'A taste for everyone': Outdoor comedy festival bringing big names to 3-day run in Kinsmen Park

Kinsmen Park is ready to host thousands of people for what one organizer calls the "Coachella of comedy."

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The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival returns to Edmonton on Friday with a sold-out opening night featuring Shane Gillis and Andrew Shulz.

Kevin Hart will headline Saturday's show and other big names will share the stage Sunday: Bert Kreischer, Whitney Cummings, Steph Tolev and Lisa Gilroy.

"We expect different audiences every night," said the festival's president Mike Anderson. "Comedy is very different and subjective – It's like fine wine.

"So there's a taste for everyone."

The comedy festival started in Edmonton in 2021. It has since expanded to eight North American cities and has grown from 7,000 to 200,000 visitors per year.

Anderson said it's now the largest festival of its kind, and he credits the event's success in part to the outdoor format and some glowing reviews from former participants like last year's headliner Bill Burr.

"He just raved and ranted on how amazing this experience was, went on his podcast the next morning and talked about that experience," Anderson said. "Right after we got the endorsement of Bill Burr, all the other comedians have started lining up saying, 'We want to play this.'"

The festival can seat 3,000, with space for another 7,000 people bringing their own chairs or blankets. 

While Friday's general admission tickets were sold out by Thursday, tickets were still available for Saturday and Sunday.

The show is adult-only and general admission starts at $99.

For more information on the festival, visit the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival website.