The Hampton Beach Comedy Festival was created from a simple idea in 2009. Longtime Hampton resident (and Boston comedian) Jimmy Dunn would call some comedians he liked, invite them over for a steak on his backyard grill, and then they'd head over and do a show at Ashworth by the Sea, the iconic Hampton Beach hotel where Dunn parked cars as a teenager.
A lot has happened to Dunn since then -- including a top role in CBS's The McCarthys, sets on The Late Show with David Letterman and Conan, and an appearance on Judd Apatow's Netflix series Love -- and the Hampton Beach Comedy Festival has grown as well. Presented with Scamps Comedy Productions and Ashworth by the Sea, it's a four-night weekend celebration of stand-up comedy, with each show featuring a loaded lineup of headliners and up-and-comers. Many past performers have gone on to or continued successful careers in stand-up, comedy writing, movies, TV and radio. The common qualities all the comedians share? "They need to be funny, and I need to like them as people," Dunn says. "Otherwise, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun."

This year's shows will be ON HAMPTON BEACH! At McGuirk's Ocean View Hotel and Restaurant at The Back Hideway, a perfect intimate venue for comedy!


For more information, go to scampscomedy.com, JimmyDunn.com and HamptonbeachComedy.com, or check Hampton Beach Comedy Festival on Facebook.