Tag Archives: Gilda’s LaughFest 2016

LaughFest Looking to Reclaim World Record

Community Health, Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , ,
LaughFest is hoping to reclaim the rubber chicken toss record
LaughFest is hoping to reclaim the rubber chicken toss record

By: Eric Snoek

 

Who wouldn’t want to laugh, break a world record, and help support an amazing organization within your community? Gilda’s LaughFest does exactly that!

 

LaughFest is in its sixth year of bringing enjoyment and excitement to the community of Grand Rapids. The festival runs for ten days starting with the Community Kickoff on March 10 at 5:30 pm at the Calder Plaza.

 

What better way to kick off such an incredible event then breaking a world record?

 

Gilda’s LaughFest has done an amazing job over the past six years by finding silly ridiculous records that are exciting and fun for the community to achieve together. This year they hope to redeem themselves by taking back the Guinness World record for “largest rubber chicken toss.”

 

“This will be our sixth attempt to set a world record. We’re hoping to take back our original world record we set tossing rubber chickens in our first year of LaughFest,” said Wendy Wigger, President of Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids and LaughFest. “We’ve broken four out of five world records for most people wearing sunglasses in the dark, wearing false mustaches, wearing animal noses at a single venue and of course, the number of rubber chickens tossed.”

 

Back in 2011 Gilda’s LaughFest broke the rubber chicken record with 925 rubber chickens tossed. That same year, a church in Ontario, Canada broke the record by tossing 999. LaughFest plans on providing the first 1,200 participants with rubber chickens so they can shatter the previous record.

 

LaughFest is designed to bring the community of Grand Rapids together for laughter and a bigger cause. There will be 200 different entertainment events throughout the city, many of them free, during the ten-day festival. There are events for all ages.

Laughfest SMILE LARGE

 

By attending LaughFest, you are not only helping yourself by adding more laughter to your life but you are always helping many community members in needs. About 15 percent of the profits go towards Gilda’s Club. Gilda’s Club helps support grieving children, adults, families and friends on any kind of cancer journey or those grieving the death due to any cause. The organization runs solely on charitable donations and currently helps more than 10,000 individuals every year.

 

Make sure to enjoy LaughFest in its entirety! It only comes once a year.

LaughFest Announces Headlining Artists; Tickets go on Sale Dec. 4

Community Health, Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, Our Cities, ,

LAUGHFEST_final_2Oh, boy. Now they’ve done it. The cat’s out of the bag, and what a wild one it is.

Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s first-ever community-wide festival of laughter, has announced its selection of artists performing at the 2016 10-day festival, which runs March 10-20.

The formal announcement for the sixth annual festival is happening this evening at 7:30 pm at the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s Cook Auditorium and is free and open to the public. So, read about it here, and then hie thee down to GRAM and schmooze to your heart’s content.

So, what’s the big deal, you may ask? Well, for starters, last year, 45,000 people attended LaughFest. So, yeah, it’s a huge deal.

This time around, Seth Meyers, an Emmy Award-winning writer and former Saturday Night Live cast member, who currently hosts NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers headlines the Signature Event on MarcKathy Griffinh 12 at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids.

Two-time Emmy and Grammy Award-winning comedian, writer, producer and television personality, Kathy Griffin is also headlining the event. And then there’s Marlon Wayans, an actor, producer, comedian, writer, and film director–who will be starring in the upcoming comedy spoof Fifty Shades of Black.

Could these people be any more multi-talented? OK, stupid question.

Returning LaughFest veterans include Anjelah Johnson, who has guest starred on shows such as The Shield, Ugly Betty and Curb Your Enthusiasm; aMarlon Wayansnd Roy Wood Jr. from the hit show Sullivan & Son.

We could just list them all here, but where’s the fun in that when you can go directly to the website and see photos of the funny people. While they are all worth mentioning here, cash is king and anytime we see a cash prize listed, we write about it.

The Best of the Midwest Competition, underwritten by Wolverine Worldwide, will feature eight Midwestern comics battling for a $2,500 cash prize. Competitors are Sydney Adeniyi, Chris Bowers, Kate Brindle, Jim Flannigan, Rob Jenkins, Chris Knutson, Paul Strickland, and Russ Williamson.

New this year, LaughFest is collaborating with DisArt to bring in recent runner up on America’s Got Talent, Drew Lynch. DisArt, a nonprofit arts and culture organization based in Grand Rapids, works to promote community growth by leveraging the best examples of contemporary, Global Disability Arts. Their 2015 DisArt Festival was one of the largest festivals of its kind, bringing in talented visual artists and performers from several different countries.People and Pets

Additionally, ticket packages will include the LaughFest’s Best shows, which will feature comedians from across the festival, and shows from local comedy troupes Pop Scholars and River City Improv.

LaughFest 2016 will include more than 200 free and ticketed shows featuring over 100 artists at more than 40 venues in Grand Rapids and Lowell, Michigan during the 10 days of the festival. Ticket packages start at $32 and will be available to the public beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 4 online or by phone at (616) 735-HAHA (4242).

Tickets for Meyers’ performance during the Signature Event are currently available for purchase.

Hey! Want a table sponsorship? Several are available for $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000 for tables of 10. Individual tickets are available for $250 (and $100 of the individual ticket cost is tax deductible).

