Dozens of comedy festivals take place in the United States and around the world every year. Since comedy is experiencing a revival right now, comedy festivals are also booming. Netflix, HBO, and Showtime are coming out with new comedy programming all the time, and local comedians are empowered to do some DIY festivals of their own.
These festivals give comedians in smaller towns their shot at connecting with industry types from Los Angeles and New York, and they also can serve as a great networking opportunity for meeting other talent from around the globe.
With that, here’s a roundup of some of the best comedy festivals out there, from the legendary ones that have been around for decades to the smaller ones giving up-and-coming comedians their first shot at the big time.
International
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs was founded in 1983, and it’s the largest international comedy festival on the planet. It features the biggest acts in the business, as well as up-and-coming stand up-comics, comedy directors, and character actors. Many comedians get their break through the New Faces showcases. In 2018, Dave Chappelle, Jeff Dunham, Trevor Noah, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, and Tig Notaro were just a few of the huge acts that performed at Just for Laughs.
• Where: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
• When: July
• Website: HaHaHa.com
• How to Submit: You (or your representation) need to submit the winter prior to the festival and go on auditions (typically in comedy clubs).
JFL42
JFL42, presented by Just for Laughs, is Toronto’s smaller, but just as kick-ass, version of JFL. Over ten days, you can see headliners and up-and-comers bring their all to this exciting Canadian city. Check out ComedyCon, a five-day spectacular that features live podcasts, conversations with comedians, cast panels, and Q&As, as well as shows from 2018 artists like Joe Rogan, Wanda Sykes, Reggie Watts, and Hannibal Buress.
• Where: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• When: September
• Website: jfl42.com
• How to Submit: You (or your representation) need to submit to the festival and go on auditions (typically in comedy clubs).
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which has been a staple in the United Kingdom since 1947, is home to 50,000 shows every August in about every genre, and not just comedy. It’s sort of a comedy training camp — comedians learn how to put on their own shows and perform for sometimes 30 days straight, as well as pick up guest spots on other shows. Many performers attend to solidify their U.K. fan bases or pick up U.K. management or agents. Often the best performers from every country will attend. Recent American performers include Janeane Garofalo, Alex Edelman, Sean Patton, Liz Miele, and Carmen Lynch.
• Where: Edinburgh, Scotland
• When: August
• Website: EdFringe.com
• How to Submit: Find a venue and go on your own (see our Edinburgh Festival Fringe guide) or find a production/management company to sponsor your show.
Leicester Comedy Festival
The Leicester Comedy Festival takes place throughout every February in Leicester, England. The 2018 edition featured more than 847 shows in 69 venues in the towns of Leicester, Rutland, and Leicestershire. It includes different contests, like a U.K. Pun Championship, and acts like Bill Bailey, Harry Hill, Roseanne Barr, and Simon Pegg have performed at the festival.
• Where: Leicester, England
• When: February
• Website: comedy-festival.co.uk
• How to Submit: Contact on the website.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world, aside from Edinburgh and Just for Laughs. Established in 1987, it features more than 6,000 shows from over 2,200 comedians. Past performers include the U.K.’s Daniel Sloss, Jason Byrne, and Jim Gaffigan.
• Where: Melbourne, Australia
• When: March and April
• Website: comedyfestival.com.au
• How to Submit: Registrations open in the fall prior to the festival. International acts must submit an Expression of Interest to the festival director here.
Adelaide Fringe Festival
Since 1960, Adelaide Fringe Festival has served as Australia’s home for international comedy and typically features more than 5,000 acts. You’ll certainly see Australia’s top comedians like Jimeoin and Hannah Gadsby as well as American- and U.K.-based comedians like Rich Hall and Stephen K. Amos.
• Where: Adelaide, South Australia
• When: February and March
• Website: adelaidefestival.com.au
• How to Submit: Like any Fringe, you can put up your own show or get sponsorship from a production/management company. Registration is here.
Festival Internacional de Comedia de Barcelona
Since 2008, the Giggling Guiri, a.k.a. festival organizer Stephen Garland, has brought big acts like Michael McIntyre and Arj Barker to headline at his festival in Barcelona, Spain. Shows take places in multiple languages, and the festival is accompanied by a Spanish national stand-up comedy competition.
