Every Comedy Festival With Open Submissions in September

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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