During LaughFest, Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids will again raise funds to support its children’s programs through the “High Five” campaign. Money raised through this campaign will go towards children living with cancer or grief, and for in-school emotional health programs. Want to donate to the “High Five” campaign? Just purchase a button for a $5 donation at participatingLaughfest crown yucking it up restaurants and business in West Michigan, or through the LaughFest website.

Individual tickets are priced from $7 to $57.50, excluding the Signature Event. These will be available beginning Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 at the Van Andel Arena Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, LaughFest Central, when it opens in mid-February, through the closing day of LaughFest, and at ticketmaster.com.

Gilda’s LaughFest was created by a team at Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids in 2011 to celebrate laughter for the health of it. Past LaughFest headliners have included George Lopez, Wanda Sykes, Billy Gardell, Jay Leno, Lily Tomlin, Mike Birbiglia, Margaret Cho, Betty White, Whoopi Goldberg, Rodney Carrington, Martin Short, Kevin NealonDont we boys, Wayne Brady, Joel McHale, Lewis Black and Brian Regan.

Proceeds from the festival will go to support the free cancer, grief and emotional health programs offered through Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids. Visit laughfestgr.org, or call 616-735-HAHA (4242) to learn more about Gilda’s LaughFest.

About Gilda’s Club
Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids is a free emotional health support community of children, adults, families and friends on any kind of cancer journey or those grieving the death due to any cause. The organization runs entirely on charitable donations and currently serves more than 10,000 individuals each year at its clubhouses in Grand Rapids and Lowell, Mich., in various schools and community centers. For more information, visit their website.

LaughFest to Announce Headlining Artists on December 3

Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, ,

LAUGHFEST_final_2On Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 a.m. Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s first ever community-wide festival of laughter, will announce a selection of artists performing at the 2016 10-day festival, which runs March 10 – 20. The announcement for the sixth annual festival will be held in the Cook Auditorium at the Grand Rapids Art Museum and is free and open to the public.

Ticket packages for LaughFest 2016 will go on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 4. Individual ticket sales will be available beginning Jan. 15.  Individuals who purchase a $100 LaughFest Friends membership before Dec. 3 can purchase ticket packages and individual tickets before the general public. All ticket packages and LaughFest Friends memberships can be purchased at laughfestgr.org, or by calling 616-735-HAHA (4242).

WHAT:       LaughFest 2016 Lineup Announcement
WHEN:       Thursday, Dec. 3, 7:30 a.m.
WHERE:     Grand Rapids Art Museum – Cook Auditorium, 101 Monroe Center NW, Grand Rapids, Mich.
COST:          Free and open to the public

Gilda’s ‘LaughFest’ Preparing for 2016 Festival

Community Health, Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

LAUGHFEST_final_2Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s first-ever community-wide festival of laughter, announced that they are now accepting sign ups for its Community Showcases, 5k FUNderwear Run, and LaughFest Friends memberships.

Individuals of all ages, and groups of all sizes, are encouraged to apply for the Community Showcases. During LaughFest 2015, officials hosted more than 100 community showcases and other free events at various locations in downtown Grand Rapids, Lowell, and Holland. The categories for these showcases included stand-up comedy, music, short-film, sketch/improv, dance, and kids’ jokes. Applicants chosen for the 2016 festival will be notified in January.

Runners, joggers and walkers interested in participating in the third annual 5k FUNderwear Run can sign up for the FUNderwear Run now! This walk/run will be held on Sunday, March 13 in downtown Grand Rapids and racers are encouraged to wear their finest (and funniest!) underwear over their running clothes to create a hilarious and one-of-a-kind moment in support of Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids. Registration is $30 prior to February 19, and $35  until the run on March 13. Registered participants will receive an official race t-shirt and finisher medal.

LaughFest FUNderwear runIn addition to these events, LaughFest organizers also announced that LaughFest Friends memberships are now available. LaughFest Friends memberships give fans of LaughFest opportunities to connect with the festival year round, and are available for purchase online, at Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids (1806 Bridge St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504) or at LaughFest Central when it opens mid-February.

There are three levels of memberships available, starting at $25. Level one includes an exclusive tee shirt designed by The Mitten State, High Five button and donation, exclusive content and experiences, and early access to Fast Passes for free events. Fast Passes guarantee holders a seat for free showings as long as they are seated 15 minutes prior to the event start time.

The second level costs $50 and includes everything in the $25 level, plus a Mitten State Smile Decal, a 20 percent discount for merchandise at LaughFest Central and online, and a $5 off coupon for LaughFest Central for anyone who signs up before Thanksgiving.

The third membership level is $100 and includes all the items at the $25 and $50 levels, plus pre-sale opportunities to purchase ticket packages in December 2015 and individual tickets in January 2016 before the general public, and two VIP passes to Headliner’s Club at the BOB during the festival.

Designed to celebrate laughter for the health of it, LaughFest features free and ticketed events including stand-up, improv, film, authors, community showcases and a variety of seriously funny stuff. Past LaughFest headliners include Jay Leno, Lily Tomlin, Chris Tucker, Bill Cosby, Mike Birbiglia, Margaret Cho, Betty White, Whoopi Goldberg, Mike Epps, Rodney Carrington, Martin Short, Kevin Nealon, Wayne Brady, Jim Breuer, Joel McHale, Lewis Black, Brian Regan and Anjelah Johnson. An announcement regarding the 2016 festival headliners is expected later this year.

The sixth year of the festival is scheduled for March 10 through March 20, 2016.