• Where: Barcelona, Spain
• When: November
• Website: barcelonacomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: Contact on the website.
Utrecht International Comedy Festival
Every spring for the past six years, 3,000 people have visited Utrecht, a town in central Netherlands, to enjoy stand-up in Dutch and English. Comedians from the Netherlands, like Arie Koomen (the “Godfather of Dutch Comedyâ€) and Dutch musical-comedy group Maartje & Kine, as well as acts from around the world, like Al Lubel and Daisy Earl, performed there in 2018.
• Where: Utrecht, Netherlands
• When: April
• Website: utrechtinternationalcomedyfestival.nl
• How to Submit: Contact on the website.
China International Comedy Festival
The China International Comedy Festival had its third annual run in 2018. Shows are in English and Chinese and there is a comedy competition. Some of the English-speaking comedians who’ve performed there include Drew Fralick, Jennifer Wong, and Reyhaneh Rajabzadeh.
• Where: Shanghai, China
• When: May
• Website: comedyfestival.cn
• How to Submit: Contact on the website.
United States
Southwest
Bird City Comedy Festival
For three years, Bird City Comedy Festival has brought national and up-and-coming talent to Phoenix stages. The festival is a local supporter of talent and gives Phoenix comedians the opportunity to perform on bigger shows. Past performers include Dana Gould, Sam Jay, Maggie Maye, Dave Waite, and Mishka Shubaly.
• Where: Phoenix, Arizona
• When: Every March
• Website: birdcitycomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: Submissions open on the website in the fall.
Moontower Comedy Festival
Moontower Comedy Festival, established in 2012, takes place every April at Austin’s Paramount Theatre. It showcases dozens of big comedians and rising talents. In 2018, the lineup included Jo Koy, Mike Birbiglia, Weird Al with Emo Philips, a live taping of The Bonfire with Dan Soder and Big Jay Oakerson, Avery Moore, and Yamaneika Saunders.
• Where: Austin, Texas
• When: April
• Website: austintheatre.org/moontower-comedy
• How to Submit: No submissions, it is curated by the festival organizers.
Altercation Comedy Festival
This punk-rock comedy festival, founded by local comedian JT Habersaat, takes place in intimate Austin venues. At Altercation Comedy Festival, you’ll find Austin’s best performers alongside national and up-and-coming acts like Eddie Pepitone, Brian Posehn, Derek Sheen, Kristine Levine, Johnny Taylor Jr., and Daniel Humbarger.
• Where: Austin, Texas
• When: September
• Website: altercationcomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: No submissions, curated by the festival organizer.
ATX Sketchfest
ColdTowne Theater, which is the main place in Austin for sketch, improv, stand-up, and alternative comedy, has put on ATX Sketchfest for nine years. The show features sketch comedy from Austin and big acts from around the nation like James Adomian, Brent Weinbach, Paul F. Tompkins, and Ennis and Kaye.
• Where: Austin, Texas
• When: May
• Website: atxsketchfest.com
• How to Submit: On the website.
Big Pine Comedy Festival
Only a few years old, Big Pine Comedy Festival, which takes place at venues around lovely Flagstaff, has brought in bigger comedians like Dwayne Perkins, Paul Virzi, and K-Von, and also gives slots to newer improv and stand-up acts from around the country.
• Where: Flagstaff, Arizona
• When: September
• Website: bigpinecomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: On the website.
East
The Bentzen Ball Comedy Festival
The Bentzen Ball Comedy Festival, curated by Tig Notaro and Brightest Young Things, is named after Ollie Bentzen, a man who supposedly laughed himself to death while watching A Fish Called Wanda. This year’s performers include Jonathan Van Ness of Queer Eye, Cameron Esposito, Rhea Butcher, and Michelle Buteau.
• Where: Washington, D.C.
• When: October
• Website: brightestyoungthings.com/bentzen-ball
• How to Submit: Curated, no submissions.
