Red Skelton Museum Announces 2027 Humor Camp: Bringing More Playfulness to Adult Life
VINCENNES, Ind. — September 17, 2026 — On the anniversary of Red Skelton’s death, the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy is announcing a new opportunity to do something Red spent his life encouraging people to do: laugh.
The museum will host Humor Camp for Adults on July 2027, during the Red Skelton Festival, bringing together adults for an immersive experience designed to explore the value of humor, playfulness and laughter in everyday life. The program will combine learning, creativity and plenty of fun while giving participants practical tools they can take back to their workplaces, families and communities.
Red Skelton died on September 17, 1997, leaving behind a career built around the belief that laughter could bring people together. His legacy included vaudeville, radio, film, television, painting and live performance, but at the heart of it all was a simple idea: people need joy.
“Adults are very good at being responsible,” said museum Director Anne Pratt. “We go to work, pay the bills, meet deadlines and take care of everyone else. Sometimes we forget how to play. Humor Camp is an invitation to rediscover that part of ourselves — not by becoming less serious about life, but by learning how humor can help us handle life better.”
The two-day camp will explore the practical side of humor, including how playfulness can strengthen relationships, encourage creativity, ease difficult situations and help people approach the stresses of daily life with greater resilience. Participants will have opportunities to learn, experiment, laugh and connect with others in an environment designed to make professional development feel considerably less like professional development.
Continuing education will also be an important component of the program, allowing eligible participants to earn continuing education credits while developing skills they can use personally and professionally.
The program builds upon the museum’s growing emphasis on humor as more than entertainment. Recent museum programming has explored the role of laughter in resilience, the workplace, health care, education and relationships, reflecting the idea that Red’s legacy can be experienced not only by watching his performances, but by putting the principles behind his comedy to work in modern life.
“Red understood people,” the museum said. “He understood that sometimes the best way through a difficult moment was to find a little light in it. Humor Camp is one way we can take that lesson from the past and make it useful for people today.”
The camp is part of an expanding cultural and educational program at the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy, made possible in part through the continuing generosity and support of Lothian Skelton, Red’s widow.
Lothian’s support has played a significant role in the museum’s continuing development. Most recently, her generosity helped make possible the Lothian and Red Skelton Gallery of Fine Arts, a new flexible space featuring Red’s artwork and designed to accommodate exhibitions, performances, educational programs and special events.
That expanded space provides the museum with new opportunities to move beyond traditional exhibits and create experiences where visitors can actively engage with Red’s legacy.
For more information about humor camp and to get on a list to receive updates about the speakers and schedule go to: https://form.jotform.com/262394248606160.
ABOUT THE RED SKELTON MUSEUM OF AMERICAN COMEDY
The Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy in Vincennes, Indiana, celebrates the life, career and enduring legacy of hometown comedian Red Skelton. Through interactive exhibits, educational programs, performances and special events, the museum explores Skelton’s contributions to comedy and his lifelong commitment to bringing joy to audiences.
Vincennes, Indiana, is home of the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy. Additional information regarding registration, speakers, programming and continuing education credits will be announced as plans are finalized, but you can add yourself to the .
For the museum, the choice of announcement date is intentional. September 17 marks the day Red Skelton died nearly three decades ago, but the museum believes the best way to remember him is not with sadness.
It is with laughter.
Because Red Skelton spent his life reminding audiences that even when life gets serious, there is still room to play.
For more information about the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy and upcoming programs, visit redskeltonmuseum.com.
