Festival Submissions [Updated 9/11/26]
September Deadlines
Military City Laugh Fest takes place November 13–14, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas, bringing comedians together for two nights of showcases and competitions at Upstage Comedy Lounge, with a special focus on veterans and the military community. Every accepted comedian receives two guaranteed showcase sets, professional headshots, a career-focused workshop, festival swag, and networking opportunities with producers, club owners, and sponsors. Competitions include the MCLF Championship, Funniest Veteran Contest, and Battle of the Branches. Submission fee: $10 through September 15 (fee increases after). Submission deadline: September 15, 2026 (early bird). Submit here.
IMPRO Amsterdam takes place February 20–27, 2027 in Amsterdam Noord, Netherlands, with approximately 30 shows featuring established improv groups, festival ensembles, and experimental late-night performances. Applications are open for show slots from established groups and other improv acts, with selections based on polish, creativity, connection, and vision; international ensemble performers are generally invited separately by the artistic directors. Submission fee: Not specified. Submission deadline: September 18, 2026. Submit here.
Funniest Person in the Universe Comedy Contest takes place October 1–December 20, 2026, in Glendale, Arizona, at Stir Crazy Comedy Club. Ninety contestants are randomly selected from qualifying submissions to compete across six preliminary rounds, two semifinals, and a final, with winners determined by judges and audience voting. First place wins $1,001, second place $100, and third place $50. Submission fee: Free. Submission deadline: September 20, 2026. Submit here.
SXSW Film & TV Festival takes place March 15–21, 2027, in Austin, Texas, showcasing feature films, short films, TV projects, music videos, and XR experiences, with selected projects gaining exposure to audiences and professionals across the film, television, technology, and creative industries. Submissions require a secure online screening link, and first-deadline fees are $75 for features and $55 for shorts, TV projects, music videos, and XR experiences. Submission fee: $90-$125. Submission deadline: October 1, 2026. Submit here.
October Deadlines
Lil Rhody Laugh Riot takes place March 18–21, 2027, in Providence, Rhode Island, bringing four days of stand-up to venues across the city. Emerging and established comedians can apply for paid performance opportunities including club-style shows, pop-up events, and opening slots for billed comics. Selected performers receive festival swag and access to nightly private after-parties, with lodging provided for scheduled performers based more than 60 miles outside Providence. Applications require a five-minute live stand-up video and a $40 non-refundable submission fee. Submission deadline: October 2, 2026. Submit here.
FRINGE WORLD Festival takes place January 20–February 14, 2027, in Perth, Western Australia, bringing together thousands of artists for one of the world’s largest Fringe festivals, with programming spanning comedy, music, musicals, circus, and other live performance. The festival operates on an open-access model, meaning artists from anywhere in the world can register an event, with the 2026 festival attracting nearly 500,000 attendees across roughly 600 events. Submission deadline: October 7, 2026. Submit here.
Women Are Funny Festival takes place March 3–7, 2027, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, for its inaugural festival centering women, femmes, and non-binary or gender-expansive comedians. Stand-up, improv, physical theater, alt-comedy, and other acts can submit, with set lengths ranging from 8 minutes to 25+ minutes. Showcase performers are unpaid, but receive deeply discounted festival passes, priority workshop perks, networking opportunities, and access to a discounted hotel room block; headliners and workshop instructors are paid through a percentage of ticket sales. Submission fee: €15 through September 30, €20 from October 1–15, with fee waivers available. Submission deadline: October 15, 2026. Submit here.
Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival (TOsketchfest) takes place March 3–14, 2027, in Toronto, Ontario, presenting live sketch comedy, solo performance, musical comedy, clown, characters, comedy drag, and other scripted comedy, along with a separate film program. Live submissions are open to sketch troupes, solo performers, and other scripted stage acts, while the film festival accepts comedy shorts and longer-form screen projects up to 45 minutes. Submissions open September 1 and close October 15, 2026 for the live festival; the film festival offers an extended deadline. Submit here.
LA Comedy Film Festival takes place December 3–6, 2026, in Los Angeles, California, and accepts comedy submissions in a variety of categories, including feature films, short films, TV pilots, web series, sketch comedy, animated shorts, music videos, and short shorts. Selected projects screen as part of the festival and may receive exposure to industry professionals. Submissions must include an online screener link and all entries must be in English or subtitled/dubbed in English. Submission fee: starting at $65 (fees increase by deadline tier). Final submission deadline: October 16, 2026. Notification date: October 28, 2026. Submit here.