Boston Comedy Festival
Boston is one of the United States’s great stand-up cities, so it only makes sense that they put on a comedy festival every year. The festival features hundreds of comedians from around the globe as well as a stand-up and short comedy film competition that takes place over four days. In the past, the festival has hosted appearances from Jonathan Winters, Norm Crosby, and Tom Cotter.
• Where: Boston, Massachusetts
• When: September
• Website: bostoncomedyfest.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
New York Comedy Festival
The New York Comedy Festival, which has been around since 2004, takes place at venues around NYC including Carolines on Broadway, the Theater at MSG, the Bell House, and Carnegie Hall. It’s where the Andy Kaufman Award is presented to one performer; previous winners include Reggie Watts and Harrison Greenbaum. Past acts at the festival include Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld, Tracy Morgan, Conan O’Brien, and Tina Fey.
• Where: New York, New York
• When: November
• Website: nycomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: No submissions, curated by the organizers
Del Close Marathon
Every summer, improv fanatics descend upon New York City for the Del Close Marathon, named after the father of improv himself. Over three days, improv teams perform hundreds of shows at many venues around the city. The festival has been around for 20 years and will be moving to Los Angeles in 2019. The Upright Citizen’s Brigade produces it, so it features up-and-comers from the theater along with legends like Amy Poehler, Scott Adsit, and Matt Besser.
• Where: New York, New York (but moving to Los Angeles in 2019)
• When: June
• Website: delclosemarathon.com
• How to Submit: Check out dashboard.ucbcomedy.com for information.
Skankfest
Hosted by the Legion of Skanks podcast crew Big Jay Oakerson, Dave Smith, and Luis J. Gomez, Skankfest is a two-day celebration of “free speech and the positive treatment of comedians in the industry†that takes place in Brooklyn. It’s featured podcast tapings from Kill Tony and Punch Drunk Sports and performances from Brian Redban, Dave Attell, Nikki Glaser, and Sam Tripoli.
• Where: Brooklyn, New York
• When: July
• Website: skankfestnyc.com
• How to Submit: Submit your bio and five- to eight-minute tape to [email protected].
Brooklyn Comedy Festival
The Brooklyn Comedy Festival dubs itself the premier place for alternative comedy. Over six days, comedians take over various stages in the borough. In the past, performers have included Ilana Glazer, Reggie Watts, Vanessa Bayer, Chris Gethard, and Judah Friedlander at venues like Spike Hill, Brooklyn Brewery, and the Knitting Factory.
• Where: Brooklyn, New York
• When: September
• Website: bkcomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
Lucille Ball Comedy Festival
 The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival happens every summer in Jamestown, New York, the home of Lucille Ball. Now, the festival is coinciding with the opening of the new National Comedy Center, a museum for all things comedy. The 2018 lineup includes Lewis Black, Amy Schumer, Dan Aykroyd, and Lily Tomlin in conversation or performing stand-up.
• Where: Jamestown, New York
• When: August
• Website: comedycenter.org/event/2018-lucille-ball-comedy-festival/
• How to Submit: Curated, no submissions.
South
Black Girl Giggles
Black Girl Giggles Comedy Festival is organized by Black Girl Giggles, a local comedy collective of African-American women in comedy who produce a weekly podcast and monthly live shows in addition to their annual festival. They had their second festival in 2018 featuring an all-black, all-female lineup, which included performers like Nikki Carr, Queen Aishah, and Alycia Cooper.
• Where: New Orleans, Louisiana
• When: July
• Website: blackgirlgiggles.com
• How to Submit: On the website.
Cape Fear Comedy Festival
This comedian-run festival has been a staple in Wilmington for the past nine years. It features stand-up comedy shows along with stand-up and improv workshops for performers and audience members. The lineups are filled with promising performers like Adam Mamawala, Jules Posner, and Mary Jane French.
• Where: Wilmington, North Carolina
• When: May
• Website: capefearcomedy.org
• How to Submit: On the website.
Laugh Your Asheville Off
Laugh Your Asheville Off, which has been going for over ten years, takes place at the Diana Wortham Theatre and alternative venues around Asheville. It mostly features up-and-comers like Jason Webb, Daniel Storrow, Chrissie Mayr, and Gabe Pacheco.
