This Summer Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce is Bringing Music & Comedy to Town

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - May 15, 2013 - PRLog -- Ellicottville, N.Y. (May 15, 2013) – In a comedic twist that promises to bring smiles to the faces of anyone planning to attend this year’s Summer Music Festival, the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce – in collaboration with the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, is kick starting the already power-packed weekend of entertainment with an evening of comedy on the opening Friday night.

The evening event is being billed as the ‘Mountain of Laughs… a HILL-arious Event’, which couldn’t be more appropriate… in that spectator seating is on the slopes of Holiday Valley, overlooking the main stage at the base of the mountain. (Public Advisory: in the event of serious laughter, spectators may roll down the hill).

Star comedian Tammy Pescatelli, winner of Comedy Central’s Stand-up Showdown and finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing 2 will be headliner for ‘Mountain of Laughs’ evening. Considered by her national following as ‘the kind of woman you wish was your sister or best friend, Tammy has borrowed from her rich Italian upbringing in Cleveland, to share advice on everything from drinking tips to ways of keeping you grounded… all the while making sure the laughs are coming from good clean humor.

Tammy will be preceded by rising young talent Tony Deyo, known for his sharp wit and comedic timing. Named one of the year’s best stand-up comedians by the New York Post in 2011, Tony was thrust into the limelight in 2007 when he participated in the 2007 HBO Aspen Comedy Festival. Details for a third act to kick start the evening will be made in the coming days.  

“For years the Summer Music Festival has consisted of three nights in a row of music… and this year we decided to add comedy to the mix, because let’s face it, who doesn’t like to laugh,” observes Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce executive director Brian McFadden. “We all know this weekend is all about having fun, and what better way to ramp up the ‘fun factor’ than by adding comedy to the line-up.”

McFadden adds that he’s excited by the unique synergies that are being created between the Summer Music Festival and the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, which takes place a month later in Jamestown, N.Y. “If it weren’t for the support of the comedy festival together with the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, there’s no way we would have been able to attract the star power we’ll be showcasing for this, our inaugural evening of comedy.”

Journey Gunderson, executive director of the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, which takes place in Jamestown, N.Y. Aug. 1-4 is equally enthused about working with the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber’s Summer Music Festival is one of the biggest outdoor entertainment events of the year in Western New York… with people coming from not just Western New York, but Southern Ontario, Ohio and Northern Pennsylvania. With that kind of drawing, we’re confident that once people get a taste of the same type of comedy that we like to showcase, people will be hard pressed not to want to attend our August comedy festival or visit the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy and the Lucy Desi Museum other times of the year.”

About the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in August 2013 features Bill Engvall and Kathleen Madigan, and past festivals have featured Ray Romano, Ellen DeGeneres, Lewis Black, Paula Poundstone, Joan Rivers, Bob Newhart, Billy Gardell and more.

About the Ellicottville Summer Music Festival

For additional details about Ellicottville’s sizzling summer line-up and a full event listing, visit www.ellicottvilleny.com, or contact the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-349-9099.