Festivals

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world's largest arts festival, held every August in Edinburgh, Scotland. Improv has a significant presence within the Fringe, with dedicated improv venues and an improv-focused strand attracting companies from around the world.

The Canadian Improv Games national championship is an annual competition and festival held in Ottawa, bringing together high school improv teams from across Canada for a week of performances, workshops, and the national championship finals.

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) is Australia's largest comedy festival and one of the three largest comedy festivals in the world, alongside Edinburgh Fringe and Montreal Just for Laughs. Founded in 1987, it runs for four weeks each autumn in Melbourne's CBD. Improv companies and performers feature prominently alongside stand-up, sketch, and variety acts, with Australian and international acts performing across dozens of venues.

The Edmonton International Improv Festival, produced by Rapid Fire Theatre, is a major annual improv event in Edmonton, Alberta. The festival features invited companies from Canada and internationally performing alongside Rapid Fire's own ensemble.

The Vancouver International Improv Festival is one of Canada's oldest and largest improv festivals, bringing together companies from across Canada and internationally for a week of performances, jams, and workshops in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Chicago Improv Festival is an annual celebration of improvisational performance held in Chicago, the birthplace of long-form improv. The festival brings together local, national, and international companies for performances, workshops, and panels across multiple Chicago venues.

Festival du Jeu is France's principal improv festival, celebrating the French tradition of improvisation that developed through the Ligue Nationale d'Improvisation format. The festival brings together French-language companies from France and Quebec.

The Del Close Marathon (DCM) is a 50-plus-hour non-stop improv festival held annually in New York City by the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Named in honor of Del Close, DCM features hundreds of improv groups from around the world performing back-to-back shows over a marathon weekend.

VIIF is one of North America's longest-running improv festivals, now in its 26th year, with shows and workshops across multiple Vancouver venues each fall.

Austin's nonprofit comedy festival, running since 2002, with four days of improv, sketch, and stand-up across multiple venues.

San Francisco Sketchfest is an annual comedy festival held in San Francisco that features sketch comedy, improv, stand-up, and variety acts. The festival attracts major comedy names and emerging artists, with improv as a core component of its programming.

23rd edition of Festiv'Impro, an international theatrical improvisation festival across Versailles, Plaisir, and Villepreux, France, May 21-23, 2026.

The Montreal Improv Festival is a bilingual celebration of improvisational theatre held annually in Montreal, Quebec. The festival showcases English and French-language improv companies from Quebec and beyond.

A five-day improv comedy festival returning to San Francisco in August 2026 after a hiatus, hosted at Silk Road Bar in Union Square.

Annual improv comedy festival in Minneapolis featuring local and national troupes, founded in 2006 by Five Man Job.

The Mid-Atlantic's largest improv comedy festival - a week of shows, workshops, and 80+ teams at Baltimore's BIG Theater.

Improv Festival Amsterdam is the Netherlands' leading improv festival, gathering European and international improv companies for performances and workshops in Amsterdam. The festival is a key gathering point for the growing European improv scene.

New Zealand's longest-running improv festival featuring shows, workshops, and community events at BATS Theatre in Wellington.

Intensive improv theatre workshops in Brittany, France, running four weeks each summer since 2009, in French and English.

An annual improv theater festival in Bremen, Germany running since 2010, with bilingual German and English shows and workshops curated around a yearly theme.

Improv Comedy Barcelona is Spain's leading English-language improv festival, bringing together international improv companies to perform in Barcelona. The festival has been instrumental in developing the growing improv scene in Spain and southern Europe.

Annual improv theatre festival in Nancy, France featuring a week of shows, workshops, and the Tinkers open-stage weekend.

Big City Improv Festival is a Toronto annual improv comedy festival founded in 2011 by Adrianne Gagnon.

Camp Improv Utopia West is a long-weekend improv retreat at Camp Ocean Pines on the Central California coast, Memorial Day weekend 2026.

Annual improv comedy festival in Ferndale, Michigan featuring local and national troupes, workshops, and community events since 2011.

Ireland's original international improv festival featuring workshops and shows in Dublin each September.

Annual comedy festival in Omaha, Nebraska featuring standup, improv, workshops, and panels with 70+ shows and 150+ acts.

The OC Improv Festival brings Orange County's improv community together each summer for shows at the Frida Cinema and workshops in downtown Santa Ana.

Oklahoma's largest comedy festival featuring stand-up, improv, sketch, and music across Tulsa's Arts District venues.

Camp Improv Utopia East is a summer improv retreat at Camp Pontiac in Copake, NY, featuring workshops, shows, and outdoor camp life for improvisers.

Cincinnati's Improv Festival of Cincinnati returns October 15-17, 2026, presented by OTRimprov in partnership with Know Theatre of Cincinnati.

The 13th annual SteelStacks Improv Comedy Festival at ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Improfest is Gothenburg's annual international improv theatre festival, founded 2015, bringing workshops and 19+ shows across Gothenburg and Mölndal.

International improv theatre festival in Uppsala, Sweden, featuring shows and workshops by performers from around the world.