• Where: Asheville, North Carolina
• When: Every August
• Website: ashevillecomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: On the website.
Charleston Comedy Festival
For 15 years, the Charleston Comedy Festival has been delivering laughs to this historic southern town. This four-day comedy extravaganza showcases improv, stand-up, and sketch, and past performers include Colin Quinn, Iliza Shlesinger, John Mulaney, and Hannibal Buress.
• Where: Charleston, South Carolina
• When: January
• Website: charlestoncomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
Laughing Skull Comedy Festival
The Laughing Skull Comedy Festival showcases 60 comedians and brings in managers, agents, and bookers to watch the performers. It’s four days long and includes more than 30 shows at six different venues around Atlanta. Past performers include Dulcé Sloan, Ron White, Adam Newman, and Mia Jackson.
• Where: Atlanta, Georgia
• When: May
• Website: laughingskullcomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
Red Clay Comedy Festival
Comedians Gilbert Lawand and Michael Albanese founded the Red Clay Comedy Festival in 2015. Fun fact: Rory Scovel filmed his 2016 Netflix special there! Performers for 2018 include Janeane Garofalo, Kate Willett, Robby Slowik, and Will Copeland.
• Where: Atlanta, Georgia
• When: September
• Website: redclaycomedy.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
West
Big Sky Comedy Festival
Big Sky Comedy Festival is a national competition for comedians from the United States and Canada. It features about 30 comedians, and winners receive $3,000 in cash prizes as well as the chance to be seen in front of bookers, agents, and others in the industry. Past winners include Dulcé Sloan, Chris Cope, Tommy Pope, Nick Guerra, and Byron Bowers.
• Where: Billings, Montana
• When: October
• Website: bigskycomedy.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
Seattle International Comedy Competition
The Seattle International Comedy Competition dubs itself the “real Last Comic Standing.†It happens over 26 days, includes 22 shows, and features more than 30 international comedians. Managers, producers, and executives swing by to watch the comedians battle it out for the top spot. Past performers have included Matt Donaher, Maria Herman, and Ed Hill.
• Where: Seattle, Washington
• When: November
• Website: seattlecomedycompetition.org
• How to Submit: On their website.
All Jane Comedy Festival
The All Jane Comedy Festival, which is held at the Curious Comedy Theater as well as various venues around Portland, features women performing stand-up, improv, and sketch. The festival organizers do a professional recording of each set for the performers. In the past, artists have included Laurie Kilmartin, Barbara Gray, Emma Willmann, and Jenny Zigrino.
• Where: Portland, Oregon
• When: September
• Website: alljanecomedy.org
• How to Submit: On their website in the summer prior to the festival.
Sacramento Comedy Festival
Held over the weekend at the Sacramento Comedy Spot, the Sacramento Comedy Festival showcases stand-up, sketch, and improv from rising performers around the U.S. It is a big supporter of local acts, like the improv teams Kooky Pants and Lady Business.
• Where: Sacramento, California
• When: October
• Website: saccomedyfest.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
Desi Comedy Fest
Desi Comedy Fest is the largest South Asian comedy festival in the United States. Shows take place at venues all over the San Francisco Bay Area, and the 2018 lineup includes 32 comedians performing in 11 shows. Some of the comedians set to perform this year include Aiko Tanaka, Akaash Singh, Monrok, and Subhah Agarwal.
• Where: San Francisco, California
• When: August
• Website: desicomedyfest.com
• How to Submit: Contact on the website.
SF Sketchfest
Founded in 2001, SF Sketchfest is a month-long festival that features sketch, stand-up, improv, and alternative comedy. It’s showcased performers from Arrested Development, Saturday Night Live, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, and Veep, and acts like Key and Peele, Patton Oswalt, Maria Bamford, Fred Armisen, and David Cross.
