The Comedy Festival Guide's globe markCOMEDYFESTIVAL GUIDE
Questions, answered

Comedy festival questions, answered

What is on and when, where to find improv, sketch and stand-up, and how to get round the festival cities, each answer from the festivals' and the places' own sites.

By month

  • What comedy festivals are on in January?In January 2027, six comedy festivals on the Guide are on. The first to open is Out To Lunch (8–30 January 2027, Belfast, Northern Ireland), and the last to open is the Tower City Comedy Festival (28–30 January 2027, Paris, TX). Four put on stand-up, three improv, one sketch, and one is a fringe with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are on in February?In February 2027, eight comedy festivals on the Guide are on. FRINGE WORLD is already running (20 January – 14 February 2027, Perth, Australia), and the last to open is the Vice City Comedy Festival (25–27 February 2027, Miami, FL). Three put on stand-up, two improv, and three are fringes with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are on in March?In March 2027, 15 comedy festivals on the Guide are on. The NZ Fringe is already running (12 February – 6 March 2027, Wellington, New Zealand), and the last to open is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (24 March – 18 April 2027, Melbourne, Australia). Eight put on stand-up, six improv, three sketch, and three are fringes with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are on in April?In April 2027, 15 comedy festivals on the Guide are on. The PlayGround Comedy Festival is already running (12 March – 4 April 2027, San Francisco, CA), and the last to open is the NZ International Comedy Festival (30 April – 23 May 2027, New Zealand). Twelve put on stand-up, eleven improv, six sketch.
  • What comedy festivals are on in May?In May 2027, 15 comedy festivals on the Guide are on. The Sydney Comedy Festival is already running (12 April – 16 May 2027, Sydney, Australia), and the last to open is the Vail Comedy Festival (29–31 May 2027, Vail, CO). Ten put on stand-up, ten improv, four sketch, and two are fringes with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are on in June?In June 2027, six comedy festivals on the Guide are on. The Brighton Fringe is already running (7 May – 6 June 2027, Brighton, England), and the last to open is the Oslo Impro Festival (12–19 June 2027, Oslo, Norway). Three put on stand-up, four improv, and two are fringes with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are on in July?In July 2027, two comedy festivals on the Guide are on. The first to open is the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival (16–18 July 2027, Canada), and the last to open is the Brisbane Improv Festival (23–31 July 2027, Brisbane, Australia). One puts on stand-up, one improv.
  • What comedy festivals are on in August?In August 2027, three comedy festivals on the Guide are on. The first to open is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (6–30 August 2027, Edinburgh, Scotland), and the last to open is ImprovCon (26–29 August 2027, San Diego, California). One puts on improv, and two are fringes with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are on in September?No festival on the Guide has announced dates in September 2027 yet. In September 2026, the Harrogate Comedy Festival and the Melbourne Fringe Festival were on; each festival's page gives its next dates as soon as the festival announces them.
  • What comedy festivals are on in October?Still to come or on now in October 2026, 28 comedy festivals on the Guide are on. The Harrogate Comedy Festival is already running (29 September – 22 November 2026, Harrogate, England), and the last to open is the Nottingham Comedy Festival (30 October – 8 November 2026, Nottingham, England). 20 put on stand-up, 16 improv, 6 sketch, and 1 is a fringe with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are on in November?In November 2026, 22 comedy festivals on the Guide are on. The Harrogate Comedy Festival is already running (29 September – 22 November 2026, Harrogate, England), and the last to open is Impulsez! (20–28 November 2026, Toulouse, France). 16 put on stand-up, 14 improv, 7 sketch.
  • What comedy festivals are on in December?In December 2026, four comedy festivals on the Guide are on. Just For Laughs Singapore is already running (6 October – 1 December 2026, Singapore), and the last to open is the Improv Festivus (10–12 December 2026, Richmond, Virginia). Two put on stand-up, two improv.

