Big Diamond Comedy Festival

05/31/2026

FINAL DAY TO APPLY, COMEDIANS. Fest is Oct 22-24, Bentonville, Arkansas. Accepted comics get their lodging covered, spot pay, great hangs and a handmade shirt from the Sam Tallent Factory. Apply on our site.

05/27/2026

Comics. Final few days to apply for this year - deadline closes May 31. Fest is Oct 22-24 in Bentonville, Arkansas. Apply at bigdiamondcomedyfestival.com/submissions

This is year 3 of BDCF- a fest founded by Sam Tallent/Raj Suresh and produced by Kaz Sparkman.

If you get in we:
-Cover your stay for the entire fest weekend
-Pay you for spots
-Guarantee at least 2 spots, one at a larger venue and one on a showcase
-Have baller industry; last year multiple comics got weekend bookings, JFL auditions, and more
-Great hangs; swimming hole, archery, museums and more
-A swag bag with a piece of fest merch!

This year's announced headliners so far include Jay Jurden, Chanel Ali and more to come. Prior headliners include Kyle Kinane, Geoff Asmus, James McCann, Kam Patterson, Emma Willmann, and lots more.

Submit your comedy performance for the Big Diamond Comedy Festival in Bentonville. Entries open until May 31, 2026, with exciting opportunities for accepted comedians.

05/09/2026

Just 15 early bird full weekend passes left. Prices go up after these sell out.

Also new shows now on sale including:
Sam Tallent's Comedy-Rasslin' Circus!
"Are You Flirting With Me?" – A Live Comedy Podcast

04/27/2026

COMICS - Submissions end in ONE MONTH (May 31) but in the meantime, in case it's helpful...

Here are the cliffnotes from Big Diamond Comedy Fest’s 2025 Industry Panel.

Panelists:

Grant Winkels (10K Laughs) • Holly Balantine (West End Fest) • Kaz Sparkman (Big Diamond) • Shawn Carter (Blue Ridge Comedy Club) • Chris MacGregor (JFL)
Moderator: Raj Suresh (Comedian, Indian, Coldplay Fan)
Notes are summarized, not exhaustive, not legal advice (duh).

On Tapes

Cut to when you start talking — skip host, applause, and walk-up.
Submit one unbroken 5–7 minute take (no “best of” jump cuts).
Start anywhere in your set — choose your strongest stretch.
Keep consistent laughs per minute; saving everything for the end is risky.
No reels, vertical clips, or flashy edits — keep it simple and clean.

On Social Media

Not paramount for festival bookers.
Clubs and indies may weigh it more at the headliner level for sales impact.
Stay consistent — quality and frequency keep you top of mind. This is the only thing you can control when it comes to socials
Invest in pro help and gear; cut waste elsewhere to fund growth.

On Red Flags

Grace matters: how you respond to rejection emails is remembered — good or bad.
Mixed feedback on asking for extra spots — some open, others not.
→ Best advice: be yourself.

On Booking Emails

Keep it short:
Include a video link, short intro, vouches, available dates, and a Google Drive folder with:
Headshots
Quote stills
EPK & bio (copiable text)
Marketing assets in multiple ad sizes
Provide square, horizontal, and vertical image/video assets.
Shoot wide in 4K so clips can be resized without pixelation.
View list of ad sizes here

On Tactics

LLC/S-Corp Setup: Simplifies finances. Use LegalZoom, skip “agent election” to avoid extra fees — just pay state filing costs.
Editors/Content Managers: Example: Bill Squire ($100/week) — posts 3 captioned clips daily.
Automation Tools: Use ManyChat or Linktree to auto-DM links when fans comment. ($15–25/month)
Editing Apps: CapCut and Opus (great for podcasters).
Email Lists: Migrate fans there — algorithms can’t gate your audience.

04/23/2026

Early bird VIP passes are out’! There’s only 18 left. They’re $199 for three full days of comedy; skip the line, premium seats, a swag bag with fest merch and so much laughter. Oct 22-24, 2026, Downtown Bentonville! Tix at bdcf26.eventbrite.com

04/08/2026

2026 poster by .
Bentonville. Big Diamond cometh.
Comics, submissions close May 31.
Tickets, passes and more headliners out soon.

04/01/2026

First headliner announcement for Big Diamond ‘26 : JAY JURDEN! Fest passes and single show tickets out soon!
Oct 22-24 in Downtown Bentonville, Arkansas.

Jay Jurden is the star of the new Hulu comedy special Yes Ma’am, a breakout hour that solidifies him as one of the sharpest and most original comedic voices working today.

Jay is a four-time guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and has also appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Comedy Central Featuring, and HBO’s High Maintenance. He was a Staff Writer for Apple TV+’s Emmy-nominated The Problem with Jon Stewart, bringing his distinctive comedic insight to one of television’s most influential political-comedy series.

02/27/2026

Comics, swipe to see what you get if you get in.
Looking for funny, chill people. Take your shot.

02/24/2026

Year 3. Here we go.
Follow along: Big Diamond Comedy Festival 2026

01/15/2026

Looking for a comedy show tonight? There are just 20 tickets left to see Nimesh Patel live at George's Fayetteville! TONIGHT at 7!