Dave Chappelle cleared to host 24 shows at Yellow Springs' Wirrig Pavilion this summer

Local Dave Chappelle fans will have plenty of chances to see him perform this summer after the Board of Zoning Appeals of Miami Township voted to allow the comedian to host a string of shows at the Wirrig Pavilion in Yellow Springs.

The board voted unanimously last night to approve a request from Wirrig Pavilion owner Steve Wirrig, who applied for a temporary use variance for his property to be used for 24 of Chappelle's "Cornfield Shows."

According to Dayton TV station WDTN, the board heard nearly two and a half hours of testimony from residents prior to the vote, during which over 70 locals spoke out in favor of the shows and only three argued against them. Chappelle first began hosting his socially distanced shows at the Wirrig Pavilion in May of 2020. According to WDTN, those who spoke up in favor of the shows returning to the venue said the comedy events benefited attendees' mental health during the pandemic and brought new business to local shops.

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Chappelle also hosted a handful of 400-person shows at Wirrig Pavilion last fall, which Wirrig said brought in $11.8 million to the state of Ohio, $9.4 million to the Dayton region, $6.2 million to Greene County and $4.1 million to Yellow Springs.

According to Wirrig's application, each show will allow 1,000 people. A maximum of 200 cars will be allowed to park on the property, with the rest of the attendees being bused in from local parking areas. Gates to the pavilion will open at 7:30 p.m. and shows held on Fridays and Saturdays will end by midnight, while shows held on Sundays will end by 11 p.m. Four local food trucks will also be on-site for each event.

The first comedy show is scheduled for May 26. The series will run through Sept. 5.

The fate of Chappelle's own Yellow Springs restaurant and comedy club, Firehouse Eatery and Live from YS, is uncertain amidst Oberer Homes' ongoing development plans. Chappelle publicly opposed rezoning a 53-acre development in the area for higher-density homes, which the village council ultimately voted down this February.

However, Oberer is still set to proceed with its 143 single-family home development, a project that Chappelle's publicist said has caused the comedian to reevaluate his development plans.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Dave Chappelle to host 'Cornfield Shows' in Yellow Springs, Ohio