By place

  • What comedy festivals are in the United States?51 comedy festivals in the United States have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Bay Area Musical Improv Festival, 22–25 October 2026, in Oakland, California. On now: the Desi Comedy Festival (until 17 October 2026) and the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival (until 18 October 2026), and seven more. The furthest ahead is ImprovCon (26–29 August 2027). 38 put on stand-up, 28 improv, 11 sketch.
  • What comedy festivals are in Canada?Eight comedy festivals in Canada have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Winnipeg Improv Festival, 21–24 October 2026, in Winnipeg, Canada. The furthest ahead is the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival (12–22 August 2027). Three put on stand-up, four improv, two sketch, and one is a fringe with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in the UK?13 comedy festivals in the UK have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Nottingham Comedy Festival, 30 October – 8 November 2026, in Nottingham, England. On now: the Harrogate Comedy Festival (until 22 November 2026) and the Brighton Dome Comedy Festival (until 25 October 2026). The furthest ahead is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (6–30 August 2027). Seven put on stand-up, eight improv, two sketch, and two are fringes with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in England?Nine comedy festivals in England have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Nottingham Comedy Festival, 30 October – 8 November 2026, in Nottingham, England. On now: the Harrogate Comedy Festival (until 22 November 2026) and the Brighton Dome Comedy Festival (until 25 October 2026). The furthest ahead is the Wells Comedy Festival (28–30 May 2027). Five put on stand-up, six improv, one sketch, and one is a fringe with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in Scotland?Three comedy festivals in Scotland have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Edinburgh International Improv Festival, 4–7 February 2027, in Edinburgh, Scotland. The furthest ahead is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (6–30 August 2027). One puts on stand-up, two improv, one sketch, and one is a fringe with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in Ireland and Northern Ireland?Two comedy festivals in Ireland and Northern Ireland have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Galway Comedy Festival, 20–26 October 2026, in Galway, Ireland. The furthest ahead is Out To Lunch (8–30 January 2027). Two put on stand-up, one improv.
  • What comedy festivals are in Europe?26 comedy festivals in Europe have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Cologne Comedy Festival, 20 October – 8 November 2026, in Cologne, Germany. On now: the Harrogate Comedy Festival (until 22 November 2026) and Festival Imperdible (until 18 October 2026), and one more. The furthest ahead is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (6–30 August 2027). 11 put on stand-up, 19 improv, 2 sketch, and 3 are fringes with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in Germany?Four comedy festivals in Germany have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Cologne Comedy Festival, 20 October – 8 November 2026, in Cologne, Germany. The furthest ahead is the TÖRN Improfestival (11–14 March 2027). One puts on stand-up, three improv.
  • What comedy festivals are in Australia?Twelve comedy festivals in Australia have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the ITS Comedy Festival, 8–15 November 2026, in Sydney, Australia. On now: the Melbourne Fringe Festival (until 18 October 2026) and the Scary Strangers Comedy Festival (until 18 October 2026). The furthest ahead is the Brisbane Improv Festival (23–31 July 2027). Seven put on stand-up, seven improv, five sketch, and three are fringes with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in New Zealand?Three comedy festivals in New Zealand have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the NZ Fringe, 12 February – 6 March 2027, in Wellington, New Zealand. The furthest ahead is the NZ International Comedy Festival (30 April – 23 May 2027). One puts on stand-up, one improv, one sketch, and two are fringes with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in New York City?Two comedy festivals in New York City have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the New York Comedy Festival, 6–15 November 2026, in New York, NY. On now: the New York Arab American Comedy Festival (until 17 October 2026). Two put on stand-up.
  • What comedy festivals are in California?Ten comedy festivals in California have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Bay Area Musical Improv Festival, 22–25 October 2026, in Oakland, California. On now: the Oakland Comedy Festival (until 17 October 2026) and the Black Women in Comedy Festival (until 18 October 2026), and one more. The furthest ahead is ImprovCon (26–29 August 2027). Seven put on stand-up, seven improv, four sketch.
  • What comedy festivals are in Texas?Five comedy festivals in Texas have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival, 5–8 November 2026, in Austin, Texas. The furthest ahead is the Riot Comedy Festival (2–10 April 2027). Five put on stand-up, three improv, one sketch.
  • What comedy festivals are in San Francisco and the Bay Area?Five comedy festivals in San Francisco and the Bay Area have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Bay Area Musical Improv Festival, 22–25 October 2026, in Oakland, California. On now: the Oakland Comedy Festival (until 17 October 2026) and the Diablo Improv Festival (until 18 October 2026). The furthest ahead is the PlayGround Comedy Festival (12 March – 4 April 2027). Three put on stand-up, four improv, two sketch.
  • What comedy festivals are in Toronto?Two comedy festivals in Toronto have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is Comedy is Art, 22–24 October 2026, in Toronto, Canada. The furthest ahead is the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival (3–14 March 2027). One puts on stand-up, one improv, two sketch.
  • What comedy festivals are in Edinburgh?Two comedy festivals in Edinburgh have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Edinburgh International Improv Festival, 4–7 February 2027, in Edinburgh, Scotland. The furthest ahead is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (6–30 August 2027). One puts on improv, and one is a fringe with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in Brighton?Two comedy festivals in Brighton have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Brighton Fringe, 7 May – 6 June 2027, in Brighton, England. On now: the Brighton Dome Comedy Festival (until 25 October 2026). One puts on stand-up, and one is a fringe with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in Melbourne?Two comedy festivals in Melbourne have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, 24 March – 18 April 2027, in Melbourne, Australia. On now: the Melbourne Fringe Festival (until 18 October 2026). One puts on stand-up, and one is a fringe with comedy among the arts.
  • What comedy festivals are in Sydney?Three comedy festivals in Sydney have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the ITS Comedy Festival, 8–15 November 2026, in Sydney, Australia. The furthest ahead is the Sydney Comedy Festival (12 April – 16 May 2027). Three put on stand-up, two improv, two sketch.

