The Asheville Comedy Festival has been commanding local stages for 15 years. Nearly 700 comedians have stepped into its spotlight to offer their hilarious anecdotes, witty yarns, and amusing musings to eager audiences. And as the festival enters its 16th year, it's called on a comedy colossus to lead the lineup. Tom Segura is at the festival helm.

The seasoned stand-up comic, author, actor, and podcast host is stopping by Harrah's Cherokee Center on Wednesday, Aug. 7 as part of his "Come Together" tour. After a year and a half of working on this set, Segura will certainly deliver on the charismatic, likable dark comedy he's known for. But following a world tour in 2022 that included 300+ cities, he's scaled back the numbers.

"We're doing really big shows," said Segura, "but we're doing it with enthusiastic crowds. Then my energy is way up, because I'm not burned out from touring too aggressively."

Even with fewer cities to see, the time to explore on these tours is limited. You settle in, do soundcheck at the venue, then either split immediately or leave the next morning. But Segura is no stranger to Asheville. Not only has he visited several times for previous tours, the comedian attended college at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC — which inevitably brought him here.

"If you're in college in Carolina, at some point you're like, 'We got to go to Asheville," he said. "And I enjoyed the past tour experiences there. It has its own vibe."

But just don't ask him where he likes to go in the city — with so much touring, that's a hard thing to remember. "I believe I recall going on some trail to a waterfall. And I had a good breakfast. Those are my two memories."

Whatever that waterfall hike was (we might have some ideas) or wherever that good breakfast was made (we've got opinions on that, too), Segura is ready to return. "I can't wait to come. I think it's gonna be a lot of fun."

Don't miss the rest of the talent

As excited as we are that Tom Segura is coming back to the Land of the Sky (and, frankly, that we got to talk to him), the headliner is far from the only reason that you should grab tickets for the festival. From Wednesday, Aug. 7 to Saturday, Aug. 10, dozens of comedians will present their best material at four different showcases.

Each showcase will include nine comedians as well as a hilarious host. Over several months, organizers accepted submissions from prospective performers and chose these folks as the best of the best. If you frequent the local comedy scene, you may recognize some faces — but you'll also be treated to plenty of new talent.

Passes are sold out, but you can grab individual tickets for each showcase. And if you miss out on this year's fun, keep an eye out — the festival frequently hosts events throughout the year.