Chicago Sketchfest 2007 (January 4th - 14th) is throwing a kickoff party on September 18 at the Theatre Building Chicago, at 1225 W. Belmont. Snacks, bevvies, live performances, and a mini-documentary will accompany the anticipation of the largest sketch comedy festival in the world.

Maxim's Real Men of Comedy tour will be making a stop in Chicago on October 7, and is calling for local talent to audition for a chance to perform. Final auditions for Chicago will be held on September 27, so polish up your best "real man" jokes, whatever the heck that means. Maybe uber-hetero stuff about heavy machinery, chicks, and PBR.

Not quite Chicago, but Chicago-related, The Improv Inferno in Ann Arbor will be closing its doors in mid-September. Dan Izzo, who worked with the Annoyance Theater for a long time, and has hosted many Chicago improv troupes at the Inferno, is throwing one last hurrah with a whole weekend of special events September 7-10.