Photography by Matt Marcinkowski
Zach Gzehoviak, Brady McAninch
Flyover Comedy Festival, which bills itself as an “annual invasion,” is making good on that descriptor for the fifth annual fest, November 10–12. The three-day event, which traditionally takes over venues across The Grove with standup, improv, and sketch-comedy acts from around the country, is expanding to include Stifel Theatre with big-name headliner Sarah Silverman & Friends.
Photography by Robyn Von Swank
Sarah Silverman
“To have Sarah Silverman was sort of a dream, something that I thought would maybe be a Year 10 thing or something,” says Flyover co-founder and executive producer Zach Gzehoviak. “For that to be happening this year, it’s a little bit surreal.”
Gzehoviak started talking about the idea of a St. Louis comedy festival with other local comics as far back as 2013. As the scene grew, an opportunity arose. The Improv Shop moved from the Central West End to The Grove five years ago, and Gzehoviak realized that The Grove, with its many venues, would be perfect for a walkable, centralized weekend festival. From there, Gzehoviak got together with Flyover co-founder Brady McAninch, who helped set up the festival’s LLC, and established Flyover as a nonprofit. They connected with a number of venues in The Grove and started working with local comedians, who helped organize a lineup for the first Flyover.
Gzehoviak saw a significant opportunity in St. Louis’ central location—just a few hours’ drive from Chicago, Nashville, and Louisville—as well as the fervor with which the city supports similar weekend festivals. “I thought it would be a great way to get St. Louisans who wouldn’t normally go out to a comedy show,” Gzehoviak says.
The weekend also offers a more intimate experience than a standard showcase for attendees. “Once the shows are done, it’s such a fun thing where you have a lot of performers hanging out at the bar and with attendees who were just at the show,” Gzehoviak says. “It’s kind of a bigger party than you would get with your normal show.”
While 2022 marks a big year for Flyover, Gzehoviak and McAninch are excited to see the festival continue to grow and highlight both local and national performers while keeping the festival’s intimate charm intact. “If we can keep doing what we’ve done the last five years…and continue to innovate and provide a top-notch experience,” McAninch says, “then the sky’s the limit to help make St. Louis a comedy destination.”
Locally Sourced Laughs
Although Flyover scored its biggest headliner yet this year with Sarah Silverman & Friends, Gzehoviak and McAninch are keeping strong ties to the local scene by working with local comedians such as Rafe Williams, Emily Hickner, and Matt Wayman, among others, to scout and book performers. This approach promotes the pool of talent here while offering an opportunity to make connections and reach a wider audience. “It’s been nice to not only highlight the city,” McAninch says, “but to highlight these performers and see these people who submitted to us six years ago are now the ones that we’re asking to headline the Best in the Lou showcase.”
Three-day wristbands are available for $55-85. Single show tickets are also available. For tickets and a full schedule of events, visit flyovercomedyfest.com.
