TRAVERSE CITY -- It may be just the ticket needed to brighten up the Northern Michigan winter. The excitement is growing as thousands of people prepare to head to Traverse City this weekend for a good laugh.

The Traverse City Comedy Arts Festival kicks off Friday and goes through Sunday.

The first ever event offers a mix of stand-up comics, comedy films and skits.  Festival organizer, Michael Moore, said It all spawned as a way to break up the cold winter in Northern Michigan.

"Last February I started going a little crazy. Gotta get out of the house, gotta quit thinking about these dark thoughts and I thought then maybe we better go for the comedy next February so thus the idea was born with me and Jeff Garlin, a great comedian putting this together."

For more details on the comedy arts festival and to buy tickets CLICK HERE.