• Where: San Francisco, California
• When: January
• Website: sfsketchfest.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
Clusterfest
Comedy Central’s Clusterfest, which had its first run in 2018, featured top comedians and fun musical acts from around the world. Some of the artists included Trevor Noah, Jon Stewart, Salt-N-Pepa, Awkwafina, Amy Schumer, the Lonely Island, Reggie Watts, and Roy Wood Jr. There were also live podcast recordings from Doughboys and Last Podcast on the Left.
• Where: San Francisco, California
• When: June
• Website: clusterfest.com
• How to Submit: Curated by the festival.
Eggemon Comedy Festival
Eggemon Comedy Festival, which takes place in a West L.A. backyard filled with pet chickens, has featured L.A.-based acts like Todd Glass, Erica Rhodes, Zach Sherwin, Mark Schiff, Rick Overton, and Matty Goldberg. Up-and-comers can participate in the festival’s open mic and get their questions answered at an industry panel with seasoned comedy professionals.
• Where: Los Angeles, California
• When: May
• Website: Eggemon.com
• How to Submit: Send a five-minute tape and bio to [email protected].
Midwest
10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival
Minneapolis is one of the best cities in the Midwest (as well as the country at large) for comedy. Just check out the packed open mic at Acme Comedy Club. So it’s no surprise that the Twin Cities have their own annual festival, 10,000 Laughs. Shows take place in venues like Sisyphus Brewing and Comedy Corner Underground. The festival’s past performers include Beth Stelling, Dave Losso, Rick Wood, Adam Quesnell, and Shane Torres.
• Where: Twin Cities, Minnesota
• When: October
• Website: 10000laughs.com
• How to Submit: On its website.
High Plains Comedy Festival
Denver-based comedian Adam Cayton-Holland founded High Plains Comedy Festival in 2013. Since then, local and national headliners have graced the city’s stages. One hundred performers, including David Cross, Emily Heller, Eliza Skinner, Byron Bowers, and Amy Miller are participating in 2018.
• Where: Denver, Colorado
• When: August
• Website: highplainscomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: Check the website for next year’s information.
Gilda’s LaughFest
Gilda’s LaughFest, which began in 2011, “celebrates laughter for the health of it.†Named after the original Saturday Night Live cast member, all of the proceeds go to Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids to support emotional health. Past performers have included Jim Gaffigan, Maria Bamford, Judah Friedlander, and Marc Maron, and around 50,000 people attend each year.
• Where: Grand Rapids, Michigan
• When: March
• Website: laughfestgr.org
• How to Submit: On its website.
Limestone Comedy Festival
Limestone Comedy Festival, which started in 2013, is a three-day festival that showcases big acts and up-and-comers at venues like the Comedy Attic and the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. In the past, performers have included Margaret Cho, Judah Friedlander, Colin Quinn, Roy Wood Jr., and Fortune Feimster.
• Where: Bloomington, Indiana
• When: June
• Website: limestonefest.com
• How to Submit: On its website, opens in the winter prior to the festival.
Milwaukee Comedy Festival
This comedy festival, which has been around for 13 years, happens at Milwaukee venues like Underground Collaborative and Lakefront Brewery. U.S.-based and local comics perform alongside past acts like Colin Quinn, Lady Parts Justice League, and Brian Posehn.
• Where: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• When: August
• Website: mkecomedyfest.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
Memphis Comedy Festival
Founded in 2012, the Memphis Comedy Festival is organized by local Memphis comics and takes place yearly during a weekend in March. Comedians who have performed at the fest include Lizz Winstead, Jason Earl Folks, and Lauren Faber.
• Where: Memphis, Tennessee
• When: March
• Website: memphiscomedyfestival.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
Chicago Sketch Comedy FestivalÂ
The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival, which has been around since 2002, features performances by more than 180 groups from around the world. The eight-day festival includes nearly 200 shows. This past year’s lineup included shows by Fratwurst, the Davensons, Brick Penguin, and Baby From Another Lady.
• Where: Chicago, Illinois
• When: January
• Website: stage773.com/sketchfest
• How to Submit: On their website.
The Onion Comedy and Arts Festival
The Onion Comedy and Arts Festival, which was known as the 26th Annual Comedy Festival for four years, features big alternative acts like Chris Gethard, David Cross, and Bob Odenkirk. In 2018, attendees got to see ClickHole Live! and A Conversation With the Onion at venues like Lincoln Hall and the Annoyance Theatre.
