FemGents - Jill Valentine- chicago women's funny festival

Four days, 70 shows and 400 hysterical ladies performing under one roof can mean only one thing: The Chicago Women’s Funny Festival is back, running from Thursday, Aug. 23-Sunday, Aug. 26.

“The Chicago Women’s Funny Festival has become a celebrated event for women in the comedy community not only on a local level in the Windy City, but also on national front,” says Stage 773 Executive Director Jill Valentine, who founded the festival in 2012 with co-producer Liz McArthur (pictured above). “To bring together over 400 comediennes from around the country under one roof for four days is a feat in and of itself and the fact we are going into our seventh year of this festival is something really special.”

Organizers say it’s the largest event of its kind in the country, and it unites newcomers and comedy veterans alike for a mash-up of musical improv, stand-up comedy, sketches and all things funny.

The 7th Annual Chicago Women’s Funny Festival performs:

  • Thursday, Aug. 23: 8-10 p.m.
  • Friday, Aug. 24: 8-11 p.m.
  • Saturday, Aug. 25: 4:30-11 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 26: 2-7 p.m.

Highlights include the debut of “gutsy game changer” Sarah Squirm Sherman, as well as Mary Kennedy, Dina Nina Martinez and Harpreet Sehmbi. Check the complete schedule and searchable calendar at www.stage773.com/cwff-lineup. And read the Rebellious Magazine preview and review of the 2017 festival.

The festival is at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont in Lakeview. Individual ticket prices are $15, and festival passes are available for $40 (Thursday), $50 (Friday), $60 (Saturday), $55 (Sunday) or $150 for an all festival pass (Thursday-Sunday). All tickets and festival passes may be purchased at www.Stage773.com, by phone at 773-327-5252, or in person at the Stage 773 box office.

Karen Hawkins is the Founder and Rebelle in Chief of Rebellious Magazine. She is a recovering mainstream media reporter and editor who wants to thank her former boss for naming the online magazine she's...