By kind of comedy

  • What improv festivals are there?60 improv festivals have dates ahead on the Guide, in 15 countries. The next to open is the Galway Comedy Festival, 20–26 October 2026, in Galway, Ireland. On now: the Harrogate Comedy Festival (until 22 November 2026) and Festival Imperdible (until 18 October 2026), and six more. Each links to its own page, with its official site.
  • What sketch comedy festivals are there?21 sketch comedy festivals have dates ahead on the Guide, in five countries. The next to open is Comedy is Art, 22–24 October 2026, in Toronto, Canada. On now: the Scary Strangers Comedy Festival (until 18 October 2026) and the Black Women in Comedy Festival (until 18 October 2026), and one more. Each links to its own page, with its official site.
  • What stand-up comedy festivals are there?63 stand-up comedy festivals have dates ahead on the Guide, in twelve countries. The next to open is the Cologne Comedy Festival, 20 October – 8 November 2026, in Cologne, Germany. On now: the Harrogate Comedy Festival (until 22 November 2026) and Just For Laughs Singapore (until 1 December 2026), and ten more. Each links to its own page, with its official site.
  • Which fringe festivals have comedy?Nine fringe festivals with comedy have dates ahead on the Guide, in five countries. The next to open is FRINGE WORLD, 20 January – 14 February 2027, in Perth, Australia. On now: the Melbourne Fringe Festival (until 18 October 2026). Each links to its own page, with its official site.
  • What improv festivals are in the United States?28 improv festivals in the United States have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Bay Area Musical Improv Festival, 22–25 October 2026, in Oakland, California. On now: the Black Women in Comedy Festival (until 18 October 2026) and the Diablo Improv Festival (until 18 October 2026), and two more. Each links to its own page, with its official site.
  • What improv festivals are in Canada?Four improv festivals in Canada have dates ahead on the Guide. The next to open is the Winnipeg Improv Festival, 21–24 October 2026, in Winnipeg, Canada. Each links to its own page, with its official site.
  • What improv festivals are in Europe?19 improv festivals in Europe have dates ahead on the Guide, in ten countries. The next to open is the Galway Comedy Festival, 20–26 October 2026, in Galway, Ireland. On now: the Harrogate Comedy Festival (until 22 November 2026) and Festival Imperdible (until 18 October 2026). Each links to its own page, with its official site.
  • What sketch comedy festivals are in North America?13 sketch comedy festivals in North America have dates ahead on the Guide, in two countries. The next to open is Comedy is Art, 22–24 October 2026, in Toronto, Canada. On now: the Black Women in Comedy Festival (until 18 October 2026) and the Floodwater Comedy Festival (until 17 October 2026). Each links to its own page, with its official site.

