Milwaukee Comedy Festival kicks off its 20th year today

Lake Effect Spotlight · Oct 7, 2025 · 17m

Aspiring actor Matt Kemple first came to Milwaukee in 2005 – he’d only intended to stay for a year, but 20 years later, he’s still here.

During that time, he helped build the Milwaukee comedy scene, including through his work creating and running the annual Milwaukee Comedy Festival. The festival, now in its 20th year, kicks off today [Oct. 7], and runs through Sunday. Kemple was featured in a Milwaukee Record article in July, recounting his evolution from performer to producer.

Kemple joined WUWM’s Rachel Owens, to talk about his 20 years of making Milwaukee a funnier place.