Bill Burr, David Spade headed to Calgary comedy festival this summer

A comedy festival set to make its Calgary debut in June will bring some of the biggest names in standup to Prince's Island Park.

After a successful debut in Edmonton last summer, the Great Outdoor Comedy Festival is expanding south this year with comedic heavyweights Bill Burr, David Spade, Whitney Cummings and Donnell Rawlings coming to Calgary.

"We were able to set the tone last year with an exceptional lineup of comedy artists in what was a very turbulent time for the entertainment industry," said Brennan McFaul, vice-president of Trixstar Entertainment, the company presenting the festival.

"This year's lineup is on par with some of the best comedy festivals in North America. We are so excited to bring it to the comedy fans of Alberta and Canada."

The outdoor events will go on, rain or shine, June 24-26 in Calgary and Aug. 12-14 in Edmonton.

Local talent also on roster

Festival-goers can reserve tables for the events online. During the shows, they will be able to order food table-side. McFaul told the Calgary Eyeopener on Tuesday that this option was originally designed to be touchless, cashless and COVID-safe.

Local talent is on the roster at both events, with Alberta comedians and DJs set to take the stage.

The full lineups are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. But comedy fans who want to catch, say, Bill Burr (who is headed to Calgary) and Amy Schumer (who is headed to Edmonton) will likely have to attend both.

"We want to create really two very unique properties that are very different," McFaul said.

"And you know, people who are super fans of comedy are more than welcome to come to both editions, that's for sure."

Tickets range from $79 to $199 per person and are available online.

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener