JAMESTOWN, NY – August 9^th, 2012 – The city of Jamestown, New York and itsLucille Ball Comedy Festival were profiled at length in the NY Times, among the most widely read newspapers in the world, on Monday, August 6^th. The article, which featured multiple photos and a map image pinpointing Jamestown, received coverage on the front page and two additional pages in the “A” section. The article examined the direction the festival has taken over the past few years, the impact of comedy programming on Jamestown’s economy, and even much of Jamestown’s unique history.

In a press conference held at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena on Wednesday, Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales specifically discussed the significance of this media placement, commenting that the impact of having an article in the NY Times would be immeasurable in terms of creating a buzz around Jamestown and Chautauqua County.

“As the Secretary of State said to me afterwards, ‘a dollar figure cannot even be placed on the value of that piece,’” said Journey Gunderson, executive director for the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy. “It’s true.  Jamestown was just featured, favorably, in a publication read by millions of people worldwide. We should all be excited about this as a community together. It’s a great thing for the whole area.”

“The content and essence of [the NY Times] article perfectly captured what we’re trying to accomplish,” said Tom Benson, board president for the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy. “The fact that we got that level of exposure is something we’re really proud of, as everyone in the community and region should be.”

In addition to the NY Times article, Jamestown’s Lucille Ball Comedy Festival has been featured this month in other newspapers across the globe such as the Chicago Tribune, the Columbus Dispatch, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the Sydney Morning Herald.

Lucy Fest and Jamestown will also be featured in an upcoming ABC 20/20 special, “Best in TV, The Greatest TV Shows of our Time,” hosted by Barbara Walters on September 18^th at 9pm EST. I Love Lucy is nominated in two categories, Best Television Comedy of All Time and Best Television Show of All Time.

Festival attendees from August 1st-5th included representatives from over half of the states of America, as well as visitors from various other countries.

“The enormous success of Lucy Fest 2012 gives us another big piece of our foundation to build upon,” Benson said. “This is another great year under our belt that we will use as a building block.”

ABOUT THE LUCILLE BALL COMEDY FESTIVAL

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, or “Lucy Fest,” embodies Ball’s vision for her hometown legacy: a celebration of the comedic arts held annually on the weekend closest to her birth date, August 6th. This year’s festival ran August 1st-5th and featured performances by Paula Poundstone, Lucie Arnaz, Tammy Pescatelli, Tony Deyo, Story Pirates, Billy Gardell from CBS’s Mike & Molly, and much more. This year’s festival was brought to you in part by YNN, the TV media sponsor of Lucy Fest 2012. Visit www.LucyComedyFest.com for more information.

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is the first pillar in a four-pillar Legacy of Laughter vision for the organization, including a comedic arts education program, comedy film festival and the establishment of the first national comedy museum and hall of fame.

The mission of the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is to preserve the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and enrich the world through the healing powers of love and laughter through its commitment to the development of the comedic arts.

Tourists from California, Texas, Canada, Manhattan and every place in between grape-stomped and conveyer-belt candy-wrapped alongside locals and live bands at the premiere of the Lucy World Games on City Hall’s Tracy Plaza. Musicians and Lucy fans alike gathered at Friday, August 3^{rd’s “}Opening Ceremonies” to sing the largest community rendition of the I Love Lucy theme song. I Love Lucy impersonators from Universal Studios also helped kick off the celebration that concluded with Journey Gunderson, executive director for the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy, lighting the “Torch of Laughter”.  A “Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel” costume contest and an I Love Lucy trivia contest were among some of the events that fans participated in.

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the weekend came at Friday’s cornerstone Stand-Up Showcase, when Lucie Arnaz announced her endorsement of a national Comedy Hall of Fame and museum to be featured in Jamestown. She stated to a packed theater how her mother wanted her legacy to live on through new comedy, and how laughter is the best healing medicine of all. Camera crews and reporters from national media outlets covered Jamestown throughout the course of the festival. ABC News 20/20, People Magazine, and The New York Times were among a few of the media outlets in attendance. 20/20 will feature Jamestown and Lucy Fest in a September special, hosted by Barbara Walters, titled, “The Greatest Television of All Time.”  I Love Lucy has been nominated in the categories for best comedy and best overall show. The New York Times featured Jamestown’s comedy festival in an article and extensive slideshow appearing in the Monday, August 6^th (Lucille Ball’s birthday) edition of the Times.

For more exclusive photos and videos of the event, visit www.lucy-desi.com.

This year’s top headliner was Billy Gardell, from CBS’s hit show Mike & Molly. By curtain, the Pittsburgh native had filled all but a few seats in Jamestown’s 1270-seat Reg Lenna Civic Center Theater, and finished his act to a thunderous, standing ovation that even included audience members delivering gifts to his feet at the stage.

Lucie Arnaz made a rare trip to Jamestown to host the Stand-Up Showcase and give her endorsement of creating the first National Comedy Center and Hall of Fame in Lucille Ball’s hometown. The showcase was headlined by crowd-favorite comic Tammy Pescatelli, winner of Comedy Central’s 2010 Stand-Up Showdown and a finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing 2. Tony Deyo and Baron Vaughn also performed, and Lucie Arnaz’s third and closing musical number – backed by an 11-piece band – capped off the evening and drew a standing ovation for a unique show produced for this festival by the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy.

Paula Poundstone, one of Comedy Central’s 100 Greatest Comedians of All-Time and panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me headlined the Thursday, August 2nd evening, with hers kicking off what would be a trifecta of standing ovations for evening shows.

Kid’s comedy included the critically-acclaimed comedy troupe, Story Pirates, seen on CNN’s Larry King, NBC’s Today, and recently live on stage with Conan O’Brien. This non-profit creative writing organization made up of professional actors and comedians performs a show based on stories written by children. As a special treat, four stories written by local children were selected and performed at the show, with story authors brought on stage by the Story Pirates for a round of applause at the end.  More than 50 local children submitted stories for the August 4^th matinee.

Gregg Oppenheimer, son of I Love Lucy creator Jess Oppenheimer, returned to Jamestown to direct a Live “Lucy” Radio Show on Saturday, August 4th. This year’s show featured the world premiere of Finding Fred and Ethel, a side-splitting episode of Jess Oppenheimer’s first sitcom Baby Snooks, and another hilarious episode of Lucille Ball’s radio sitcom, My Favorite Husband: Valentine’s Day.

Late Night Comedy was held in the Tropicana Room at the Lucy Desi Center on August 3rd and 4thfeaturing comics from New York City, Boston, Cleveland, Jersey City and Buffalo. These rising comedians converged in Jamestown for two nights of new, and specific to this time slot, blue, material.  Comedians who performed included Mark Normand, Adam Newman, Kyle Grooms, Harrison Greenbaum, Bethany Van Delft, Mike Brown, Phoebe Robinson, Joe Machi, and Chet Wild. Joe Machi and Harrison Greenbaum, in particular, delivered stand-out, crowd-favorite performances.

ABOUT THE LUCILLE BALL COMEDY FESTIVAL

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, or “Lucy Fest,” embodies Ball’s vision for her hometown legacy: a celebration of the comedic arts held annually on the weekend closest to her birth date, August 6th. This year’s festival ran August 1st-5th and featured performances by Paula Poundstone, Lucie Arnaz, Tammy Pescatelli, Tony Deyo, Story Pirates, Billy Gardell from CBS’s Mike & Molly, and much more. This year’s festival was brought to you in part by YNN, the TV media sponsor of Lucy Fest 2012. Visit www.LucyComedyFest.com for more information.

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is the first pillar in a four-pillar Legacy of Laughter vision for the organization, including a comedic arts education program, comedy film festival and the establishment of the first national comedy museum and hall of fame.

The mission of the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is to preserve the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and enrich the world through the healing powers of love and laughter through its commitment to the development of the comedic arts.

The Lucy Desi Center for Comedy is in need of musicians to take part in the largest community rendition of “I Love Lucy”, the theme song, this Friday, Aug. 3 at 6pm (arrive at 5:30) for an ABC 20/20 Barbara Walters special on “The Best Television of All Time.”

The song will be played in F MAJOR, and musicians and singers (yes, there are lyrics!) can review the song here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_CzPL_7LuQ

The location is Jamestown’s City Hall/Tracy Plaza at 200 E 3rd St. in downtown Jamestown.

ABC News 20/20 will be covering the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival (LucyComedyFest.com) and its “Lucy World Games Opening Ceremonies”  including grape-stomping and conveyer belt candy-wrapping from the most iconic “I Love Lucy” episodes.  Anyone may participate in the World Games during Party on the Plaza, including beer & wine, live band Party of Nine, and host Tammy Pescatelli, Winner of Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Showdown.

The Opening Ceremonies will be followed by the 8:30 Stand-Up Showcase with Host & Musical Guest Lucie Arnaz, next door at the beautiful Reg Lenna Civic Center theater.  Arnaz, an Emmy-winning producer, singer, and actress, and the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, will host a night of rising comics as her father did as the first-ever host and musical guest of “Saturday Night Live” in 1976.

The Story Pirates, who recently appeared on stage with Conan O’Brien, are a critically acclaimed arts and creative writing organization founded in 2003 to celebrate the words and ideas of young people, to promote literacy as a vital part of education, and to preserve the spark of youthful creativity. Former cast members include John Oliver of The Daily Show and Kristen Schaal of 30 Rock. The show, which has been praised by Jon Stewart and featured on NBC’s Today, is performed by professional adult comedians, but based entirely on stories written by children.

“Story Pirates has been committed to providing high quality arts and education programs to children since 2003,” said Nicole Brodeur, producing director for Story Pirates. “What began as a pilot in a single low-income Harlem school has grown to become a nationally respected arts integration curriculum in place annually at over 150 schools from coast to coast.”

Earlier this summer, the Story Pirates performed at the Reg Lenna Civic Center for a crowd of third and fourth graders from Jamestown Public Schools and Southwestern Elementary Schools. Winning stories will be revealed at the Pirates show on Saturday, August 4^th at 11am. Tickets are $4 and $7 for adults, and available at LucyComedyFest.com or by phone at 716.484.0800.

“Story Pirates believes that every child has a story to tell,” Brodeur said. “Whether it’s a world where cats can fly or a rock opera about fuzzy alien tickle monsters, our sketch comedy musical is based entirely on stories by elementary schoolers! We received amazing story submissions for Lucy Fest, and have chosen several to be performed on August 4th. We hope to see you there!”

JAMESTOWN, NY – July 27th, 2012 – The Lucy Desi Center for Comedy has announced the final line-up of The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, August 1st-5th. The five-day festival will feature nationally-recognized comedians and rising stars, as well as one-of-a-kind events that any Lucy fan couldn’t miss, all in Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, NY.

“Our goal last year was to honor Lucille Ball the best way we know how: through laughter,” said Journey Gunderson, executive director. “We hope to continue that success this year with top-notch comedy programming and really prove that Jamestown is ready to become the Cooperstown of comedy.”

FEATURED ACTS

-          This year’s top headliner is Billy Gardell, from CBS’s hit show Mike & Molly. The Pittsburgh native is known to more than 12 million TV viewers each week, appeared in his own hour-long Comedy Central Special in 2011, and will be performing to a house of 1,260 seats, The Reg Lenna Civic Center, in Jamestown Saturday, August 4^th.

-          Lucie Arnaz, Emmy-winning singer, producer and actress, will be the musical guest and host of the Stand-Up Showcase on Friday, August 3rd. Tammy Pescatelli, winner of Comedy Central’s 2010 Stand-Up Showdown and a finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing 2, will be the featured comedian and joined byTony Deyo and Baron Vaughn. Lucy Fest has featured performances by then-rising stars Ray Romano, Lewis Black and Ellen DeGeneres, and aims to catch comics on a similar rise to the top with this showcase.

