Off Shore Muse

"Lucy" and "Ethel"

Lucy Fest 2023

This famous duo is portrayed by Diane Vincent as Lucy and Rhonda Medina as Ethel. The smile on this little Lucy attired in the famous blue and white polka dot dress tells the story of why Jamestown celebrates Lucille Ball and all the smiles Lucy gave each and every one of us.

Lucy's Birthday Cake

Lucille Ball had a dream. She envisioned a festival of contemporary comedy being held in her name. The madcap heroine of I Love Lucy might not have imagined the scope of the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival held annually since 1995 in Jamestown where she was born on August 6, 1911.

The festival centers on the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, home to tons of I Love Lucy memorabilia including a reproduction of the Tropicana Room which was Ricky Ricardo's nightclub. The 2023 festival was comprised of 50 events over 5 days that took place throughout the town. You can stomp grapes as Lucy did in the memorable episode titled Lucy Stomps Grapes in Italy. You can wrap chocolates as Lucy and Ethel did, putting their own twist on an old vaudeville joke. You can even record a commerical for Vitameatavegamin. (vita-meata-vega-min)

Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo and Teresa Tirelli

"Lucy's Italian Movie"

Air Date April 16, 1956

Teresa Tirelli was born Teresa Tirelli D'Amico opera singer, motion picture actress and hostess of a local radio program devoted to Italian-American music. Her most famous role was in this I Love Lucy episode.

When Lucy would have turned 100 in 2011 the festival marked the 100th birthday with 915 people dressed like and holding a paper mask on a stick of Lucy's iconic face attempting to break the Guinness record for most people dressed as Lucy.

What's not to love? Small wonder that, in 2016, the festival welcomed visitors from 41 states! One of them was a writer from the New York City, Lisa Iannucci. Ianucci, who writes a travel blog had always loved Lucy and looked up to her.

"I always wanted to be a screenwriter, a TV writer. I always looked up to her for.paving the way. It was harder to break into business than it is now. She was like a role model. When I was watching her, growing up, I always wanted to do what she did. I would literally pretend I was doing the Vitameatavegamin commercial. I wanted to go stomp grapes as I thought it would be awesome to do. Several years ago I heard about the festival and couldn't wait to go, but llife kept getting in the way."

Finally, last year, she made it!

"Everything just aligned. I went and it was so emotional because everything I always wanted to do as a child, I finally got to do."

Her husband was a good sport, competing with her as she wrapped chocolates and stomped grapes!