A Bold New Comedy Festival Pops in the Grove this weekend

By Editor Thea Thompson

If laughter really is the best medicine, then Miami is about to get a full prescription. Sitting down at The Taurus Beer & Whiskey House with festival organizers Raull Hernandez, Kelly Carlson, and Mike DeVore, one thing became clear: the inaugural Coconut Grove Comedy Festival is a full-blown comedy marathon with big ambitions and even bigger punchlines.

“This has never been done before in Florida,” Hernandez said, referring to the staggering lineup of over 100 comedians performing across more than 60 shows in just two days. “Maybe you see something like the New York Comedy Festival or Just for Laughs in Montreal—but here? This is new.”

A Festival Built for the Grove

So why start something this ambitious in Coconut Grove?

DeVore didn’t hesitate: “The Grove just has the feel of everything that you want. It’s got the culture, it’s new, it’s old, it’s fantastic here. Everybody’s friendly… it’s hard to not want to be here once you’re here.”

That sense of place is central to the festival’s identity. Unlike sprawling, impersonal festivals, this one is designed to be walkable and intimate. “You can walk from one end of the festival to the other in 25 minutes,” Carlson explained. “Everything’s within one square mile. It feels closer, more homey.”

This is a Comedy Takeover

The organizers are clearly aiming beyond traditional comedy. The festival will feature debate-style shows, trivia nights, a Cards Against Humanity competition, and even a domino tournament, an homage to the neighborhood’s cultural roots.

“We’re trying to encapsulate the Grove,” Hernandez said. “All the art, the culture, everything about Coconut Grove is why we’re here.”

One standout feature? A trilingual lineup. “We’re doing English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole shows,” Carlson noted. “That really reflects the community here.”

Big Names, Local Talent, and National Reach

The festival isn’t short on star power. Comedians with credits from major networks and collaborations with global artists—including one performer who recently worked with Shakira—will headline. But the organizers are equally focused on elevating Miami’s local scene.

“We took submissions from all over the country,” Hernandez said. “But this is also about highlighting Miami comics and giving them exposure.”

Performers are coming in from comedy hubs like New York, Texas, and Georgia—places where comedians traditionally go to “make it.” The goal? Change that narrative.

“Miami isn’t considered a national comedy hub,” Hernandez admitted. “We’re trying to put it on the map.”

A Community Effort

If there’s one theme that kept coming up, it’s collaboration.

“Three major producers like us working together? That’s unheard of in comedy,” Hernandez said. “We’re trying to show that collaboration can be better than competition.”

Local businesses are all in, offering discounts, hosting events, and even helping house out-of-town comedians. Festival-goers wearing wristbands can expect perks throughout the neighborhood, from food deals to afterparties.

“It’s been a very collaborative effort,” Carlson said. “The city, the businesses, the venues—everyone’s rallying behind this.”

Passing the Torch

In perhaps the most poetic moment of the conversation, organizers revealed plans for a symbolic “Coconut Grove torch”—complete with peacock feathers—to be passed between local festivals.

“It’s about unity,” DeVore said. “The theater festival passes it to us, we pass it to the next. We’re all connected.”

Come for the Comedy, Stay for the Experience

With magicians, impersonators, family-friendly daytime shows, and kids admitted free during early hours, the festival aims to be more than just a night out—it’s a full cultural experience.

“It’s not just comedy,” Carlson said. “It’s fun for all ages.”

And if you’re wondering whether it’ll live up to the hype, Hernandez offered a simple preview:

“Imagine 60-plus shows happening all at once… yeah, it’s going to be very interesting.”

Or, as Editor Thea Thompson might put it: Miami, get ready—the Grove is about to get very, very funny.

https://coconutgrovecomedyfestival.com