CLEVELAND — Calling all comedy lovers.
From November 10 through November 13, Northeast Ohio will see local and national comics come together for the 14th annual Cleveland Comedy Network & Festival.
"You've got someone who has appeared on Netflix and comedy central, uh, HBO, max, all of these people are part of it," said Steve Guy, executive director of the Cleveland Comedy Festival.
The comedians will perform more than a dozen shows at the Odeon Concert Club in the East Bank of the Flats.
"It's various kinds of comedy. Some people might have a little bit of a dark humor. Some people are really energetic. So like there, there literally is going to be someone that every single person can enjoy," explained Guy.
According to Guy, the festival has acted as a pipeline for emerging comics to launch their careers in different markets.
"We will have a lot of people who are right on that cusp and about to make it," said Guy.
But it's his hope that through the network, comics won't feel the need to leave Cleveland in order to "make it big," keeping some of those talented people in the area.
"We have t-shirts that say, 'Why not CLE?' And that's the question that I always love to ask because the city is so great," said Guy.
Over the years, the festival has expanded its purpose, transitioning from an annual event to into a network with podcasts and series on YouTube.
"You know, you say comic festival, but it's not just stand up. There’s so much more going on that we do behind the scenes," he said.
And he's right, as a 501c3 non-profit organization, the Cleveland Comedy Network hosts shows and programs year-round with students, inspiring comics and other non-profits in the area.
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
*Editor's Note: The video in the player above is from a previous, unrelated reported.