Festivals to know

  • What is the next comedy festival?The next comedy festival to open on the Guide is the Cologne Comedy Festival, on Tuesday 20 October 2026, in Cologne, Germany. After it come the Galway Comedy Festival (20 October 2026) and Naked Stage (21 October 2026). On now: the Harrogate Comedy Festival (until 22 November 2026), the Melbourne Fringe Festival (until 18 October 2026) and Just For Laughs Singapore (until 1 December 2026), and 13 more.
  • What are the longest comedy festivals?The longest runs ahead on the Guide: Just For Laughs Singapore, 57 days (6 October – 1 December 2026), the Harrogate Comedy Festival, 55 days (29 September – 22 November 2026) and the Sydney Comedy Festival, 35 days (12 April – 16 May 2027). Three of the ten longest are fringes, and half of the festivals on the Guide run 5 days or fewer.
  • Which comedy festivals last just one day?Two festivals on the Guide are a single day: the Montgomery Comedy Festival (Friday 23 October 2026, Montgomery, AL) and the SLO Comedy Festival (Saturday 20 February 2027, San Luis Obispo, CA).
  • Which comedy festivals tour, or come in parts?Three festivals on the Guide move between towns or come in parts: the Desi Comedy Festival (two parts), the NZ International Comedy Festival (across New Zealand) and the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival (three parts). Each page gives every part's dates.
  • What are the oldest comedy festivals?Of the festivals on the Guide whose own sites give a founding year, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe goes back furthest, to 1947. Then come the Melbourne Fringe Festival (1982) and the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival (1982). Ten of the 28 began in 2015 or later.

Edinburgh: Edinburgh Festival Fringe

  • When is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2027?The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2027 runs 25 days, from Friday 6 August 2027 to Monday 30 August 2027, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Tickets and the programme are on the festival's own site; the Guide's page has the city and the trip around it.
  • How do I get from the airport to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?Lothian's Airlink express bus links Edinburgh Airport and the city centre 24/7: up to every 10 minutes between 04:12 and 01:00, and up to every 20 minutes through the rest of the night. Fares: £6.00 for an adult Airport Single, £8.50 for an Airport Open Return. Heading back to the airport, it leaves from Waverley Bridge. Lothian's day and late tickets aren't valid on it.
  • How do I get home after a late show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?Lothian NightBus: Night buses cover the city and the Lothians from midnight to 4.30am. City Cabs: Licensed black taxis, working the city since 1925 and available 24/7.
  • What hotels are near the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?Three hotels near the festival's rooms: Hotel du Vin Edinburgh (11 Bristo Place), ibis Edinburgh Centre South Bridge - Royal Mile (77 South Bridge) and Motel One Edinburgh-Royal (18-21 Market Street). Prices move with the festival, so book early and compare on each hotel's own site.
  • Where can I eat and drink near the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?Before a show: Mother India's Cafe, 3-5 Infirmary Street. Indian tapas: small, freshly made plates for sharing, from the classics to newer dishes, in the Old Town near the National Museum of Scotland. After it: The Pear Tree (a pint after) and Whistle Binkies (bands till late). Each place's hours are on this page and its own site.
  • What is there to do in Edinburgh during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?Between shows, Edinburgh has Edinburgh Castle, National Museum of Scotland, Stockbridge Market and Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat, and five more picks across the city and around it. Open from 9.30am every day.
  • What is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?Edinburgh's Fringe fills three weeks of every August with the performing arts. Its story goes back to 1947, when eight theatre groups turned up uninvited to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival, and the Fringe Society, which supports its performers and its audiences, was founded by artists.
  • Who won the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2026?The Edinburgh Comedy Awards' own site names four winners for 2026: Chris Cantrill, Marty Gleeson, Jonathan Oldfield and Lorna Rose Treen. Ten acts were nominated that year. The awards are given at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe each August.
  • Where is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe held?All over Edinburgh. The 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe played 306 venues across the city, and its street events filled the Royal Mile and the Mound Precinct. Every show's listing on edfringe.com gives its venue, and the Fringe Box Office at 180 High Street books every show: online at any hour, and by phone and in person once the programme is out.

