Jest Fest 2026: An All Ages Comedy Festival

We are excited to welcome you to the first annual Jest Fest!! Hosted by VT Comedy All Stars, Camp Meade presents a full day of laughter, entertainment, and community celebration. Camp Meade is proud to present its first-ever Jest Fest – Family Comedy Day on Saturday, August 1, 2026, a full day of laughter, entertainment, and community celebration in the heart of Middlesex, Vermont. Beginning at 12:00 p.m., families are invited to enjoy a free afternoon filled with comedy, live entertainment, food, and activities for all ages. Donations will be gratefully accepted throughout the day to support Camp Meade's mission of providing music, arts, education, and community programming for Central Vermont. Jest Fest is more than a day of entertainment—it is a fundraiser Hosted by Vermont Comedy All Stars, dedicated to preserving Camp Meade as one of Central Vermont's most treasured community gathering places. Proceeds from the event will help sustain music and arts programming, educational opportunities, facility improvements, and the community events that have brought people together at Camp Meade for nearly a decade. Vermont Comedy All Stars is a nonprofit, founded in 2020, dedicated to the promotion of the comic arts in Vermont. VCAS has produced over 120 stand-up comedy shows around the state bringing joy and laughter to all. The daytime festival will feature youth performers, improv comedy, the internationally acclaimed Red Trouser Show, children's activities, food trucks, and more. At 5:00 p.m., the event transitions into an evening of professional comedy. Admission for all comedy performances beginning at 5:00 p.m. is $15 per person. Click HERE for tix. 12:30-1:30pm - Young'uns Comedy Bonanza! This hour-long program for kids aged 4 to 11 is packed with activities that will entertain the next generation of comedians. Activities will range from hilarious group projects like giant mad-libs to improv games like Zip-Zap-Zop and Bus Stop that will have everyone up and running around. Plus, get ready to sing along to Disney karaoke led by local performers. The young'uns comedy bonanza has something every kid can crack up at! Hosted by Zoe Bernstein.1:45 – 3:00pm - Teen World! Come hang out and try your hand at comedy! We'll spend some time playing improv games, talking about what makes us laugh, and learning a few basics of stand-up and improv comedy. Participants will have a chance to brainstorm ideas, try out jokes, and build a short stand-up set in a fun, low-pressure environment. We'll finish with a casual showcase/open mic where everyone can share what they've been working on with an audience. No comedy experience needed, just a willingness to jump in, be creative, and have some fun! Hosted by Maggie Phelan.3:15-3:30pm – Improv #1 - Catch two of Vermont's local improv teams as they bring fast-paced, completely unscripted comedy to the stage. Using audience suggestions, each team will create hilarious scenes and stories on the spot, making every performance one of a kind. Improv #1 features Yes Island.3:45-4:15pm – Internationally famous acrobats, the Red Trousers!4:30-4:45pm – Improv #2! Different Improv Troupe, same great improv! Featuring All the Worst People.5:00-6:15pm – Stand Up Comedy Showcase #1 - Family Friendly. This Showcase will feature some of Vermont’s finest stand up comics, finalists in Vermont’s Funniest Comedian Contest and other contests who perform around the state and New England. This first set will be appropriate for audiences of all ages, using universal, relatable humor while omitting crude language, sexual innuendo, and graphic violence. Featuring Rob Hale, Chris Dolan, Mark Wylie, Natasha Komarove and more! Hosted by Deb Reiser.6:30-8:00pm – Stand Up Comedy Showcase #2 – This second Showcase will feature the another line up of hilarious Vermont stand up comics with a little spice, meaning some adult themes and language. Laugh your way right to the end of the festival! Featuring Julia DiFerdinando, E.j. Murphy, Zoe Bernstein, Raoul Biron and more! Hosted by Gordon Clark, Director of Vermont Comedy All Stars.