They say laughter is the best medicine, and the Central Coast will get a heavy dose of it when the 15th annual SLO Comedy Festival returns to San Luis Obispo County for four nights: Thursday, February 27 to Sunday, March 2.
Forty comedians from around the globe will hit the stage at several venues around the county, including 2024 locations Blast and Brew in Arroyo Grande and The Bunker in SLO, with Woodstock Pizza downtown being added this year.
There’s something for everyone: from “Poisoned”—where tipsy, buzzed comics banter with a late-night audience—to a “Battle of the Sexes” comedic onslaught.
The festival wraps up with a “Best of the Fest” show at the 1,300-seat Performing Arts Center in SLO, featuring the top entertainers as voted by attendees. It nearly sold out in 2024.
SLO Comedy Festival founder Eric Shantz says this event has grown substantially since 2010 when Creekside (now Sidecar) hosted the event with about 35 people attending a few shows. Now it’s earned a strong industry reputation, with 300 comedians worldwide submitting taped auditions.
“Year 15 is gonna be a banger,” promises Shantz. “We got 40 comedians, 21 shows and 10 venues over four wild nights here.” He says the festival is all about celebrating the art of stand-up comedy, providing some levity and laughter at a time when people really need it. He goes on to note that many of the performers have appeared on late night talk shows (Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert), Comedy Central, and of course, You Tube.
Certainly, stand-up can be a hit or miss proposition, but there’s nothing better than experiencing a comedian who’s on his or her A-game. Some friends and I saw So Cal-based Craig Shoemaker (a Philly native) at SLO Brew Rock three years ago—that might have been the funniest night of my life.
For more information check them out online or look for their bright yellow programs around many county businesses.