Knockouts Women’s Comedy Festival takes place March 2027, in New York City, New York, showcasing female and non-binary comedians, with ten applicants selected to perform through the Knockouts On The Rise competition. Applicants must be 18 or older and submit a five-minute stand-up video; the competition winner receives $500, a RØDE microphone, a paid spot at The Stand, and inclusion in the rotating Knockouts comics roster. Early submissions are $15 ($10 for Knockouts Artists Association members), with regular and late fees increasing through October. Submission deadline: October 20, 2026. Submit here.
Montclair Comedy Festival takes place November 14–21, 2026, in Montclair, New Jersey, showcasing stand-up, improv, sketch, musical comedy, character and alternative comedy, storytelling, live podcasting, and family-friendly performances. Performers ages 18 and older can apply with a performance clip of up to seven minutes. Selected performers receive standby access to festival shows, industry workshops, and social gatherings, though performances are generally pro bono and travel and lodging are not provided. Submission fees vary by application type and timing, with regular rates of $25 for individuals and $45 for groups through October 10. Submission deadline: October 24, 2026. Submit here.
Montclair Comedy Festival takes place November 18–21, 2026, in Montclair, New Jersey, featuring stand-up, improv, sketch, musical comedy, character/alt comedy, storytelling, live podcasts, family-friendly comedy, and more. Individual performers and groups can apply with a performance clip of up to seven minutes; selected performers participate pro bono but receive standby access to festival shows, industry workshops, and social gatherings. Regular submissions are $25 for individuals and $45 for groups through October 10, with late submissions available through October 24 for $35 and $55, respectively. Submission deadline: October 24, 2026. Submit here.
Vice City Comedy Festival takes place February 25–27, 2027, in Miami, Florida. The festival showcases emerging and established comedians from around the world with opportunities to perform alongside national talent across multiple venues. Accepted performers should expect a minimum of two sets, and international comedians are encouraged to apply. Submission deadline: October 31, 2026. Submit here.
PlayGround Comedy Festival • March 12–April 4, 2027 • San Francisco, California. Accepting stand-up, improv, sketch, and comedic plays, with up to 20 selected performers or teams receiving three public performances at Potrero Stage plus technical rehearsal, production staff, marketing, publicity, and livestream support. Submission fee: Free, but selected projects must pay a $600 facility licensing fee. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Submit here.
West End Comedy Festival takes place March 5–7, 2027, in Atlanta, Georgia, bringing together stand-up comics for a three-day festival featuring headliner shows, industry programming, social events, and multiple performance opportunities. Selected comics receive at least two performances, including a headliner show, plus shared hotel accommodations, professional headshots, food and drinks, festival swag, and access to an industry panel, with one comic receiving the $500 Best of West Award. Applicants must be 21 or older and submit a continuous performance tape of at least three minutes featuring original material. The submission fee is $30 through August 31 and $40 beginning September 1. Submission deadline: November 1, 2026. Submit here.
Raleigh Comedy Festival takes place March 18–20, 2027, in Raleigh, North Carolina, bringing comedians together for three days of stand-up, networking, workshops, industry Q&As, and afterparties. Selected comics receive two festival spots, typically 8–10 minutes each, professional headshots, and networking opportunities with industry representatives. Applicants should submit their best unedited five-minute stand-up tape. Submission fee: $25 (free for North Carolina-based comics). Submission deadline: November 15, 2026. Submit here.
Unclear, Much Later, and Rolling Deadlines
Birmingham Improv Festival takes place November 4–8, 2026, in Birmingham, United Kingdom, with daytime workshops and evening performances. Improvisers can apply for the festival’s 16-person ensemble, which rehearses for a full day with a world-class improv teacher before performing on November 8. Applicants must be available for both the November 5 rehearsal and November 8 performance. Application fee: £5, which can be applied toward a festival show ticket if the applicant is not selected. Submission deadline: Not specified. Apply here.
FunnyFest Comedy Competition takes place April 8–17, 2027, in Calgary, Alberta, with preliminary rounds leading to a semifinal and championship final. Selected comedians perform 5–8 minute sets, with $5,000 in cash and prizes available; the first-place winner receives $2,000 plus three paid performances at the FunnyFest Comedy Festival, and the top two finalists receive opportunities to perform at the main festival. Applicants must submit an unedited five-minute stand-up video, short bio, and application. No submission fee. Submission deadline: February 1, 2027. Submit here.
San Gabriel Valley Comedy Festival • April 30–May 8, 2027 • Arcadia, California. Week-long stand-up festival with showcases, competitions, industry networking, and special events. Submission fee: $25 early bird through October 31; $40 regular; $55 late. Deadline: February 28, 2027. Submit here.
