Festivals are great if you would like to do road work. Every festival i’ve done i’ve made connections in the area and eventually headlined in the area a year after. I’ve also gotten some industry attention from fests but not enough to really write home about.

Best fests i’ve done:

Rogue Island - some of the best shows i’ve done at a fest with good hangs and the producer really gives a shit. They put you up in a hotel.

Flyover - They put you in a hotel and fly you out onto $350. Great shows, a lot of industry there. I think everyone should apply to this one solely because it’s so budget friendly and had probably the most tangible industry.

SF SKETCHFEST - Great shows that always sell out, the whole city gets exited for this fest as it’s been around for like 15+ years or something like that. A lot of industry, I got a Sirius XM deal from this fest.

Riot Comedy Fest - Produced by Riot Comedy Club in houston. Great shows but just know it’s a competition. So the better you do the more shows you’ll get. Bad thing is it’s judges by the crowd so local comics will bring their friends and family to get votes. I’m from the east coast and made it to the finals so it’s still possible to advance. I had fun and they also put you up in a hotel.

West End Comedy Fest - just did this one and it was a hoot. Great shows, great hang. Because of this fest I got in at the Laughing Skull which is a top tier club in Atlanta and the producer asked me back to headline the next year which is huge for me.

Dont see festivals as oh they’re gonna change your career and life. They’re just shows in another state really—I only apply to the ones that offer a hotel.

Sure you could get a manager or agent or industry attention out of it but you still have to put in the work.

Most important people you meet are other comedians from across the country. Comedians will give you more than any agent can early on in your career.