North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival
The North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival was an annual comedy festival held in Carrboro, North Carolina. Founded as an improv showcase and series of improv seminars for aspiring comedians, it later expanded to include stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, and film. At its height, it extended into a month-long festival across Chapel Hill and adjacent Carrboro.
History
The festival was started in 2001 by Zach Ward of Dirty South Improv Comedy Theater (DSI) and grew larger each year through 2017. In 2009 it added stand-up comedy, and in 2010 it expanded to include sketch comedy and film. The festival and DSI Comedy Theater closed in 2017 following Ward's resignation.
Need current dates or submissions? This is a historical archive. Visit improvfestivals.org for live festival listings.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/festivals/north-carolina-comedy-arts-festival
The Improv Archive. "North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/festivals/north-carolina-comedy-arts-festival.
The Improv Archive. "North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/festivals/north-carolina-comedy-arts-festival. Accessed September 28, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.