There’s a lot of funny business going on in Worcester, and comedians Bryan O'Donnell and Shaun Connolly couldn’t be happier about it. That’s why they’re producing WOOtenanny, a comedy festival running Sept. 24-29.

“This a chance for us to show what Worcester is about, in our way,” says O'Donnell, who hosts Comedy in the Cabaret at Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, co-hosts Hot Dog! A Stand Up Sideshow!, with Connolly at George’s Coney Island, and is the “band leader” for the “Sort of Late Show with Shaun Connolly” at Ralph’s Rock Diner. “We do comedy. We love comedy, and this is the way to show that Worcester supports people, and comes out for things and has a unique style.”

O'Donnell’s not just being boosterish there: He says last year’s inaugural installment of the comedy festival sold out five out of six events, and while he admits that expanding the number of shows is “ambitious,” he’s confident the scene can support it. Festival passes cost $40 and are available at https://wootenanny.com/.

“We’re taking more chances in what we’re booking,” says O'Donnell. “We’re trying to do a few different things, bringing more people into the fold. We have Worcester comics who were newer last year and who are really coming their own … regional headliners coming in. We’re not switching it up necessarily, just taking the next logical step, expanding on the original idea.”

Connolly points to the explosion of comedy shows in the region as evidence that there’s a strong enough scene to support the festival, as well as the imminent opening of the WooHaHa! comedy club downtown. But more particularly, he credits a change in the city’s self-image as being a driving force in the art form’s growth.

“When out of towners come, they make (negative) comments about the city that would have done well five or six years ago, and the whole crowd turns on them,” says Connolly. “A few years ago, we would laugh at that, because it was kind of true. Now it’s like, ‘The city’s great. Stop that.’ … They’re proud now.

O'Donnell also thinks a change in tone in the city’s comedy scene has helped grow audiences.

“There used to be a lot of retrograde comedy,” he says. “The community is becoming strong because people are coming together, they don’t want to laugh DOWN at people. They’re not afraid to go to a club anymore and get heckled for wearing a green shirt. It’s more fun, and the comedians are backing itup. They’re delivering on the opportunity.”

And that’s no joke.

WOOtenanny Schedule

Hot Dog! A Stand Up Sideshow! Featuring Kathleen DeMarle, Allison Dick, Ryan Ellington, AJ O'Connell, Katie Qué and Zach Russell, 8 p.m. Sept 20, George's Coney Island, 158 Southbridge St., Worcester.

Dear Worcester featuring Will Martin, Mike Dorval, Bill McMorrow, Jeff Landry and Kathy Lynch, 8 p.m. Sept. 24, Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Millbury St., Worcester.

Addicted To Laughter featuring Zachary Brazão, Jack Burke, Jimmy Cash, Kindra Lansburg, Wes Martens, Laura Severse, Sean Sullivan and Eric Taylor, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 25, Brew on the Grid, 56 Franklin St., Worcester.

Comedy Open Mic hosted by Niki Luparelli, 8:30 p.m. Sept. 25, Bull Mansion, 55 Pearl St., Worcester.

Boston Comedy Chicks featuring H. Deb Farrar-Parkman, Kindra Lansburg, Erika Rettman Welch, Chloé Cunha, Tooky Kavanagh, Katie Qué and Emily Ruskowski at 7 p.m. and Lansburg, Mairéad Dickinson, Deb Farrar-Parkman, Sarah Blodgett, Laura Severse, Jess Miller and Niki Luparelli at 9 p.m. Sept. 26, Nick's Bar and Restaurant, 124 Millbury St., Worcester.

Pick A Side Stupid! hosted by Shawn Carter, 7 p.m. sept. 27, BirchTree Bread Company, 138 Green St., Worcester.

Weeding Out The Stoned hosted by Alex Grubard, 8:30 p.m. Sept. 27, Bull Mansion, 55 Pearl St., Worcester.

Dan Boulger with Andrew Mayer, Paul Cyphers, John Flagg, Connor McGrath, Nick Ortolani and Katie McCarthy, 7 p.m. Sept. 28, Ralph's Rock Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester.

Live at the PopUp! featuring Shaun Connolly, Wes Martens, Jeff Smith, Kate Procyshyn, Nick Chambers, Jesse Burlingame, Will Abeles, John Paul Rivera, Dave Williams and Terence Pennington, followed by comedy and karaoke by Bryan O'Donnell, Abeles, Paul Cyphers, Trent Wells, Benjamin Bosunga, Katlin McFee, Angela Sawyer, Josh Ramirez and Ryan Staples, 7 p.m. Sept. 29, Worcester PopUp, 20 Franklin St., Worcester.

Email Victor D. Infante at Victor.Infante@Telegram.com and follow him on Twitter @ocvictor.