Birmingham's annual improv comedy festival, running since 2016, with five days of shows and workshops in the UK's second city.

Camp Improv Utopia Yosemite is a long-weekend improv retreat at Camp Calvin Crest in Oakhurst, CA, near the southern gateway to Yosemite National Park.

A four-day international symposium on theatrical improvisation hosted at Portland State University, with workshops, performances, panels, and plenaries.

Annual trio, duo, and solo improv comedy festival in Tampa, Florida - the world's only festival devoted to small-ensemble improv.

Richmond's annual three-day comedy festival featuring improv, sketch, and stand-up from acts across the US at Coalition Theater.

Belfast's international improv festival, founded in 2018, featuring four days of shows and workshops in Northern Ireland.

Annual festival in Hamtramck, MI celebrating women, trans, and non-binary comedy makers with improv, stand-up, sketch, and workshops.

Annual long-form improv festival in Toruń, Poland with four evenings of Polish and English shows plus workshops at Dwór Artusa, July 23-26, 2026.

Annual improv festival for performers 50+, founded in 2018. The 2026 edition sails aboard the Schooner Ladona from Rockland, Maine.

Utah's Wasatch Improv Festival, now in its 9th year, with shows and workshops in West Jordan near Salt Lake City.

Berlin's international English-language improv festival featuring long-form comedy, workshops, and 50+ teams in Neukölln.

Chicago festival celebrating grounded, dramatic improvisation with performances, workshops, and 100+ performers over four days.

Rhode Island's annual improv festival featuring troupe showcases, mixer shows, and workshops at the Contemporary Theater Company.

Week-long improv festival in Auckland, New Zealand, with international workshops and shows at the Covert Theatre.

Big Pond is an annual improv festival in Burlington, Vermont, hosted by Vermont Comedy Club with teams from across the country in a community-first format.

Annual improv comedy festival in Brisbane, Australia featuring shows, workshops, and performers from across Australia and New Zealand.

East Tennessee's only improv festival featuring dozens of troupes at Oak Ridge's historic Manhattan Project-era Grove Theater.

An international festival of storytelling and improvisation in Galway, Ireland, now in its 6th edition with in-person and online events.

Melbourne's biggest improv and sketch comedy festival featuring 50+ shows, workshops, and social events across 11 days in winter.

Brooklyn Comedy Collective's annual improv festival featuring 750+ performers across four days in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Lisbon's international improv festival featuring five days of shows, workshops, and jams in Portuguese and English across the Alcantara neighborhood.

Liverpool's four-day improv festival at Unity Theatre featuring international performers, workshops, and world premieres.

Denver's nine-day comedy festival spanning two weekends with 150+ performers in improv, stand-up, sketch, and workshops.

An international improv festival in Nottingham, UK featuring shows, workshops, and ensemble coaching. Run by The Curious Network CIC.

Annual longform improv comedy festival at The Blue Brick Theatre in State College, Pennsylvania with shows, workshops, and campus tours.

The 4th annual Bellingham Improv Festival at The Upfront Theatre and New Prospect Theatre in Bellingham, Washington.

Quebec City's annual francophone improv festival featuring 15 shows across 10 venues, from solo acts to competitive Punch Club matches.

Annual improv festival in Hanoi, Vietnam alternating between English and Vietnamese, featuring international performers, workshops, and shows.

The 3rd Bay Area Musical Improv Festival in Oakland, California - four days of improvised musical comedy shows, workshops, and jams.

An international unscripted theatre festival in Amsterdam-Noord featuring improv shows, workshops, and an ensemble program.

Free two-day indie comedy festival in Los Angeles produced by Mach Improv, featuring 100+ acts across multiple stages.

An annual 3-day improv comedy festival in Spokane, WA featuring shows, workshops, and performers from across the US.

iO Fest is Chicago's largest comedy festival at iO Theater, featuring 120+ acts of improv, sketch, and workshops over four days in July.

Annual improv comedy festival in Asheville, NC featuring 35+ teams, workshops, and headliners across three downtown venues.

Annual improv festival in Walnut Creek, CA featuring shows, workshops, and jams at the Lesher Center for the Arts.

Bucharest's international improv festival exploring musicality, rhythm, and presence - workshops, shows, and competitions in an intimate attic venue.

Montreal's bilingual improv festival featuring troupes from across North America in five days of shortform, longform, and musical improv.

New Jersey comedy festival featuring stand-up, improv, sketch, and variety shows across downtown Montclair venues.

A Spanish-language improv festival in L'Alfàs del Pi, Alicante, Spain, now in its 2nd edition with shows and workshops at Espai Cultural Escoles Velles.

Improv festival in Charlotte and Lake Norman, NC, part of the Queen City Comedy Experience.

Philadelphia's indie multi-format comedy festival featuring improv, sketch, standup, clown, character, and more.

A four-day queer-forward improv, drag, stand-up, burlesque, and clown festival at Provocation Theatre's Beach House in Berkeley, California.

Philadelphia's biggest improv comedy festival with 30+ teams, workshops, and jams across two stages at the Adrienne Theater.

