Windy City Comedy Festival 2027
5–8 August 2027
The Windy City Comedy Festival, a four-day showcase of comics from Chicago and beyond, was founded and is led by Chicago stand-up Ariel Julie as artistic director, and runs as a fiscally sponsored nonprofit. Acts picked from open submissions by a panel of judges play rooms around the city, with an industry show, panels, workshops and open mics on the side, and the next festival runs from 5 to 8 August 2027.
The 2027 festival
The Windy City Comedy Festival 2027 runs 4 days, from Thursday 5 August 2027 to Sunday 8 August 2027, in Chicago, IL. On its stages: stand-up. Tickets, times and the full programme are on the festival's own site.
For comedians: submissions
Not open yet Submissions not open yet for the 2027 festival: it opens on Sunday 1 November 2026.
- How it takes acts
- By submission: the festival picks its bill from what comedians send
- Who can apply
- Comics 21 or older by 5 August 2027
- Opens
- 1 November 2026
- Fees
- US$20 for an early-bird entry · US$25 for a general entry · US$30 for a late entry
- What to send
- A continuous 5 to 7 minute clip of your own material (no best-of or highlight reels); an unlisted link is fine, a private or password-locked one is not.
- As of
- 25 October 2026
Deadlines and fees change: the festival's own page has the last word. Every festival open for submissions
Questions
When is the Windy City Comedy Festival 2027?
5–8 August 2027 in Chicago, IL.
Where do I book for the Windy City Comedy Festival?
On the festival's own site, windycitycomedyfest.com, which also has the latest programme and any changes.
Can comedians apply to the Windy City Comedy Festival 2027?
Not yet: the 2027 festival starts taking submissions on 1 November 2026 on windycitycomedyfest.com. The fee: US$20 for an early-bird entry; US$25 for a general entry; or US$30 for a late entry.