Secret City Improv Comedy Festival
The Secret City Improv Comedy Festival is an annual improv festival held at the Historic Grove Theater in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the only improv festival in Eastern Tennessee. Programming includes short-form, long-form, musical, and playback improv, with ticketed evening shows at the Grove Theater and free workshops and performances at the Oak Ridge Public Library. The festival also features a high school showcase and the recurring Slayden Cup Tournament.
History
Founded by Aaron Campbell, the festival originated as a spin-off of the Gatlinburg Improv Festival (2010-2020) and launched in September 2021 after a COVID-19 postponement. By its 5th anniversary in 2025, it had grown to 28 performing teams and over 100 performers from 14 states, and it won Event of the Year at the 2024 Secret City Community Choice Awards.
Significance
The festival is the only improv festival in Eastern Tennessee and draws performers from across 14 states, providing a regional hub for the art form in the southeastern United States.
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). Secret City Improv Comedy Festival. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/festivals/secret-city-improv-comedy-festival
The Improv Archive. "Secret City Improv Comedy Festival." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/festivals/secret-city-improv-comedy-festival.
The Improv Archive. "Secret City Improv Comedy Festival." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/festivals/secret-city-improv-comedy-festival. Accessed September 21, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.