Featuring over two weeks of comedy performances, Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival takes place in July each year.
Just For Laughs Festival
Founded in 1983 the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival is an internationally-known comedy festival. It celebrates its 44th year in 2026. This year’s edition of the festival runs from July 15th to 26th. Organizers are to confirm exact details.
The organizers originally intended the festival to be a French-language-only event. However, in 1985 it expanded to include English performers as well.
Although the festival is based in Montreal, several other Just For Laughs festivals take place across the continent. One other popular event is the JFL Northwest Comedy Fest in Vancouver.
Where and When
In 2026 the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival takes place from July 15th to 26th with shows daily during that time.
Performances happen at venues across the city. The biggest solo shows usually take place at the Bell Centre, with other venues including Salle Maisonneuve and Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts, L’Olympia, MTELUS, Club Soda and more. Organizers are to confirm exact venues for 2026.
Performances
The full schedule of events for the 2026 festival is to be confirmed. To give you an idea of what to expect, the following was the schedule for some of the biggest shows from a few years ago. Check out the Just For Laughs website for the most up-to-date schedule.
- July 26th, 28th and 30th, 2022 – Neal Brennan: Unacceptable.
- July 28th, 2022 – John Mulaney: From Scratch.
- July 29th, 2022 – Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester.
- July 29th, 2022 – Kevin Hart: Reality Check.
- July 30th, 2022 – Bill Burr (Slight Return).
In addition to those solo shows there are plenty of other events at the festival. They include various “galas” hosted by different comedians that provide more variety in their lineup. A number of comics perform shorter sets one after the other in these galas. Gala hosts from a few years ago have included Russell Peters, Ronny Chieng, Chelsea Handler and more. There are also smaller shows that provide regular entertainment throughout the entire run of the festival.
Admission
Prices for the 2026 Just For Laughs Festival are still to be determined as of mid-March. For comparison, prices for the festival from a few years ago are listed below:
- Two Show Pass – $99
- Three Show Pass – $139
- Five Show Pass – $215
Other Information
Visit the official Just For Laughs Festival Montreal website for more details.
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