New York: New York Comedy Festival

  • When is the New York Comedy Festival 2026?The New York Comedy Festival 2026 runs 10 days, from Friday 6 November 2026 to Sunday 15 November 2026, in New York, NY, across four rooms. Tickets and the programme are on the festival's own site; the Guide's page has the city and the trip around it.
  • Where is the New York Comedy Festival held?The New York Comedy Festival plays four rooms in New York, among them Madison Square Garden, Beacon Theatre and The Town Hall. Each room's own page has its access details and the way in.
  • How do I get from the airport to the New York Comedy Festival?From JFK, the AirTrain runs to Jamaica, for the subway and the Long Island Rail Road, and to Howard Beach, for the subway. A ride is $8.75, and children under five ride free; tap a contactless card, phone or OMNY Card. With the $3 subway fare that's $11.75 for most riders: the E from Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport, or the A from Howard Beach-JFK Airport. A yellow taxi between JFK and Manhattan is a flat $70, plus surcharges, the tip and any tolls.
  • How do I get home after a late show at the New York Comedy Festival?MTA subway: New York's subway runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Yellow taxi: Yellow taxis charge by the meter, with set surcharges on top, among them $1.00 overnight from 8pm to 6am, plus the tip and any tolls.
  • What hotels are near the New York Comedy Festival?Three hotels near the festival's rooms: Hard Rock Hotel New York (159 West 48th Street), Hotel Edison (228 W 47th St) and Hotel Beacon (2130 Broadway). Prices move with the festival, so book early and compare on each hotel's own site.
  • Where can I eat and drink near the New York Comedy Festival?Before a show: John's of Times Square, 260 West 44th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues). Coal-fired pizza from brick ovens and Italian classics, served in a restored former church with soaring ceilings and stained glass. After it: Rudy's Bar & Grill (a drink after the show) and Birdland (keep the music going). Each place's hours are on this page and its own site.
  • What is there to do in New York during the New York Comedy Festival?Between shows, New York has Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Chelsea Market and Central Park, and five more picks across the city and around it. France's gift of friendship to the United States, dedicated in 1886, stands on Liberty Island; Ellis Island is the park's second island, and you reach both by ferry.
  • What is the New York Comedy Festival?Caroline Hirsch, founder of the Carolines comedy club, started the New York Comedy Festival in 2004, and since 2023 it has run for ten days across the five boroughs, in rooms that have included Carnegie Hall, the Apollo, the Beacon Theatre and Madison Square Garden. Its programme also holds the New York's Funniest Stand-Up contest, the Comics To Watch showcase and Stand Up for Heroes, a benefit for the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
  • Who is on the bill at the New York Comedy Festival 2026?The festival's own line-up pages name 109 comedians for 2026 (as of 6 October 2026), among them Eddie Pepitone, Hasan Minhaj, Jon Stewart, Josh Johnson and Adam Friedland. Line-ups change; the festival's site has the last word.

Melbourne: Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Glasgow: Glasgow International Comedy Festival