• Where: Chicago, Illinois
• When: May
• Website: onioncomedyfest.com
• How to Submit: Curated by the festival.
Accidental Comedy Fest
Accidental Comedy Fest, which has been around for seven years, takes place over five days at Hilarities 4th Street Theater. Up-and-comers and headliners from Cleveland and around the U.S. perform stand-up and do live podcasts. In 2017, performers included Megan Gailey, Nick Vatterott, Doug Benson (with Doug Loves Movies), Sean Patton, and Jermaine Fowler.
• Where: Cleveland, Ohio
• When: August
• Website: accidentalcomedy.com
• How to Submit: On its website the spring prior.
Music Festivals With Comedy Shows
SXSW Comedy Festival
SXSW is one of the largest comedy festivals in the U.S. and features big acts. It also gives emerging performers the chance to submit for a spot. Past performers include Rachel Bloom, Bob Odenkirk, Bonnie McFarlane, Amy Schumer, and Jonah Ray.
• Where: Austin, Texas
• When: March
• Website: sxsw.com/festivals/comedy
• How to Submit: On their website.
Boston Calling
Boston Calling happens over three days in Allston, Massachusetts, and features huge musical acts. In the past, musical performers included Eminem, the Killers, Jack White, and Weezer, with comedy from Hannibal Buress, Pete Holmes, and Eugene Mirman.
• Where: Allston, Massachusetts
• When: May
• Website: bostoncalling.com
• How to Submit: On their website.
The Fest
The Fest is an independent music festival that features hundreds of bands along with stand-up comedy. It was started in 2002 and many attendees come from outside of the U.S. to see the shows. The 2018 comedy lineup includes Brandie Posey, The Chris Gethard Show, and Anya Volz.
• Where: Gainesville, Florida
• When: October
• Website: thefestfl.com
• How to Submit: Curated, no submissions.
KAABOO
Every September, for four days, Del Mar, California, turns into an exciting live music and comedy destination. The 2018 lineup includes huge musical acts like Foo Fighters, Blondie, Imagine Dragons, and Katy Perry, and comedians like Craig Ferguson, Iliza Shlesinger, Craig Robinson, J.F. Harris, and Ari Mannis.
• Where: Del Mar, California
• When: September
• Website: kaaboodelmar.com
• How to Submit: Curated, no submissions.
Life Is Beautiful Music & Art Festival
Over four days, the biggest musicians and comedians gather in Las Vegas, Nevada, to kick off the Life Is Beautiful Music & Art Festival. While you’re listening to the music from 2018’s lineup, which includes the Weeknd and Arcade Fire, you can enjoy comedy from Michelle Wolf, Pete Davidson, Jimmy O. Yang, and Nicole Byer.
• Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
• When: September
• Website: lifeisbeautiful.com
• How to Submit: Curated, no submissions.
Bonnaroo
Want to get your dose of comedy while listening to some of the best musicians on the planet? Then you can head to the annual Bonnaroo festival, which has featured comedians like Adam Devine, Reggie Watts, Joel Kim Booster, Sasheer Zamata, and Kyle Ayers.
• Where: Manchester, Tennessee
• When: June
• Website: bonnaroo.com
• How to Submit: Curated, no submissions.
Outside Lands
Outside Lands, an annual music-driven festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, brings in some of the biggest talent in comedy today. The lineup in 2018 includes Michelle Wolf, Phoebe Robinson, Chelsea Peretti, and Rhys Darby.
• Where: San Francisco, California
• When: August
• Website: sfoutsidelands.com
• How to Submit: Curated, no submissions.
Bumbershoot
Bumbershoot, an international music and arts festival that’s been around since 1971, has an amazing comedy lineup every year as well. In the past, performers have included Eugene Mirman, Emily Heller, Last Podcast on the Left, and Sam Jay.
• Where: Seattle, Washington
• When: Labor Day weekend
• Website: bumbershoot.com
• How to Submit: Curated, no submissions.