-          Paula Poundstone, one of Comedy Central’s 100 Greatest Comedians of All-Time and panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me will headline the Thursday, August 2nd evening.

-          Kid’s comedy includes the critically-acclaimed comedy troupe, Story Pirates, seen on CNN’s Larry King, NBC’s Today, and recently live on stage with Conan O’Brien. This non-profit creative writing organization made up of professional actors and comedians performs a show based on stories written by children. As a special treat, the Story Pirates have chosen four different stories written by Jamestown children, and will be performing each one at the Reg Lenna on August 4^th.

-          Gregg Oppenheimer, son of I Love Lucy creator Jess Oppenheimer, returns to Jamestown to direct a Live “Lucy” Radio Show on Saturday, August 4th. This year’s show features the world premiere of Finding Fred and Ethel, a side-splitting episode of Jess Oppenheimer’s first sitcom Baby Snooks, and another hilarious episode of Lucille Ball’s radio sitcom My Favorite Husband: Valentine’s Day.

-          Late Night Comedy will be held in the Tropicana Room at the Lucy Desi Center on August 3^rd and 4^th at 10:30pm. Some of the hottest rising comedians from across the country will converge in Jamestown for a night of new, and sometimes blue, material.  Contains adult content. Comedians that will be performing include Mark Normand, Adam Newman, Kyle Grooms, Nick Peine, Bethany Van Delft, Mike Brown, Phoebe Robinson, Joe Machi, and Chet Wild. Beer and wine will be served.

LUCY WORLD GAMES

Opening Ceremonies at 6pm Friday, Aug. 3 feature rock band “Party of Nine” & more kicking off the first-ever Lucy World Games, making Jamestown 2012: Host City of Comedy.  Opening ceremonies will be hosted by Tammy Pescatelli.  Closing ceremonies will be at 6pm Saturday, Aug. 4.  The Lucy World Gamesare at Tracy Plaza from 11am-8pm Fri and Sat, and are a collection of Lucy-inspired events where anyone who can stomp grapes or wrap candy. Additional events include a Lucy costume contest, a 1.5k Lucy Loop race, the largest I Love Lucy trivia contest ever held, a even a corn hole tournament.

The Party on the Plaza returns this year to Jamestown, all day, during the World Games. The party will feature days of fun, food, beer and wine, vendors, free live music, and more.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTED SHOWS AND EVENTS

-          Museum, Town & Cemetery Tours – Enjoy a two-hour bus tour with a step-on guide featuring places of significance in Lucille Ball’s life, visit the resting places of Lucille Ball and family members on a horse-drawn trolley through Lakeview Cemetery, and an opportunity to tour the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum & Desilu Studios dual attraction with it’s new audio guide tour. Tours will be available throughout the week.

-          Dinner Theater with the Ricardos & Mertzs – Brunch, lunch and dinner shows featuring the four friends from I Love Lucy, including professional impersonators from Universal Studios Florida, and “Fred Mertz” from the LA sensation Lucy LIVE on Stage.

-          Author Book Signings - Attending this year’s festival for book signings will be Elisabeth Edwards, author of “I Love Lucy: A Celebration of All Things Lucy: Inside the World of Television’s First Great Sitcom” and numerous otherLucy titles, James Sheridan, author of “Lucille Ball: Q&A”, and Gregg Oppenheimer, co-author of his father’s memoir, “Laughs, Luck…and Lucy: How I Came to Create the Most Popular Sitcom of All Time”.

-          Lucy Under the Stars:  Outdoor film screenings at Winter Garden Terrace at 9pm on August 3^rd and 4^th.

-          Celoron Amusement Park through Lucy’s Eyes – Visit the Lucille Ball Memorial Park on Sunday, August 5^th for a presentation on Lucille Balls’ time at the Celeron Amusement Park, once the “Coney Island” of the region.

-          Boat Cruise on Chautauqua Lake – Enjoy a refreshing two-hour cruise aboard the rain-or-shine-safe Summer Wind, departing from Lucille Ball Memorial Celoron Park and featuring a NEWLY discovered audio interview with Lucille Ball courtesy of Jim Roselli on Sunday, August 5^th.

