New comedy festival brings dozens of performers to Bentonville

Organizers of a new comedy festival in Bentonville want the event to inspire more comedians to perform in Northwest Arkansas.

State of play: The inaugural Big Diamond Comedy Festival is set for Thursday through Saturday throughout the city, with some showcases featuring local comedians kicking things off tonight.

• The event is bringing in a dozen headliners and 28 other acts from all over the country including some international performers, co-founder Raj Suresh told Axios.

What they're saying: "I hope that Arkansas gets a chance to see good varied comedy," Suresh said.

• Suresh, an NWA-based comedian, came to the region for the first time a decade ago and wants to show comedians a place he loves in hopes they'll want to return, he said. He co-founded the festival with fellow comedian Sam Tallent.

The intrigue: The Grove Comedy Club in Lowell and Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville bring in some notable comedy acts, and Natural State Comedy hosts local and non-local comedians at free shows plus regular open mic nights. But a comedy festival of this scale is a first for the region.

• The festival received 400 applications for the submission acts from which 28 were chosen. About ten bookers from established festivals like Netflix Is A Joke will attend, Suresh said.

What's next: The plan is to make the Big Diamond Comedy Festival an annual event, and organizers have already started work on next year's festival.

If you go: Acts take place in various locations in Bentonville, including Bentonville Brewing, Meteor Guitar Gallery, Bike Rack Brewing and Danger Dave's. Get a three-day pass for $170 or tickets for individual performances from $5-$32.