Some of the best-known stand-up comedians of color have roots in the D.C. area — and yet, the region has for years lacked a way of celebrating this crop of local talent in any major way. That’s why a new comedy festival coming to The Anthem this weekend plans to not only celebrate local comics of color, but also give rise to the nation’s next rising stars in comedy.

The Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival will take over The Wharf from Oct. 6-8 with programming by the founders of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF). The comedy event will feature a competition to determine the “breakout comedian of the year,” a women-focused comedy show, and a homecoming lineup featuring Black comedians from D.C. Along with the main performances, there will be live music, documentary screenings, comedy workshops, and panel discussions.

Husband-and-wife team Jeff and Nicole Friday have overseen the ABFF for over 25 years and say the film festival was one of the programs that provided a platform for Black producers, writers, and performers like Issa Rae (Insecure; Barbie) and Ryan Coogler (Black Panther; Creed) when they were early in their careers. The festival has always featured a comedy night that’s sold out each year, showcasing young-at-the-time stand-up comedians like Cedric the Entertainer, Mike Epps, and Mo’Nique.

Jeff Friday, a proud Howard University graduate, says the original comedy night grew so popular that about five years ago, he and Nicole began brainstorming ways to turn the comedy night into a full-fledged festival. Angie Gates, who last October became president and CEO of Events DC (the District’s official sports and entertainment company), has known Friday for years, and when she heard the couple’s company was planning an inaugural Black comedy festival, she insisted that the film producers host it in D.C., Friday tells DCist/WAMU.

Friday says he was also attracted to the idea of hosting the festival in D.C. because Mayor Muriel Bowser is a Black woman.

“What we’re trying to do now is really spearhead: ‘Who’s the next Mo’Nique? Who’s the next D.L. Hughley?” Friday says. He and Gates hope the event will become a yearly attraction that brings visitors to the city.

“D.C. is probably the smartest, most interesting city in the country, you know?” Friday adds. “It’s not Miami Beach, but this is a really special city.”

They zeroed in on The Wharf, and this weekend, they will make full use of The Wharf’s venues, including three headliner shows at The Anthem:

• Friday, Oct 6: Breakout Comedian of the Year Competition, hosted by DC Young Fly with a musical performance by Black Alley.
• Saturday, Oct 7: Hey Ladies Fierce Female Comedy Show hosted by Tichina Arnold, with performances by Luenell, Nicole Byer, Ego Nwodim, and Aida Rodriguez.
• Sunday, Oct 8: DMV Black Comedy Homecoming Show, hosted by Yvonne Orji, featuring Tommy Davidson, Donnell Rawlings, Tony Woods, Red Grant, Pierre, Joe Clair, and more.

Notably, Dave Chappelle is not on any lineup during the weekend, which prompted WAMU/DCist to ask whether the D.C.-raised comedian’s quasi-recent controversies involving his alma mater, The Duke Ellington School of the Arts, had anything to do with his absence. But no, says Friday: “Dave’s on a tour right now. So he’s not on the lineup, but we hope that he’ll come. A lot of people have been invited that are not on the lineup.”

The rest of the weekend will feature performances by D.C.’s own The Experience Band & Show and other local acts at Pearl Street Warehouse, where there will also be improv and sketch comedy workshops; and at Union Stage, the festival will host a “joke lab” where comedians will try out new material and a discussion with social media stars like KevOnStage and B. Simone who use online platforms to elevate their comedy.

Two documentaries will be shown during the festival: In Amanda We Trust, a politically-minded documentary from actor/comedian Amanda Seales; and a currently sold-out premiere of The Mecca of Comedy, a film about some of the highest-grossing comedians who hail from the D.C. area.

Friday says that too often, fans flock to New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago to find great comedy. He hopes this festival will “change the perception” of the District and draw attention to its flourishing comedy scene.

“Oftentimes, Hollywood doesn’t have avenues for people of color to really make it unless you know someone. So we’ve just been this ultimate facilitator of Black talent. All we’re doing is rinse and repeat what we did in film. We’re doing it for comedy now,” says Friday. “That’s why we get up in the morning — to make sure that Black people and brown people have an opportunity to achieve their greatest level of success in entertainment.”

The Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival is scheduled for Oct. 6-8 at The Wharf in southwest D.C. A full schedule of events is available here.