Comedy Center Park will be the location of the new Riverwalk Saturdays that will launch with live entertainment at 7 p.m. and feature the movie “Wayne’s World” at 8:45 p.m. Riverwalk Saturdays will feature a different comedy movie through Aug. 7 P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

Buffalo’s Canalside is the inspiration for what might be the next big happening in the city of Jamestown.

On Saturday, the first Riverside Saturdays event will take place at Comedy Center Park behind the National Comedy Center. The event will include live music from The Untouchables and an aerial and acrobatic act starting at 7 p.m. and will feature the movie “Wayne’s World” starting at 8:45 p.m.

“This is a largely undiscovered gem,” said Journey Gunderson, National Comedy Center executive director, about Comedy Center Park. “The intention when building the (National) Comedy Center was to always get to a point of having activities track side and riverside on the patio space and to do programming on Comedy Center Park lawn. This represents the kick-off of what I hope is potentially Jamestown’s version of what Canalside is to Buffalo.”

Gunderson said the movie will be shown on jumbo portable outdoor screens on the lawn, with a stage nearby for the live entertainment before the movie. Also on the lawn area there will be outdoor games and play equipment for children and adults, which will include Kan Jam, cornhole and lawn bowling. The patio bar/cafe and outdoor games will be open to the public starting at noon. On Sundays, the patio bar/cafe will be open from noon to 5 p.m.

The Riverside Saturdays events are free, no ticket purchase to the National Comedy Center is necessary. Also now that COVID-19 restrictions have lessened, there is no need to reserve a seat or to wear a mask if you have been vaccinated.

Gunderson said there will be food concessions and a bar available in the patio area. Also, center officials have worked with local downtown restaurants to establish a delivery service for people who want to have their food delivered to Comedy Center Park.

“We’ve worked with many downtown restaurants to facility people being able to order food to have it brought down to the patio and park area,” she said. “We want this to be a synergetic relationship with downtown businesses.”

The Riverside Saturdays events will continue through Aug. 7 with a new movie being shown each week. Other scheduled movies include “Groundhog Day,” “Sister Act,” “Monster’s Inc.,” “Airplane,” “Blues Brothers” and classic Lucy and Desi on the big screen. For more information, visit comedycenter.org/summerfun.

“The National Comedy Center’s summer event programming in Comedy Center Park is a perfect complement to the implementation of the Chadakoin River Strategic Business Plan,” said Greg Edwards, Gebbie Foundation CEO. “Activating that area with nighttime entertainment will introduce area residents and visitors to a beautiful setting that is destined to become a signature downtown location. The city of Jamestown deserves this plan for a vibrant downtown waterfront and the Comedy Center’s ‘Riverfront Saturdays’ is a great way to kick it off.”

For people who don’t know how to access Comedy Center Park, there are several ways including going to the National Comedy Center’s main entrance and going to the right side down into the plaza area where there will be a large sign that reads “Comedy Center Riverfront Park.” People can go through the doors and enter an area where they can either access an elevator down to the park or they can take the stairs.

“This is going to be a special night in Jamestown’s history,” Gunderson said. “I hope many people come out for it because we can all use a little fellowship and laughter.”