  • When is the Glasgow International Comedy Festival 2027?The Glasgow International Comedy Festival 2027 runs 19 days, from Wednesday 10 March 2027 to Sunday 28 March 2027, in Glasgow, Scotland, across four rooms. Tickets and the programme are on the festival's own site; the Guide's page has the city and the trip around it.
  • Where is the Glasgow International Comedy Festival held?The Glasgow International Comedy Festival plays four rooms in Glasgow, among them King's Theatre, Glasgow, SEC Armadillo and Òran Mór. Each room's own page has its access details and the way in.
  • How do I get from the airport to the Glasgow International Comedy Festival?First Glasgow's Service 500, the Glasgow Airport Express, runs 24 hours a day, up to every 10 minutes, between the airport (Stance 1) and Buchanan Bus Station (Stance 46), in about 15 minutes. An adult single is £2. Buy in the First Bus app, online, or from the driver with cash or contactless.
  • How do I get home after a late show at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival?Glasgow Subway: The Subway loops the city centre and the West End through 15 stations, a full circuit in 24 minutes. Glasgow Taxis: Glasgow Taxis works around the clock: book by phone on 0141 429 7070, by text, online or in its app.
  • What hotels are near the Glasgow International Comedy Festival?Three hotels near the festival's rooms: Malmaison Glasgow (278 West George Street), Premier Inn Glasgow City Centre Buchanan Galleries (St Andrew House) and Hotel du Vin Glasgow at One Devonshire Gardens (1 Devonshire Gardens). Prices move with the festival, so book early and compare on each hotel's own site.
  • Where can I eat and drink near the Glasgow International Comedy Festival?Before a show: Little Italy, 205 Byres Road. An Italian coffee bar and pizzeria on Byres Road in the West End, open from breakfast to dinner and licensed for wine or beer with your meal. After it: The Griffin (a drink by the king's) and The Hug and Pint (keep the music going). Each place's hours are on this page and its own site.
  • What is there to do in Glasgow during the Glasgow International Comedy Festival?Between shows, Glasgow has Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow Cathedral, The Mackintosh House at the Hunterian and The Burrell Collection, Pollok Country Park, and five more picks across the city and around it. Opened in 1901, with 22 galleries running from art to animals and Ancient Egypt to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a free organ recital every day and an audio tour by Sir Billy Connolly.
  • What is the Glasgow International Comedy Festival?The Glasgow International Comedy Festival brings stand-up, improv, sketch and alternative comedy to the city in March, with Scottish comedians on the same programme as emerging acts from around the world. Its aim, in its own words, is to put Glasgow at the heart of the festival.
  • Who is on the bill at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival 2027?The festival's own line-up pages name 16 comedians for 2027 (as of 6 October 2026), among them Alan Carr, Chris Forbes, Connor Burns, Craig Hill and Daniel Sloss. Line-ups change; the festival's site has the last word.

San Francisco: SF Sketchfest

  • When is SF Sketchfest 2027?SF Sketchfest 2027 runs 18 days, from Thursday 14 January 2027 to Sunday 31 January 2027, in San Francisco, CA, across twelve rooms. Tickets and the programme are on the festival's own site; the Guide's page has the city and the trip around it.
  • Where is SF Sketchfest held?SF Sketchfest plays twelve rooms in San Francisco, among them BATS Bayfront Theatre, BATS Bayfront Theatre Annex and Cobb’s Comedy Club. Each room's own page has its access details and the way in.
  • How do I get from the airport to SF Sketchfest?BART runs from SFO's International Terminal to downtown San Francisco in about 30 minutes, and the free AirTrain links every terminal to the station. Take a Yellow Line or Red Line train to one of the four downtown stations, tapping a contactless bank card, phone or Clipper card at the gates. The first train leaves SFO at 4:58am on weekdays, 5:47am on Saturdays and 8:08am on Sundays, and service runs until midnight. Fares go by distance.
  • How do I get home after a late show at SF Sketchfest?Muni Owl buses: Muni's Owl buses run all night, every half hour between midnight and 5am. San Francisco taxis: Hail a licensed cab on the street or at a taxi stand, or book one in the CURB, YoTaxi SF or Flywheel app.
  • What hotels are near SF Sketchfest?Three hotels near the festival's rooms: Hotel Bohème (444 Columbus Avenue), Washington Square Inn (1660 Stockton Street) and The Orchard Garden Hotel (466 Bush Street). Prices move with the festival, so book early and compare on each hotel's own site.
  • Where can I eat and drink near SF Sketchfest?Before a show: Tony's Pizza Napoletana, 1570 Stockton Street. Neapolitan pizza and eleven other styles, from New York and Detroit to Sicilian, from 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani, with a full bar. After it: Vesuvio Cafe (a drink after) and Keys Jazz Bistro (keep the music going). Each place's hours are on this page and its own site.
  • What is there to do in San Francisco during SF Sketchfest?Between shows, San Francisco has SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), de Young, Alcatraz Island and Golden Gate Bridge, and five more picks across the city and around it. One of the largest modern and contemporary art museums in the United States, a few blocks from Montgomery St BART.
  • What is SF Sketchfest?David Owen, Cole Stratton and Janet Varney founded SF Sketchfest in 2001, and the first festival opened in January 2002, with six Bay Area sketch groups on the stage of San Francisco's Shelton Theatre. It is now a nationally recognized festival where headliners from across the country share the programme with local favorites and new groups: stand-up and alternative comedy as well as sketch and improv.