-          Members-Only Archive Event – Have your picture taken with never-before-seen items from our archive collection of memorabilia from the estates of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz on Friday, August 3^rd.

-          Lucy’s Tea Party at the historic Athenaeum Hotel in Chautauqua Institution – On Sunday, August 5^th, join friends for a traditional afternoon tea, with a Lucy twist, served overlooking Chautauqua Lake from a historic structure built in 1881.

-          For a complete, detailed schedule of events, visit www.LucyComedyFest.com

ABOUT THE LUCILLE BALL COMEDY FESTIVAL

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, or “Lucy Fest,” embodies Ball’s vision for her hometown legacy: a celebration of the comedic arts held annually on the weekend closest to her birth date, August 6th. This year’s festival runs August 1st-5th and features performances by Paula Poundstone, Lucie Arnaz, Tammy Pescatelli, Tony Deyo, Story Pirates, Billy Gardell from CBS’s Mike & Molly, and much, much more! This year’s festival is brought to you in part by YNN, the TV media sponsor of Lucy Fest 2012. Visit www.LucyComedyFest.com for more information and tickets.

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is the first pillar in a four-pillar Legacy of Laughter vision for the organization, including a comedic arts education program, comedy film festival and the establishment of the first national comedy museum and hall of fame.

The mission of the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is to preserve the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and enrich the world through the healing powers of love and laughter through its commitment to the development of the comedic arts.

LUCY FEST 2011

Lucy Fest 2011 commemorated Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday, set an attendance high at 13,000 attendees, featured more than ten comedians from NYC, Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco and Los Angeles performing over five days, and made international news with the setting of a Guinness World Record for “Most People Dressed as Lucy Ricardo” with 916.

The new audio guide tours, which will be narrated by Lucie Arnaz, were made possible thanks to a grant from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, matching funds from the Lucy Desi Center, and the generous collaborative production efforts of Desilu, Too and exhibit designer David Weiss.

“I wrote a grant to the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, matched it with an investment of our own, and commissioned renowned exhibit producer David Weiss,” said Journey Gunderson, executive director of the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy. “He visited and said, ‘It’s got to be Lucie.’ [Arnaz] and author Elisabeth Edwards got involved and brought the story together in a way that made it exponentially more special and insightful.”

In addition to narrating the audio tour guides, Lucie Arnaz, Emmy-winning singer, producer and actress, will be the musical host at a showcase of some of the hottest rising comedians, including Tammy Pescatelli, on Friday, August 3^rd at this year’s festival. Coincidentally, Arnaz’s father, Desi Arnaz, was the first-ever to be both host and musical guest of Saturday Night Live in 1976.

“This gem of an attraction and the fans who visit it from all over the world were deserving of an update to the experience,” Gunderson said.

Tickets are now on sale at www.LucyComedyFest.com.

Production and installation of the new audio tour has been overseen by David Weiss, whose credits include the world-touring “Harry Potter” and “Chronicles of Narnia” exhibitions, “Jurassic Park: Singapore,” and NASA’s “Space: A Journey to Our Future” among other educational, immersive and entertaining experiences in museums, theme parks and destinations world-wide. Weiss frequently works with Jack Rouse Associates, one of the most well-known exhibit design studios in the world.

The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum and Desilu Studios are open 7 days a week, Monday – Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 11am-4pm.

Museum Meet and Greet Reception with Lucie Arnaz

For a tax-deductible donation of $100, fans and supporters can enjoy the unique opportunity to attend a reception with Lucie Arnaz held in the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum immediately following the Friday, Aug. 3 evening show.  The Lucy Desi Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.  The reception will begin at 10:30pm at 10 W 3rd St, and tickets are available at 716.484.0800 orwww.LucyComedyFest.com.