FILM@Vail Comedy Festival takes place May 28–30, 2027, in Vail, Colorado, screening comedy and comedy-adjacent shorts and feature films for Vail Comedy Festival attendees. Official selections screen at the festival, and one film receives the Golden Alpaca award; filmmakers can also take part in in-person or remote Q&As, and the festival offers travel-planning assistance for those attending. Feature films must run 60–120 minutes, while shorts can be up to 10 minutes, with films under five minutes encouraged. Submission fee: $7 for shorts and $25 for features through December 1, with student rates of $4 and $20; fees increase at later deadlines. Submission deadline: March 1, 2027. Submit here.
Meadowlands Comedy Festival takes place the final week of April 2027, in Carlstadt, New Jersey, and New York City. The festival showcases comedians from around the world at venues across Northern New Jersey and New York City, including the Meadowlands Comedy Club and the Copacabana. Selected performers have the opportunity to perform at multiple festival venues. Submission fee: $20 (early submission discount). Submission deadline: March 1, 2027. Submit here.
Funny Under Fifteen Minutes Comedy Film Festival takes place March 26–27, 2027, in Hamilton, New York. Film screenings followed by Q&A sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities for filmmakers. Submissions must be 15 minutes or less in duration. Regular fee increases after August 8. Submissions continue until February 14, 2027. Submit here.
Bergamot Comedy Fest takes place March 30–April 3, 2027, in Santa Monica, California, and is a five-day nonprofit festival spotlighting stand-up comedians, college comics, and storytellers performing for invited industry professionals. Selected comedians perform two five-minute sets at The Crow and receive a professional set recording, headshots and stage portraits, networking opportunities, industry panels, a professional website, merchandise, and one meal per day. The festival also features educational programming, mixers, and career development events, with approximately 36 comedians selected through a multi-round review process. Submission deadline: November 30, 2026. Submit here.
Atlanta Comedy Film Festival runs January 22–24, 2027, in Atlanta, GA, at 7 Stages Theatre. Now in its 8th year, the filmmaker-first festival showcases comedy in all its forms through screenings, screenplay competitions, panels, workshops, and networking. The festival accepts short and feature-length comedy films, including stand-up, sketch, animated, dark comedy, horror comedy, mockumentary, series/episodic projects, comedy music videos, and LGBTQ+ comedy, as well as short and feature screenplays. Early bird submission deadline: January 30, 2026; final deadline: December 31, 2026. Submit here.
Improvention (Canberra International Improv Festival) takes place December 7–13, 2026, in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, and is Australia's largest gathering of improvisers, featuring intensive workshops, original format creation, guaranteed performance opportunities, networking events, and nightly shows. Participants can choose multi-day workshop packages led by international instructors, collaborate on brand-new improv formats, and perform in mainstage showcases throughout the festival. Submission deadline: Not specified (early registration is currently open). Submit here.
Cookies & Comedy Film Festival takes place March 13, 2027, at the Harris Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, showcasing comedy short films from around the world alongside live stand-up comedy, filmmaker Q&As, networking opportunities, and plenty of cookies. The festival packed the house in 2026 with more than 40 comedy films and is returning for another day of screenings and live entertainment. Films must be primarily comedy, completed on or after January 1, 2025, and 20 minutes or less in length. Submission deadline: December 31, 2026. Schedule announcement: January 14, 2027. Submit here.
Short Com International Comedy Film and Animation Festival takes place September 24–28, 2027, in London, England, showcasing comedy films and animation from around the world at a BAFTA- and BIFA-qualifying festival. Submissions are open for comedy short films, animation, and micro-shorts, with no set maximum length, though shorter films are encouraged; eligible films must have been released after February 2026, and no premiere status is required. Submission deadline: July 9, 2027. Submit here.
Comedy Grant + Other Opportunities
Steel City Arts Foundation Grants are rolling grants for stand-up comedians pursuing comedy as a primary career. Applicants must be 18+, have performed stand-up at least 50 times, and have at least one year of comedy experience. Grants range from $200–$1,000 and require a 5+ minute stand-up video submission. No application fee. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Apply here.
Comedy Gives Back Grants provide financial assistance and support to working comedians facing serious personal or financial challenges. The organization currently offers three types of assistance: Emergency Financial Crisis Relief for comedians experiencing an unexpected and critical financial need; Chemical Dependency Treatment grants for comedians who need help accessing addiction treatment and recovery services; and Mental Health Therapy assistance, which can help comedians find a therapist, cover the cost of therapy, or both. Applicants create an account, complete an application that can be saved in progress, and submit it for review by the Comedy Gives Back grants committee. No submission fee or deadline; applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Apply here.
Free Comedy Special Filming (The Little Room) in Merrillville, Indiana offers comedians (focused on clean material) free professional taping and footage. Reach out to Patrick Ken Barry on Facebook if interested.