By Sarah Calvin
Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 5-8 at various locations (see below.) This weekend, the third iteration of the Vermont Comedy Festival returns to Bridgewater’s Woolen Mill Comedy Club. The festival, which features comics from across the country, will be headlined by Emmy-nominated writer Tim Meadows, a longtime SNL cast member, who will perform at the Woodstock Town Hall Theatre on December 7 at 8 p.m. Additional Festival performance locations include Long Trail Brewing, Still on the Mountain, and the Ottauquechee Yacht Club.
The Vermont Comedy Festival is the brainchild of Matt Vita and Collen Doyle, two comics who love Vermont as much as they love performing. Doyle, a Bridgewater native who splits time between Vermont and Brooklyn, stated the festival is his way of introducing the state to people
who might’ve otherwise not visited.
“A lot of what we do with the Vermont Comedy Festival is try to be ambassadors for the area,” Doyle said. “Where we do the festival is not the largest metropolis in Vermont, but I say it’s the most quintessential part of Vermont. If you’re in the Woodstock/Killington area for a couple of
days, people feel like they really had a Vermont experience.”
Vita and Doyle hand-select comics of diverse comedic styles and backgrounds to ensure Festival attendees experience a wide range of talent. The Festival opens on December 5 with a one-minute comedy battle that includes all performers, allowing audience members to see a snippet of everyone as performance times for longer sets often overlap. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Woolen Mill Comedy Club and is immediately followed by DJ Dave’s dance party, giving the audience and comics a chance to interact.
[Vermont Comedy Festival] solidifies this area as a premier destination for comedy in the Northeast,” said Doyle. “It’s a really good way for people to come and explore Vermont. For the locals and the people who are in the area, we love bringing in talent that otherwise people
wouldn’t have the opportunity to see.”
This year’s event schedule:
Thurs 12/5
Bridgewater
5 p.m. Kick off party at Ramunto’s Pizzeria
8 p.m. One-Minute stand up battle at Woolen Mill Comedy Club
10 p.m. DJ + festival kick-off dance party, presented by Plymouth Cheese at The Bridgewater Mill
Fri 12/6
Bridgewater
8 p.m. Main stage show @ Woolen Mill Comedy Club
10 p.m. Late show @ Woolen Mill Comedy Club
Midnight. Late late show @ Woolen Mill Comedy Club
Killington
6 p.m. Stand-up comedy at Killington Distillery
Woodstock
6 p.m. Stand up comedy at Ottauquechee Yacht Club
Sat 12/7
Bridgewater
10 p.m. Late show at Woolen Mill Comedy Club
Midnight. Late late show at Woolen Mill Comedy Club
Bridgewater Corners
4 p.m. Apres show at Long Trail Brewery
Killington
6 p.m. Stand-up comedy at Killington Distillery
Woodstock
Noon – 2 p.m. Industry event for talent and VIPs at 506 On The River
4 p.m. Stand up comedy at Ottauquechee Yacht Club
8 p.m. Tim Meadows headlines Vermont Comedy Festival at Woodstock Town Hall Theatre
Sun 12/8
Bridgewater
7 p.m. The Nadia Quinn show at Woolen Mill Comedy Club
9 p.m. Best of the Fest stand-up show at Woolen Mill Comedy Club
BridgewaterCorners
4 p.m. Apres show at Long Trail Brewery
Killington
6 p.m. Stand-up Comedy at Killington Distillery
For tickets and additional info, go to: vermontcomedyfestival.com.
