mark spanning iconic venues in Nashville and returning to the Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena, The Pinnacle, Zanies Nashville and The Lab at Zanies.

“In its 11th year, the Nashville Comedy Festival is better than ever celebrating the talents of local, regional, and national comedians,” said Deana Ivey, President & CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “While Nashville is known around the world as Music City, it has also become a thriving hub for comedy. Visitors and locals alike can enjoy year-round performances from household names to rising stars. We’re fortunate to be a city that celebrates creativity in all its forms—especially the kind that brings people together through laughter."

“We are grateful for the opportunity to bring premier world renowned talent to Nashville and we are thankful for our foundational partnerships with artists, agents, managers, and venues.” states Mike Smardak, co-CEO of Outback Presents.

Nashville Comedy Festival also featured Nateland Presents: Good Clean Funny, a fest exclusive curated by hometown hero Nate Bargatze. Nashville’s newest venue The Pinnacle had its first-ever comedy headliner with Rodney Carrington. Kid Rock’s 4th Annual Comedy Jam raised over $100,000 for the Kid Rock Foundation, and Brad Paisley’s 3rd Annual Groceries With Dignity & Comedy Without raised over $200,000 benefiting The Store.

Handsome: LIVE with Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster & Mae Martin Featured Surprise Guest Appearances By Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley at Historic Ryman Auditorium Photo Credit: Emily April Allen @emilyaprilallenphoto Kid Rock at Historic Ryman Auditorium Photo Credit: Jordan Johnson @sonofthelights L-R: Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, Brian Dorfman, Mike Smardak & Andrew Farwell Photo Credit: Jordan Johnson @sonofthelights

This year, the Nashville Comedy Festival proved its ongoing success, reaching over 60,000 comedy lovers. Last week, Mayor Freddie O'Connell officially declared April 3rd Nashville Comedy Festival Day! Pictured is Mayor O’Connell presenting the Nashville Comedy Festival Day proclamation to the Brian Dorfman (co-CEO, Outback Presents), Mike Smardak (co-CEO, Outback Presents) and Andrew Farwell (Vice President, Outback Presents).

ABOUT NASHVILLE COMEDY FESTIVAL

Nashville Comedy Festival is the premier event of its kind in the United States. Since 2014, the yearly takeover of downtown Nashville features hundreds of comedians across the city’s most iconic venues. Nashville Comedy Festival is produced by Outback Presents. For more information, visit www.nashvillecomedyfestival.com.

ABOUT OUTBACK PRESENTS

Outback Presents is the leading independent, full service promoter of live entertainment in North America. Since 1996 we have promoted and produced thousands of concerts, events, and festivals ranging from clubs and theaters to arenas and stadiums. For more information, visit www.outbackpresents.com.

Press Contact Shore Fire Media: outbackpresentspr@shorefire.com