How many jokers does it take to make a fest?

Starting today, the New York Comedy Festival returns for its sixth year — and this time with way more jokes.

“It just grows and grows,” says the event’s co-founder Caroline Hirsch. “I just feel like each year brings bigger and better things.”

She’s not using hyperbole. This year features Louis CK, Stephen Colbert, and Lisa Lampanelli (with a musical performance by Bruce Springsteen) at the “Stand-up for Heroes” event (tonight), as well as Ricky Gervais (tomorrow), Tracy Morgan (Friday), Dane Cook (tomorrow) and many other bold names in comedy.

The fest will also host book readings, industry panels, storytelling nights, tapings for television, sketch comedy and even some musical comedy. But lest you think that the New York Comedy Festival is forgetting about its humble stand-up roots, Hirsch reassures, “We have an amateur competition for beginners and have opened up a lot of things to local people.”