Be a Part of Festival History

The Lucy Desi Center will be capturing memories from the past 20 years of festivals as part of its developing festivals exhibit and archival process.  Were you one of the 916 Lucy Ricardos in the Guinness World Record set on Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday?  Have you been attending festivals in Jamestown since the beginning?  Did you meet Doris Singleton, or laugh with Ellen DeGeneres?  A video recording set and interviewer will be set up and booked by appointment during the five days of the festival in Jamestown August 1-5.

To be included, email a brief summary of your festival participation (include years attended and keep under 250 words) to Info@Lucy-Desi.com with “Festival History” in the Subject line.  Include best contact phone number, full name, and days you will be in town during the Festival.

About The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, or “Lucy Fest,” embodies Ball’s vision for her hometown legacy: a celebration of the comedic arts held annually on the weekend closest to her birth date, August 6th. This year’s festival runs August 1st-5th and features performances by Paula Poundstone, Lucie Arnaz, Story Pirates, Billy Gardell from CBS’s Mike & Molly, and much more. Visitwww.LucyComedyFest.com for more information and tickets.

This year also features the debut of comedic workshops in the areas of improv, sketch comedy, and stand-up. Registration for youth and adults is now open and space is limited to 15 spots per class. Call JCC’s Carnahan Center at (716)338-1005 to enroll today, and visit www.Lucy-Desi.com for more information. Accommodations are available.

According to an economic impact study conducted by Buffalo firm Paradigm Economics and commissioned by the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy and the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the 2011 five-day festival saw 13,000 in attendance and had a direct impact of $3.6 million on Chautauqua County.

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is the first pillar in a four-pillar Legacy of Laughter vision for the organization, including a comedic arts education program, comedy film festival and the establishment of the first national comedy museum and hall of fame.

The mission of the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is to preserve the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and enrich the world through the healing powers of love and laughter through its commitment to the development of the comedic arts.

Being one of the Final Five on NBC‘s Last Comic Standing 2 catapulted Pescatelli‘s career. She has appeared twice as a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and has also appeared on National Lampoons Funny Money, NBC‘s Last Comic Standing: The Best of the Best, and Comedy Central’s The World Stands Up!

Pescatelli also recently appeared in her own half-hour special for Comedy Central,Comedy Central Presents: Tammy Pescatelli. More recently, she has performed on TBS‘s Evening at the Laugh Factory, Last Call with Carson Daly, and has been a guest a number of times on the syndicated show Comics Unleashed, and was chosen for their Best of the Best worldwide top selling DVD.

The Lucille Ball Festival of Comedy takes place August 1-5 and features Billy Gardell, star of the CBS hit Mike & Molly and his own 2011 Comedy Central Special: Halftime, Paula Poundstone, named one of the Top 100 Comedians of All Time by Comedy Central, The Story Pirates, a critically-acclaimed kids comedy show that recently performed live with Conan O’Brien, and much more in addition to Pescatelli and Arnaz.

Tickets for Live Lucy Radio Plays, Dinner Theater with The Ricardos & Mertzes, the first ever Lucy Olympics, a “Party on the Plaza” which features live music & spirits, museum & town tours, Late Night Comedy shows in the Tropicana Room, and more are available at LucyComedyFest.com or by phone at (716)484-0800.

About The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, or “Lucy Fest,” embodies Ball’s vision for her hometown legacy: a celebration of the comedic arts held annually on the weekend closest to her birth date, August 6th.

According to an economic impact study conducted by Buffalo firm Paradigm Economics, the 2011 five-day festival saw 13,000 in attendance and had a direct impact of $3.6 million on Chautauqua County.

The 2011 Lucy Fest featured more than ten comedians from NYC, Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco and Los Angeles performing over five days, and made international news with the setting of a Guinness World Record for “Most People Dressed as Lucy Ricardo” with 916 on Lucille Ball’s 100^th birthday.

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is the first pillar in a four-pillar Legacy of Laughter vision for the organization including a comedic arts education program, comedy film festival and the establishment of the first national comedy museum and hall of fame.

The mission of the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is to preserve the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and enrich the world through the healing powers of love and laughter through its commitment to the development of the comedic arts.