Three days of entirely unscripted comedy are coming to downtown Walnut Creek, as the Diablo Improv Festival sets up at the Lesher Center for the Arts from Oct. 16 through Oct. 18. Performers will build characters, stories, songs and sometimes complete worlds on the spot, often pulling suggestions straight from the audience.
The event marks the festival's second year at the Lesher Center, and organizers have grown it considerably since its debut, according to East Bay Times. The 2026 edition adds an extra day along with more workshops, jams, performers and styles compared to last year's inaugural run, per the same report. It's co-produced by Synergy Theater, DKW Productions and Spontaneous Mind, according to Synergy Theater.
Jaime Rich, a festival co-founder and executive director of Spontaneous Mind, said improv principles can apply to every part of life — not just the stage. Fellow co-producer Kenn Adams said the festival aims to spotlight the Diablo Valley's vibrant improv scene, while co-producer and marketing director Della Watson rounds out the organizing team, the East Bay Times reports.
What's on the Schedule
This year's festival includes performances, workshops and improv jams, with organizers offering 11 workshops designed for all ages and experience levels, according to the festival's official website. The lineup also features musical improv, per the station's report, and two open-to-everyone improv jams round out the participatory side of the weekend. Submissions for workshops and performances have already closed, the festival's site notes.
Festival organizers recommend attendees show up in comfortable clothing, bring water and arrive ready to participate, the East Bay Times reports. Free snacks will be provided in workshop classrooms, the outlet adds. Organizers say they hope visitors leave with more than a few laughs.
Growing Crowds, Conflicting Counts
Just how big last year's turnout was depends on which figure you look at: the East Bay Times reports the inaugural festival drew more than 100 unique ticket buyers, while the same outlet also cites about 100 total attendees. Either way, organizers describe the festival as created to showcase the Bay Area's growing improv community and bring performers, teachers and audiences together.
Last year's event, held Oct. 24-26, 2025, featured performances from The Groundlings, Synergy Theater and Spontaneous Mind alongside workshops for performers of all ages, according to BroadwayWorld. That weekend wrapped with an open jam, the outlet notes. The Groundlings also served as the festival's world-famous Saturday night headliner in 2025, according to Contra Costa Lively, with festival packages including an exclusive 20% discount on that headliner performance.
A Theater's Final Curtain
The festival's return comes as one of its co-producers prepares to close its doors. Synergy Theater has announced it will wind up business and cease operations on Oct. 28, 2026, according to the company's own season announcement. The theater currently runs in-person beginning, intermediate and advanced improv classes in Walnut Creek, including a course titled “How to Improvise a Full-Length Play” with Kenn Adams, taught through Walnut Creek Arts and Recreation at Civic Park Studio D and Shadelands Dance Studio. Synergy Theater's 2026 improv retreat, held Sept. 18-20, had already sold out.
