ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Santa Cruz Comedy Festival began as a one-day event in downtown Santa Cruz. Last year, on the 10-year anniversary, ten venues filled up and nearly 4,000 people attended one or more events over four days. In 2024, the Festival continues with a city-wide roll out, incorporating visual, performing, media, and literary arts with five festival-filled days. 

The growing list of 2024 partners and venues includes: 11th Hour Coffee, Blue Lagoon, Bookshop Santa Cruz, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Rio Theater, Rosie McCann’s, Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH), and Woodhouse Blending & Brewing.

ABOUT DNA

For nearly two decades, DNA has cultivated a thriving Santa Cruz County comedy scene through weekly events, annual festivals, and partnerships with local businesses. DNA has mentored young artists and offered a platform that has launched numerous careers, comics who now tour the world, serve as executive producers and writers on successful television series, and many who have appeared on Comedy Central, Conan, and other late night shows. As a member of the board of directors for SF Comedy Day in Golden Gate Park for 12 years, DNA is a consistent contributor to the regional comedy community. DNA has produced shows at nearly every theater in Santa Cruz County, including the formation of DNA’s Comedy Lab & Experimental Theater from 2019-2020—a repurposing of the former Riverfront Twin Cinema into not just a comedy club, but a hub for the community with university lectures, book talks, TED talks, grad nights, and a variety of performing arts events. Before comedy, DNA produced city-wide festivals, concert series, and many independent events including raves, poetry slams, guitar expos, film festivals and more in Northern California. 

If you LOVE comedy and want to help create a big world class event in a little beach town. PLEASE reach out. Contact DNA at votedna@gmail.com or 530-592-5250 to learn more or share your own vision.