Every Comedy Festival With Open Submissions in October

We combed the internet for comedy festivals that have open submissions during the month of October 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

Halifax Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 1st (show dates May 6-9)

Winnipeg Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Apr. 20-26)

Ladies Room Comedy Festival (NYC) - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Nov. 7-9)

Vice City Comedy Festival (Miami) - Deadline Oct. 31st (show dates Feb. 26-28)

West End Comedy Festival (Atlanta) - Deadline Nov. 1st (show dates Mar. 6-8)

Salem Comedy & Spirits Festival - Deadline Nov. 30th (show dates Jan. 22-24)

Raleigh Comedy Festival - Deadline Nov.30th (show dates Mar. 26-28)

Asheville Comedy Festival (Asheville, NC) - Deadline. Jan. 1st (show dates Apr. 2-4)

Mountain Fresh Comedy Festival (Breckenridge, CO) - Early Bird ends Feb. 14th, overall June 30th (show dates Oct. 8-10)

Meadowlands Comedy Festival (Secaucus, NJ) - Early Bird period going now, deadline Mar. 31st (show dates April 2026)

Stand-Up/Storytelling

Bergamot Comedy Festival (Santa Monica) - Next deadline Oct. 1st, overall Dec. 31st (show dates Mar. 24-28)

Stand-Up/Comedy Act

NZ International Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 1st (show dates May 1-24)

Film

New York Comedy Film Festival - Next deadline Nov. 15th, overall Dec. 5th (show dates Feb. 15-22)

Austin Comedy Film Festival - Early Bird ends Oct. 31st, overall June 30th (show date Sept. 19, 2026)

Film/Short Film/TV/Music Video/XR Experience

SXSW (Austin, TX) - First deadline Aug. 26th, overall Oct. 1st (show dates Mar. 12-18)

Short Film

Funny Under Fifteen Minutes (Hamilton, NY) - Next deadline Oct. 8th, overall Feb. 8th (show dates Mar. 13-15, 2026)

Cookies & Comedy Film Festival (Pittsburgh) - Nov. 30th, overall Dec. 31st (show date Mar. 14)

Short Film/Animation

Short Com International Comedy Film & Animation Festival (UK) - Early Bird ends Dec. 19th, overall July10th (show dates Sept. 26-Oct. 5)

Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Short Film/Themed Show/Podcast

Alaska B4UDie - Deadline Nov. 15th (show dates Mar. 30-Apr. 5)

Stand-Up/Themed Show

Leicester Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 3rd (show dates Feb. 4-22)

Fringe

Brighton Fringe - Early Bird ends Dec. 3rd, reopens Jan. 5th (show dates May 1-31)

Fringe World (Perth) - Program & Venue deadline Oct. 14th (show dates Jan. 21-Feb. 15)

Adelaide Fringe - Official Guide deadline Oct. 30th (show dates Feb. 20-Mar. 22)

Sketch

Toronto Sketchfest - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Mar. 4-15)

DC Sketchfest - Regular fee ends Oct. 31st, overall Nov. 23rd (show dates Mar. 25-28)

Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Musical/Variety/Podcast

Brisbane Comedy Festival - Expressions of interest open, more info to come (show dates Apr. 24-May 25)

Stand-Up/Improv/Musical/Variety/Clown

Hastings Comedy Festival (Hastings, England) - Opening on Halloween, deadline Feb. 28th (show dates June 1-7)

Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Alt Comedy

Glasgow International Comedy Festival - Multiple deadlines, overall Jan. 9th (show dates Mar. 11-29)

Stand-Up/Improv/Storytelling

NW Black Comedy Festival (Portland) - Deadline Nov. 8th (show dates Feb.16-22)

Stand-Up/Improv

Riot Comedy Festival (Houston, TX) - National Early Bird ends Oct. 18th, overall Dec. 31st (show dates Mar. 25-28) note: improv is for Houston-based acts

Comedyfort (Boise, ID) - Cheaper Fee ends Nov. 1st, overall Nov. 21st (show dates Mar. 25-29)

Last Word Comedy Festival (Williamsburg, VA) - Deadline Nov. 23rd (show dates Jan. 29-Feb. 1)

Improv

IMPRO Amsterdam - Deadline Oct. 1st (show dates Feb. 21-28)

Improv Festivus (Richmond, VA) - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Dec. 11-13)

Mobile Improv Comedy Carnival (Mobile, AL) - Cheaper fee ends Dec. 13th, overall Dec. 28th (show dates Apr. 17&18)

Happy Valley XL Improv Festival (State College, PA) - Early Bird ends Dec. 31st, overall Jan. 15th (show dates May 14-17)

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