Latest news with #ComedyFestival
AU Financial Review
7 hours ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Hotel occupancy edges up as corporate travel rebounds
Australian hotel room rates dropped in five major cities while occupancy levels edged higher over the first half of 2025 as hoteliers focused on filling rooms rather than on how much they could charge, industry analysts say. Major events like the Australian Open, Comedy Festival and Formula 1 in Melbourne, Sydney's Mardi Gras parade and Vivid Sydney, and Dark Mofo in Tasmania encouraged domestic and international travel in the first six months of this year.
Economy ME
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economy ME
Upcoming Riyadh Season to feature rich Saudi and Gulf content, comedy festival: GEA chairman
Saudi Arabia's upcoming Riyadh Season is set to feature key events, global attractions as well as rich Saudi, Gulf, and Syrian content. Following the major success of last year's season, Turki Alalshikh, advisor and chairman of the board of directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), previewed the upcoming Riyadh Season, highlighting that the city is currently experiencing an unprecedented entertainment movement. Riyadh is hosting the Esports World Cup — the largest esports tournament in the world — with a prize pool exceeding $70 million and drawing significant global attention. He affirmed that the season's activities will continue to accelerate week after week. Riyadh Comedy Festival announced Aalshikh announced the launch of the highly anticipated Riyadh Comedy Festival in September, after unveiling some of the performers earlier today. More than 50 comedians and actors from various countries will participate, giving audiences the chance to enjoy international talent on the stages of Boulevard City. He added the upcoming Riyadh Season will feature a strong representation of Saudi and Gulf content, along with notable Syrian artistic contributions in plays and concerts. The season will also include global events such as music concerts, football matches, boxing bouts, UFC fights and a WWE showcase. Wrestling fans can look forward to the 'Royal Rumble' taking place in January. Alalshikh added that more surprises will be announced soon, including events in collaboration with global YouTube star MrBeast and the 'Six Kings Slam' tennis tournament, which will bring together the world's top six players to compete for the largest prize in the sport's history—following the major success of last year's edition. (Source: SPA) Riyadh Season 2025 marks record-breaking success The fifth annual Riyadh Season received a record-breaking 20 million visitors, marking an unprecedented milestone since the event's inception in 2019, announced the Saudi General Entertainment Authority 's (GEA) chairman of the board of directors advisor, Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al Al-Sheikh, in February. Riyadh Season has solidified its position as a global entertainment hub, attracting visitors from across the Kingdom and beyond. Popular destinations such as Boulevard World, Boulevard City and Boulevard Runway saw particularly high foot traffic this year, offering a diverse range of artistic performances, international games, fine-dining experiences and immersive cultural exhibits. In a report, Visa examined Riyadh Season 2025's impact on inbound tourism and the local economy, revealing a 47.6 percent annual increase in international visitors and substantial growth in spending. Riyadh welcomed over 500,000 Visa cardholders from around the world in the fourth quarter of 2024, marking an impressive 47.6 percent annual increase. Of these, 20,000 visitors attended Riyadh Season events. 'Riyadh Season is more than just entertainment – it is a catalyst for economic growth, and a key component of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 tourism goals,' said Ali Bailoun, regional general manager for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman at Visa. These insights underscore Riyadh Season 2025's pivotal role in accelerating Saudi Arabia's transition into a world-class tourism and entertainment hub, reinforcing the Kingdom's drive to attract 150 million visitors annually by 2030. Read: Etihad Airways targets 21.5 million passengers and 18 new aircraft in 2025, says CEO Entertainment sector to contribute 4.2 percent of GDP by 2030 According to a report from the Ministry of Investment, the entertainment sector is expected to create 450,000 jobs by 2030 and contribute 4.2 percent of the gross domestic product. The sector has seen several record highs in the last five years, including attracting over SAR1 billion in total revenues and more than 75 million event attendees. In line with Saudi Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia aims to diversify its economy and enhance the quality of life by promoting tourism and Saudi culture internationally to attract visitors. The entertainment sector is a crucial pillar in achieving these ambitious goals, with a focus on enhancing the quality of life through a variety of cultural and entertainment activities.
