Every Comedy Festival With Open Submissions in September
- Jason Farr
- Sep 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 22

We combed the internet for comedy festivals that have open submissions during the month of September 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
Good Karma, South (Various cities around Maryland) - Deadline Sept. 1st (show dates Oct. 23-Nov. 2)
Seattle International Comedy Competition - Deadline Sept. 1st (show throughout in November)
Ladies Room Comedy Festival (NYC) - Regular fee ends Sept. 30th, overall Oct. 15th (show dates Nov. 7-9)
Halifax Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 1st (show dates May 6-9)
Winnipeg Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Apr. 20-26)
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)
Raleigh Comedy Festival - Deadline Nov.30th (show dates Mar. 26-28)
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/Content Creation
New York Comedy Festival (Comics & Creators to Watch) - Deadline Sept. 12th (show dates Nov. 7-16)
Stand-Up/Comedy Act
NZ International Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 1st (show dates May 1-24)
Stand-Up/Film/Variety/Podcast
Ha Ha Harvest Comedy Festival and Film Fest (Jersey City) Deadline Sept. 20th (show dates Nov. 13-16)
Film
New York Comedy Film Festival - Next deadline Sept. 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 - Opening soon (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
SF Sketchfest - Deadline Sept. 2nd (show dates Jan. 15 - Feb. 1)
Toronto Sketchfest - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Mar. 4-15)
Stand-Up/Video Sketch/Musical Comedy
Vermont Comedy Festival - Cheaper fee ends Sept. 2nd, overall Sept. 15 (show dates Dec. 4-7)
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/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
NW Black Comedy Festival (Portland, OR) - Deadline Nov. 8th (show dates Feb. 16-22)
Comedyfort (Boise, ID) - Early Bird ends Sept. 15th, overall Nov. 21st (show dates Mar. 25-29)
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
Improv
Improv Festivus (Richmond, VA) - Early Bird ends Sept. 30th, overall Oct. 15th (show dates Dec. 11-13)
Mobile Improv Comedy Carnival (Mobile, AL) - Early Bird ends Sept. 30th, overall Dec. 28th (show dates Apr. 17&18)
IMPRO Amsterdam - Deadline Oct. 1st (show dates Feb. 21-28)
Not Festivals, But Cool
All the Laughs Comedy Awards (ATL) - Deadline Aug. 1st (show dates Sept. 26-28)
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