Just for Laughs Comedy Festival (JFL): A Place for Comedy Greats

Recent years have featured comedy superstars like Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Neil Patrick Harris, Trevor Noah, Mike Meyers, and Patton Oswalt. Just For Laughs even helped launched the careers of today’s comedic heroes like Jon Stewart and Tina Fey. And back in 1989, Rowan Atkinson tested out his Mr. Bean character on Montréal festival audiences.

But Just For Laughs isn’t just for fans of stand-up comedy. The festival also holds an accompanying film festival and a wide-range of theatrical and multimedia performances. Circus artists like clowns and acrobatic specialists take to the streets, alongside street dancers and stilt walkers, creating a carnivalesque vibe in the middle of the Place de Festivals (a public space specifically designated for arts usage). Even the British percussion group Stomp, who first came to New York in 1994 and has since adapted in innumerable ways on and off Broadway, visited the Just For Laughs Festival in its earliest stages. 

Just for Laughs Comedy Festival (JFL) 2023 Tips:

Join The Parade  Street parades have become one of the defining aspects of the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival. Take the annual parade of twins, which features hundreds of DNA-sharing siblings (including triplets, quadruplets, and more) marching down various streets near the central Place des Festivals.

Check For Last Minute Tickets Once the festival starts, you'll find a special ticket booth in the Place des Festivals for discount tickets. It’s like Times Square’ TKTS booth, but just for the festival. Cheap tickets may be just that, but seating may be limited or obstructed.