This Year’s Just for Laughs Festival is Moving Entirely Online

Sugar Sammy performing at Just for Laughs in 2017. Photo by Eva Blue.

For the first time in 38 years, there will not be a traditional Just for Laughs festival this summer. With theatres closed and no clear indication when it will be safe to resume indoor live events, this year’s Just for Laughs festival is moving entirely online for a “virtual interactive” edition.

The English Just for Laughs festival will be completely online, while the French Just pour rire will be a combination of virtual content and live performances. Just for Laughs will run from October 9-10 and feature “interactive online gatherings, conversations, panels, performances, and events.” Just pour rire runs from September 29 – October 10.

“More than ever, we want to maintain our position as an industry leader by creating innovative comedy events that allow our artists to work and to make the highest-quality comedy available to the public,” says Charles Décarie, President and CEO of the Just For Laughs Group. “Despite all the changes our industry has been going through, the most important thing for us is to satisfy our festival-goers. We’re sparing no effort to present the best festival possible, while respecting the health measures that are in force.”

“With no precise indication of when borders will reopen, and faced with soaring demand for high-quality digital comedy content, we’ve made the decision to move our festival online, while always maintaining our focus on the excellence of our offerings – an excellence that is recognized and appreciated throughout the world,” says Bruce Hills, President for Just For Laughs.

ComedyPRO and Toronto’s JFL42 and ComedyCon will also be virtual editions this year. The previously announced Bill Burr show, The Ethnic Show, and The Nasty Show performances will be rescheduled for 2021.

Stay tuned for lineup announcements in the coming weeks.