Get Your Laughs In Before Big Diamond Comedy Festival Sells Out
Two touring comedians decided Northwest Arkansas needed a comedy festival, and then they went ahead and built one. Sam Tallent and Raj Suresh describe Big Diamond as something they made for people who love comedy to death, and if that sounds like you, year three lands in downtown Bentonville this fall.
THE DEETS
📅 Thursday, October 22 through Saturday, October 24, 2026
🕑 Starting at 7:00 PM Thursday and running until 11:00 PM Saturday
📍 Multiple locations across Downtown, Bentonville
- Bearded Goat, 215 NW A St, Bentonville, AR 72712
- The Record, 104 SW A St, Bentonville, AR 72712
- Loveless Cocktail Club, 215 NW A St Unit 170, Bentonville, AR 72712
🎉 Free preview: Local Showcase at Loveless, Wednesday, October 21, 8 PM
🎟️ $199 for the three-day pass to every show, capped at 20 passes | Single show tickets sold separately
🔗 More info | Tickets
⚠️ No refunds
Who Cooked This Up
Tallent has turned up on Comedy Central and wrote the bestselling novel “Running the Light.” Suresh has credits with Comedy Dynamics and AppleTV+, plus a run at Netflix Is A Joke Fest. Kaz Sparkman of Feel the Spark Presents handles production.
Some of the comedians are flying in because they tour the country and this is a stop. Others are coming because they are friends with Sam and Raj. Forty of them are making the trip from across the country, so you’re getting a lineup with real range. Bearded Goat is the smaller, more intimate room this year if you want to be up close, while The Record takes the larger crowds.
Wednesday Through Friday Set the Pace
Wednesday opens things up early with a free local showcase at Loveless at 8 PM. Thursday’s official kickoff starts at 7 PM with a live episode of the “Are You Flirting With Me?” podcast, followed by the fest showcase at Bearded Goat at 9 PM. Friday runs three rooms at once. Lukas McCrary opens Bearded Goat at 7 PM, Shane Mauss takes The Record at 8 PM, Colin Sledge plays Loveless at 8:30 PM, Chanel Ali takes Bearded Goat at 9 PM, and Rory Scovel closes out The Record at 10 PM.
Saturday Is the Long Haul
Eight shows, starting in the afternoon and running past 11 PM, so plan your night before you head out.
Sam Tallent’s Comedy-Rasslin’ Circus opens at 1 PM and runs to 3 PM. The D&D Comedy Show follows from 4 PM to 7 PM. Moms Unhinged hits The Record at 6 PM, Jay Jurden opens the first of two Bearded Goat sets at 7 PM, and Learnmore Jonasi takes The Record at 8 PM. Jay Jurden returns to Bearded Goat at 9:30 PM, Tallent closes out a second set at The Record at 10 PM, and Marty Malloy wraps the festival at Bearded Goat at 11 PM.
What Last Year Looked Like
Two thousand people came through in 2025. One festgoer said they had no idea Arkansas was that pretty, had a great time, and would be back.
The GEICO agent quoted on the festival page had a different reaction, suggesting the organizers look into increasing their insurance because of the wrestling-comedy show.