Arab News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Upcoming Riyadh Season to feature more Saudi and Gulf content, says GEA chairman
RIYADH: Plenty of global attractions are being planned for the upcoming Riyadh Season, with the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) promising that events will be rich in Saudi, Gulf and Syrian content. GEA Chairman Turki Alalshikh on Wednesday said the Season will feature for the first time the Riyadh Comedy Festival, which will take place at Boulevard City in Riyadh from September 26 to October 9. The event will feature over 50 of the world's most renowned comedians, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Following the major success of last year's season, Riyadh is currently experiencing an unprecedented entertainment movement, such as hosting the Esports World Cup — the largest esports tournament in the world — with a prize pool exceeding $70 million and drawing significant global attention. Alalshikh said the season's activities will continue to accelerate week after week. Among the global events being lined up are music concerts, football matches, boxing bouts, UFC fights, and a WWE showcase, the GEA chief said. Wrestling fans can look forward to the 'Royal Rumble' taking place in January, the SPA quoted him as saying. Alalshikh added that more surprises will be announced soon, including events in collaboration with global YouTube star MrBeast and the "Six Kings Slam" tennis tournament, which will bring together the world's top six players to compete for the largest prize in the sport's history — following the major success of last year's edition. Riyadh Season is an annual entertainment festival held in the Kingdom's capital, a major initiative aimed to boost tourism and diversify the Saudi economy, as part of the country's Vision 2030 initiative.
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Thunderstorms halt Ludlow Comedy Festival
Thunderstorms interrupted the Ludlow Comedy Festival on Sunday night as audience members were evacuated from the castle grounds.A set by Ivo Graham was stopped midway, as organisers urged people to leave the festival site at about 16:10 spent just over an hour outside until thunderstorms had said they had been tracking lightning strikes as part of their Adverse Weather Plan and had evacuated the castle on advice from their on-site safety advisor. They thanked audience members for "assisting with this precautionary evacuation" and for "doing so in an orderly and efficient manner", which they said helped in getting the venue open again as soon as afterwards, Ivo Graham said he had only managed five minutes of his set and had offered to carry on after the event resumed, but was told it was not possible. A yellow Met Office warning had been in place for Ludlow and much of Shropshire on Sunday, which also led to bursts of heavy comedy festival was part of a series of live shows at Ludlow Castle that since Thursday have seen performances by The Script, Sam Ryder, Faithless and Texas. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New York Comedy Festival to Feature Louis C.K., Margaret Cho and ‘Strangers With Candy' Reunion
Laughs are loading for this year's New York Comedy Festival. The festival will feature more than 200 comedians at 100 shows at venues across the five boroughs for 10 days from Nov. 7-16. This year's headliners include such acts as the Basement Yard, Hannah Berner, Michael Blackson, Louis C.K., Margaret Cho, Alex Edelman, Chris Fleming, Pete Holmes, Morgan Jay, Ismo, Ryan Long, Nurse John, Yohay Sponder, Trevor Wallace and more. More from The Hollywood Reporter Christopher Guest Reveals the "Brutal" Backstage Dog Show Moment That He Couldn't Include in 'Best in Show': "It's Too Much" 'Giggly Squad' Podcast Renews Ad Partnership With Acast Margaret Cho Says Ellen DeGeneres Was "Really Weird and Not Nice" to Her for Most of Her Career Also on the lineup is a special reunion for Strangers with Candy creators and stars Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris. The event, to be held at Town Hall on Nov. 8, is billed as a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the show's cancellation. Strangers with Candy aired for three seasons on Comedy Central and became a cult classic thanks to its risqué humor and wild storylines. It cast Sedaris as Jerri Blank, a 46-year-old ex-drug addict who returns to high school to do it a second time as a freshman. As the show grew in popularity, it snagged high-profile guest stars like Will Ferrell, Andy Richter, Tim Meadows, David Cross, Paul Rudd, Winona Ryder and more. It currently streams on Paramount+. 