As the brainchild of Portland comedy mainstays Ted Douglass and Shelley McLendon, the Portland Sketch Comedy Festival set a precedent for quick-witted comedy that drew huge crowds. Then COVID-19 happened, and the fest was forced to fall off the map for a few years. But they're back, baby! Returning for its fifth edition, the three-day festival will continue to shape the city's vibrant sketch comedy scene with hilarious (natch) performances by buzzy local troupes and out-of-towners. by Lindsay Costello