Celebrating laughter for the health of it!

 

Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s first-ever community-wide festival of laughter, has quickly earned a reputation for being one of the nation’s marquee events for both participants and artists. This major Midwest festival is based in Grand Rapids and includes events throughout West Michigan. Created by Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids and launched in March 2011 to celebrate laughter for the health of it, the festival features stand-up, improv, showcases and a variety of seriously funny stuff.

We are serious about our “funny” here. LaughFest brings together a diverse audience of children and adults every March to honor laughter as an essential part of emotional health and wellbeing. And what better time for a laughter festival than when it’s typically cold, icy, and distinctly un-funny outside?

LaughFest is more than just a seriously good time. It also raises funds and awareness for a very important cause – Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids. Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids is a vibrant FREE emotional health support community of children, adults, families and friends on any kind of cancer journey or those grieving a death due to any cause. Proceeds from Gilda’s LaughFest and LaughFest’s High Five Campaign benefit Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids, and 100% of those funds stay in West Michigan.

 

WHO LAUGHFEST HAS FEATURED:

Ed Asner, Maria Bamford, Charlie Berens, Mike Birbiglia, Lewis Black, Wayne Brady, Jim Breuer, Hannibal Buress, Bill Burr, Rodney Carrington, Margaret Cho, David Cross, Mike Epps, Fortune Feimster, Judah Friedlander, Jim Gaffigan, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Griffin, Chris Hardwick, Kevin Hart, D.L.Hughley, Gabriel Iglesias, Anthony Jesselink, Jo Koy, Jay Leno, Loni Love, Stephen Lynch, Marc Maron, Joel McHale, Kevin Nealon, Seth Meyers, Jim Norton, Brian Regan, Amy Schumer, Martin Short, Sinbad, Lily Tomlin, Chris Tucker, Betty White, Ali Wong, Justin Willman, Colleen Ballinger “Miranda Sings”, Russell Peters and many more!