Portland Comedian Sean Jordan Plans a New Local Comedy Festival After Baja Blast Pie Reveal
Portland comedian Sean Jordan recently shared a surprising and exciting update while tasting a Taco Bell Mountain Dew Baja Blast pie at The Oregonian/OregonLive office. He announced that he is working on launching a brand-new comedy festival planned for next September along North Mississippi Street in Portland.
Jordan, known as the co-host of the popular podcast All Fantasy Everything with comedian Ian Karmel, emphasized that the festival is still in its early stages. He said he wants to showcase a bunch of local comics while also bringing in eight to ten headliners from outside the city.
Although Jordan confirmed that several headliners are already on board, he said he can’t share any names yet. The festival does not currently have a finalized name, venue, or specific date, but Jordan appears confident about the event taking shape.
Jordan was named Portland’s Funniest Person in 2014 by Willamette Week, and he has been an active part of the city’s comedy landscape for years. He believes this festival is a step toward restoring Portland’s reputation as a vibrant comedy hotspot.
For context, Portland previously hosted the Bridgetown Comedy Festival from 2008 to 2017, an event that brought well-known comedians like Janeane Garofalo, Tig Notaro, Maria Bamford, W. Kamau Bell, and Patton Oswalt to the city. You can read more about the original festival on its Wikipedia page: Bridgetown Comedy Festival.
Jordan, Karmel, and other local favorites such as Ron Funches performed at Bridgetown over the years. Its absence left a gap in Portland’s comedy culture, which Jordan hopes to fill with this new festival.
Importantly, Jordan isn’t organizing the festival alone. He is teaming up with Helen Vank, one of the previous organizers of the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, strengthening the chances that this new event will mirror the energy and structure of Portland’s past comedy successes.
Despite lacking details like the event name, final venue, or exact scheduling, Jordan expressed strong optimism about the project. He stated that he believes in the city and is confident that Portlanders will show up and support the festival once everything is finalized.
A video of Jordan trying the Baja Blast pie—and casually dropping the festival announcement—is available through The Oregonian/OregonLive, for readers who want to watch the moment as it happened.
Lizzy Acker, a reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive who covers lifestyle and culture topics ranging from Portland weather to local food trends, filmed and shared the tasting session and announcement. More of her writing can be found through her profile on the publication’s website.
Jordan’s announcement has already generated local buzz, especially among fans of Portland’s comedy scene who have long hoped for a new major event to replace Bridgetown. With Jordan’s track record and connection to national talent, the festival has the potential to revive a beloved era of comedy in the city.
As more details become available—such as the official name, ticket information, headliner list, and venue lineup—locals and comedy fans alike will be watching closely. Jordan’s confidence and community support suggest that Portland may soon welcome a new tradition in its comedy landscape.
