Burning Bridges Comedy Festival

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This weekend, 50 extraordinarily funny people will rise from the depths of Pittsburgh’s smoky bars and greasy pubs. Rants, jokes, and straight up ridiculousness will be on display for all to see on stages across the neighborhoods of Allentown and South Side. In other words, it is time for our city’s very first stand-up comedy festival.

Burning Bridges Comedy Festival begins this weekend, and no matter what happens, it is sure to be a truly unique experience. This two-day event will feature dozens of below-the-radar comics alongside some better-known jokers from New York, Chicago, New Orleans, and Boston.

Pittsburgh’s Standup Comedy Scene
In terms of stand-up comedy in the city, Pittsburgh’s Improv and Pittsburgh Comedy Festival feature mostly mainstream comedians. And while venues like Arcade Comedy Theater and various bars around the city often play host to shows, the local comics in the city don’t have a specific place to call home.

This is one of the reasons that John Dick Winters, the festival’s founder, decided to put together this ambitious project. He is confident that these events will allow local comedians to shine and continue to move Pittsburgh’s stand-up scene forward. “I find that audiences are often pleasantly surprised at the overall quality of the Pittsburgh comedy scene. There's a ton of funny people here, and they deserve more credit than they get.”

Getting In On the Laughs This Weekend
Burning Bridges is a great way to get out and support the small businesses that will serve as venues during the festival, like Black Forge Coffee and Drip Lounge. Their website describes the event as a "Do-It-Yourself" festival with very little influence or contributions. Instead of corporate sponsors, this weekend’s events are presented by Race to the Coffin Comedy and The Epicast Network.

Over the next two days, you’ll be able to find local comedy shows scattered all across Allentown and South Side. These 13 shows include local showcases, those with headliners like Geoff Tate, and also a few more uniquely themed shows, like the Worst Tattoo Competition and even some Comedy Debates.

Getting in on the laughs is also fairly cheap! Most shows are individually priced at around $5 and a pass for the entire festival is only $20. The first show begins Friday, at 8pm! See the entire schedule of shows by clicking here.