Going, performing, fringes

  • What is a fringe festival?A fringe festival is an open-access arts festival: anyone who registers, pays the fee and finds a venue can put on a show, and no panel chooses the programme. Comedy appears beside theatre, music, circus and dance. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Brighton Fringe, FRINGE WORLD in Perth and NZ Fringe in Wellington all work this way.
  • Is the Edinburgh Fringe a comedy festival?Not strictly. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is an open-access arts festival held over three weeks every August, spanning theatre, dance, circus, music and more. Comedy is its largest section, though: the Fringe Society's 2026 programme listed 1,401 comedy shows out of 3,649, or 38.4 per cent, ahead of theatre with 1,025.
  • How do comedians get into a comedy festival?It depends on the festival. Most curated comedy festivals take open submissions: a comic sends a video of a live set, usually with a fee, and a panel or committee chooses the bill. Some festivals also book acts by invitation or run contests, and fringes such as Edinburgh and Brighton take anyone who registers with a venue.
  • How much does it cost to apply to a comedy festival?Submission fees at curated comedy festivals mostly run from nothing to about 50 dollars: Raleigh asks $25, or nothing from North Carolina comics; Boston asks $35; Toronto Sketchfest asks $50.85 Canadian with tax. Fringes charge registration instead, and the Edinburgh Fringe asked £96 to £393.60 in 2026, depending on the length of the run.
  • Can children go to comedy festivals?Often, yes, but it depends on the show. Plenty of festival shows are for adults only, and some events set an age floor, such as 16 or older at Fastball in Mesa, Arizona. Many festivals also run comedy for children: Nottingham, Brighton Dome, Galway, Sydney and Perth list kids' or family shows, and the Edinburgh Fringe has a children's section.
  • What happens at an improv festival?Shows at night and classes by day. Improv festivals bring visiting and local troupes to perform, hire visiting teachers to run workshops for every level, and hold open jams where festival-goers get on stage. IMPRO Amsterdam, for example, lists 30 shows and more than 50 workshops over eight days, and the Edinburgh International Improv Festival adds late-night jams.
  • What is sketch comedy, and which festivals put it on?DC Sketchfest describes a sketch as a brief comedy scene with every line written in advance, and the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival adds that it is written and rehearsed, usually by a cast, though solo character work counts. Toronto, DC Sketchfest and Seattle Sketchfest are built around it; Montclair, Flyover, Nottingham, PlayGround and the NZ International Comedy Festival list it too.
  • Do comedy festivals sell passes?Many do. The Fountain City Comedy Festival in Kansas City sells a two-day Weekend Pass to every show, Fastball in Arizona sold one-day and two-day passes for October 2026, and Toronto's 2026 SHOWS pass covered every show. Fringes mostly sell show by show, though Edmonton's Fringe sells bundles of ten or twenty tickets.
  • When do Edinburgh Fringe tickets go on sale?The Edinburgh Festival Fringe puts shows on sale in batches, months before August. For 2026, the first 351 shows went on sale on 11 February, more followed on 1 April and 6 May, and the full programme launched on 4 June. The Fringe Society has not yet given 2027 dates; the 80th Fringe runs 6 to 30 August 2027.
  • How many shows are at the Edinburgh Fringe?The 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, its 79th edition, had 4,232 shows from 77 countries, giving 61,277 performances across 306 venues, by the Fringe Society's closing count. By 11:30 on the last day, 31 August 2026, 2,805,395 tickets had been issued, a figure that leaves out free and non-ticketed shows.
  • How long is a fringe show?Usually about an hour, at the fringes that say so. Prague Fringe's standard slot is 60 minutes or just under, and FRINGE WORLD in Perth says most of its shows run around 60 minutes. Lengths still vary: Edmonton's Fringe listed 2026 runtimes from 45 to 115 minutes, and the Edinburgh Fringe gives each show's length on its listing.
  • Is Just For Laughs Sydney the same festival as Just For Laughs in Montreal?No. Just For Laughs Sydney is its own festival, held in Sydney under the Just For Laughs name. The Just For Laughs group produces the original festival in Montréal, held since 1983, and lists Sydney among its other festivals, with Québec City, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore and Bermuda. Sydney's fourteenth edition runs 9 to 22 November 2026.