We combed the internet for comedy festivals that have open submissions during the month of May so you don't have to! We have improv, stand-up, sketch and more covered below! Just click the names of the festivals to follow their link! We'll be updating throughout the month as new info comes in so be sure to check back!
Stand-Up
Lookout Comedy Festival (Chattanooga, TN) - Deadline June 30th (show dates Oct. 16-19)
Seattle Dates - Early Bird ends May 1st, overall May 31st (show dates Sept. 18-21)
Portland Dates - Early Bird ends May 1st, overall May 31st (show dates Oct. 9-12)
Burbank Comedy Festival - Early Bird ends May 1st, overall June 1st (show dates Aug. 11-17)
Queer Comedy & Arts Festival (Denver, CO) - Cheaper fee ends May 8th, overall May 31st (show dates July 26& 27)
Asheville Comedy Festival (Asheville, NC) - Deadline May 10th (show dates August 7-10)
The Ladies Room Comedy Fest (New York City) - Early Bird ends May 18th, overall Sept. 15th (show dates Nov. 9-10) Big Sky Comedy Festival (Billings, MT) - Early Bird ends May 22nd, overall July 11th (show dates Oct. 2-5)
Big Diamond Comedy Festival (Bentonville, AR) - Deadline May 31st (show dates Oct. 3-5)
Redlands Comedy Festival (Redlands, CA) - Deadline June 1st (show dates July 25-27)
Whale City Comedy Festival (New Bedford, MA) - Deadline June 1st (show dates Aug. 28-Sept. 1)
Fountain City Comedy Festival (Kansas City, MO) - Cheaper fee ends June 1st, overall June 15th (show dates Sept. 12-14)
5th Borough Comedy Festival (NYC) - No clear deadline, submit soon (show dates Sept. 19-22)
Hell Yes Fest (New Orleans) - Early Bird ends June 1st, overall July 22nd (show dates Nov. 11-18)
Ladies of Laughter Contest (NYC) - Deadline June 15th (final show Aug. 14)
Mountain Fresh Comedy Festival (Breckenridge, CO) - Deadline June 15th (show dates Oct. 10-13)
Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival (Endicott, NY) - Deadline July 1st (show dates Sept. 19-22)
Colorado Queer Comedy Festival (Boulder, CO) - Deadline July 1st (show dates Oct. 3-6)
Finger Lakes Comedy Festival (Ithaca, NY) - Deadline Aug. 1st (show dates Sept. 26-28)
World Series of Comedy (Various, Main Event in Vegas) - Various satellite deadlines, main event deadline Aug. 18th (various show dates, main event Sept. 22-28)
Cleveland Comedy Festival - Deadline end of August (show dates Nov. 6-9)
Hubcap Comedy Festival (Canada) - Deadline Aug. 31st (show dates Jan. 29 - Feb. 1, 2025)
Altercation Comedy Festival (Austin) - No clear deadline, submit soon (show dates Nov. 13-16)
Windsor Comedy Festival (Ontario) - Deadline Oct. 20th (live finale show Dec. 27th)
Fringe
Brighton Fringe - Deadline May 1st (show dates May 3 - June 3)
Sketch
Portland Sketch Comedy Festival - Deadline May 1st (show dates June 25-27)
Stand-Up/Sketch, Short & Animated Film/Podcasts
Laugh After Dark ComedyFest (Vegas) - Standard fee ends May 10th, overall May 31st (show dates Oct 7-9)
Stand-Up/Improv/Video Short/Podcasts
Tower City Comedy Festival (Paris, TX) - More details to come (show dates Jan. 23-25)
Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Musical/Podcast/Solo Show/Short Comedic Plays/Alternative Comedy
SF Sketchfest (San Francisco) - Early Bird ends July 31st, overall Sept. 3rd (show dates Jan. 16-Feb. 2)
Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Variety
Flyover Comedy Festival (St. Louis, MO) - Deadline May 31st (show dates Nov. 14-16)
Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch
Blue Whale Comedy Festival (Tulsa, OK) - Deadline May 1st (show dates. Aug. 22-24)
Portland Maine Comedy Fest - Deadline May 24th (show dates Sept. 5-8)
First Coast Comedy Festival (Jacksonville, FL) - Early Bird ends May 2nd, still early fee ends May 31st (show dates Oct. 10-13)
Web Series
NYC Web Fest - Deadline July 31st (show dates Nov. 8-10)
Stand-Up/Sketch/Film/Web Series/Pilot
Portland Comedy Film Festival - Regular deadline May 31st, overall July 31st (show date Oct. 14)
Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Short, Animated & Sketch Film/Pilot
Pack Fest (Los Angeles) -
Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Variety - Deadline May 15th
Film/Pilot: Cheaper fee ends May 26th, overall June 30th (show dates Aug. 29-Sept. 1)
Feature, Short, & Animated Film/Video Sketch/Pilot/Web Series/Music Video
LA Comedy Film Festival - Cheaper fee ends May. 17th, overall July 19th (show dates Sept. 5-15)
Feature & Short Film/Pilot/Screenplay Short
Ha Ha Harvest Comedy and Film Festival (Portland, OR) - Cheaper Fee ends Aug. 22nd, overall Oct. 10 (show dates Nov. 20-24)
Stand-Up/Improv/Variety
Last Best Comedy Fest (Bozeman, MT) - Deadline May 15th (show dates Sept. 12-14)
Stand-Up/Improv
RISE Comedy Festival (Denver, CO) - Deadline May 15th (show dates July 26-Aug. 4)
Musical Improv
Bay Area Musical Improv Festival (Oakland, CA) - Deadline June 1st (show dates Oct. 25-27)
Improv
Detroit Improv Festival - Deadline May 31st (show dates Aug. 7-11)
Asheville Improv Festival - Deadline June 1st (show dates Oct. 9-13)
New Zealand Improv Festival - Deadline June 14th (show dates Oct. 4-12)
Secret City Improv Festival (Oak Ridge, TN) - Deadline June 15th (show dates Sept. 27-29)
Vancouver Improv Fest - Deadline June 30th (show dates Oct. 1-6) Big Pond Improv Festival (Burlington, VT) - Deadline July 15th (show dates Sept. 12-15)
Third Coast Comedy Festival (Nashville, TN) - Deadline July 31 (show dates Nov. 7-9)
Not Festivals, But Cool!
Play Series
Neurodivergent New Play Series (Brooklyn, NY) - Deadline after 100 submissions monthly
Fellowship for Latinx ATL-Based Comedians
Climate Cultura (Atlanta, GA) - Deadline May 5th
Awards Show
All the Laughs Comedy Awards (ATL) - Cheaper fee ends June 1st, overall Aug. 1st (show dates Sept. 27-29)
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