'We're thrilled to unveil this year's incredible lineup — a dynamic mix of global headliners and rising voices that reflect where comedy is right now and where it's headed. We're proud to continue to bring New York City the very best of the best' said Caroline Hirsch, founder and owner of the New York Comedy Festival which launched in 2004. 'In a constantly shifting landscape, we stay committed to spotlighting new voices, championing fresh perspectives, breaking form and shaping a festival that sets the standard both creatively and commercially.' Added the Basement Yard's Joe Santagato: 'I have no idea how many planets had to align for this opportunity to be given to two kids from Queens but we are so excited and will give New York the best possible show we can.' Beyond headliners, the New York Comedy Festival is expected to reveal details for additional events in the coming months for its Stand Up for Heroes, New York's Funniest Stand Ups presented by Threads, Comics to Watch, live podcast recordings, panel discussions and more. More information can be found here. Tickets are available to the general public starting July 21 at 11 a.m. ET. Bread Financial serves as the official sponsor of the festival and the Bread Cashback American Express Credit Card is the official card, and holders have early access to purchase pre-sale tickets beginning July 16. Additional sponsors include Threads, Hard Rock Hotel New York (the official host hotel for a fourth year), ABC7, iHeart Radio, NYC Media & Entertainment, NYC Tourism + Conventions, Founded in NYC, New York Magazine, New York Post, Vulture and The Wall Street Journal. Since it landed on the scene, the NYCF has hosted top talents like Judd Apatow, Bill Burr, Margaret Cho, Larry David, Kevin Hart, Jo Koy, Nick Kroll, Bill Maher, Trevor Noah, Conan O'Brien, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes, Tracy Morgan and many more. The 2025 lineup thus far is below. Friday, Nov. 7 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. – Ryan Long at the Venue at Hard Rock Hotel New York 8 p.m. – Nurse John: The Short-Staffed Tour at The Beacon Theatre Saturday, Nov. 8 7 p.m. – A celebration of the 25th anniversary of the cancellation of Strangers with Candy with Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris at Town Hall 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. – Ryan Long at the Venue at Hard Rock Hotel New York 7 p.m.– Trevor Wallace: The Alpha Beta Male at Beacon Theatre 8 p.m. – Hannah Berner: None of My Business Tour at Carnegie Hall Sunday, Nov. 9 7 p.m. – Ismo: Woo Hoo! World Tour at Town Hall Thursday, Nov. 13 7 p.m. – Yohay Sponder at Town Hall 7 p.m. – Morgan Jay: The Goofy Guy Tour at The Beacon Theatre 8 p.m. – The Basement Yard: From the Basement to the World Tour at Madison Square Garden Friday, Nov. 14 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. – Michael Blackson: America Is Fkd Comedy Tour at the Venue at Hard Rock Hotel NY 7 p.m. – Pete Holmes: The Pete Here Now Tour at Town Hall 7:30 p.m. – Louis C.K. Ridiculous at The Beacon Theater Saturday, Nov. 15 6 p.m. – Alex Edelman: What Are You Going To Do at Carnegie Hall 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. – Michael Blackson: America Is Fkd Comedy Tour at the Venue at Hard Rock Hotel NY 7 p.m. – Margaret Cho: Choligarchy at Town Hall 7:30 p.m. – Louis C.K. Ridiculous at The Beacon Theater 8:45 p.m. – Chris Fleming at Carnegie Hall Best of The Hollywood Reporter Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Harvey Weinstein's "Jane Doe 1" Victim Reveals Identity: "I'm Tired of Hiding" 'Awards Chatter' Podcast: 'Sopranos' Creator David Chase Finally Reveals What Happened to Tony (Exclusive) Solve the daily Crossword