An all-day inaugural improv marathon hosted by Improvlore in Bangalore, India, with shows, jams, and an intro workshop on May 1, 2026.

London's inaugural international improv festival at Old Union Yard with 25+ shows, workshops, and headline acts over five days.

Chicago's inaugural all-femme improv festival at iO Theater, featuring 20+ troupes of women and non-binary performers across two nights of longform comedy.

Glasgow's inaugural 10-hour nonstop improv marathon celebrating 10 years of Glasgow Harold Night, with UCB LA guest workshops.

Inaugural improv convention at San Diego's Town & Country Resort with workshops, performances, panels, and community events.

The first global Playback and Improv Theatre Gathering, a week-long festival in Abuja, Nigeria with performances and workshops.

Seattle's inaugural Jet City Improv Festival features three days of improv performances and workshops, continuing the legacy of SFIT.

Alabama's first improv comedy festival, with two nights of unscripted comedy and workshops at the Mobile Carnival Museum.

Valencia's inaugural international improv festival with shows and workshops in English and Spanish at Teatro Off and other venues.

Oxford's inaugural improv festival at the Old Fire Station, with four days of improvised comedy shows featuring UK and international performers.

Hong Kong's international improv festival by TBC Improv featuring workshops, shows, and jams at The Fringe Club in Central.

Inaugural improv comedy festival in Ann Arbor with headliners at Michigan Theater and workshops at hear.say brewing + theater.

International English-language improv festival in Mainz, Germany, with workshops and shows by local and international performers.

The Applied Improvisation Network's 2026 Global Conference in Rimini, Italy, exploring 'The Art of Being Human' through workshops, keynotes, and performances.

Albuquerque's annual comedy festival featuring stand-up, improv, sketch, and burlesque across downtown venues, produced by Arts Hub.

BRIF is an LSU-based improv, stand-up, and sketch festival in Baton Rouge produced by Baton Rouge Acting Studio, offering shows and workshops.

Best Russian Improv Festival (BRIF) is a week-long comedy improv festival in Saint Petersburg with shows, battles, master classes, and open bar performances.

A three-day spring improv festival in downtown Toledo, Ohio, presented by Actors Collaborative Toledo and the Smellybutton troupe.

An international improv festival in Rome, Italy, with shows and workshops in English and Italian, conceived by Nick Musicco with Artyou Roma.

Annual indie comedy festival in Dallas featuring improv, sketch, clown, and alt comedy at Arts Mission Oak Cliff.

Dark Impro is Hobart's Festival of Improvised Theatre, presented by PROTEA Impro with international and interstate guest artists at Salamanca Arts Centre.

ESPONTÂNEO is Sintra's international theatre-improv festival, held since 2012 at Centro Cultural Olga Cadaval with guests from across the improv world.

A 10-day English-language improv festival in Vienna, Austria, organized by American Improv at Cafe Aera in the city center.

Edinburgh's international improv festival featuring four days of improvised comedy shows and workshops in Scotland's capital.

Edinburgh International Improv Festival sets February 2027 dates, Liverpool opens 2027 applications, and the Queer and Funny Improv Festival joins the site.

FESTIG is Granada's annual improv festival organized by La Tetera Impro, featuring shows, workshops, and jams in Spanish.

Festival ImproVox is a Paris festival dedicated to sung and vocal improvisation, featuring two days of shows and a full week of workshops.

Festival SUBITO is a French-language improv theatre festival in Brest, Brittany, produced by the company Impro Infini with invited guests.

Unexpected Productions' annual Seattle improv festival at the Market Theater in Pike Place Market, featuring international teachers, performers, and workshops.

Five improv festivals from Russia, Sweden, Germany, Italy, and Australia join improvfestivals.org, with submissions open at Third Coast and Salento.

Annual Iowa City comedy festival at Willow Creek Theatre featuring improv, standup, and experimental comedy with visiting and local troupes.

A four-day comedy festival in St. Louis, Missouri, featuring improv, sketch, and stand-up from across the Midwest and beyond.

Atlanta's biggest improv festival at Dynamic El Dorado, showcasing diverse improv styles from across the city and region as a community fundraiser.

Four new festival pages on improvfestivals.org cover events in Bremen, Kraków, Philadelphia, and Würzburg, with three submission deadlines closing in the next week.

Ghostfest is a 29-hour Halloween-themed improv marathon produced by Monster Improv with troupes from across the Phoenix metro improv community.

GRIF is Grand Rapids' three-day improv festival at The Comedy Project, drawing troupes from across the continent for 8 shows, 25 acts, and workshops.

A four-day improv festival at Sea Tea Comedy Theater in Hartford, Connecticut, featuring shows and workshops from regional and national performers.

Helsinki's international improv festival (HiFi) with shows and workshops in Finnish and English in the Finnish capital.

Hoopla Impro celebrates 20 years with a months-long improv festival at their intimate London Bridge theatre featuring top UK performers.

International improv and creative arts festival in Athens, Greece featuring 120+ artists from 20+ countries with shows and workshops.

IF Cincy returns to Cincinnati this October after a seven-year hiatus, Crème de la Femme wrapped its inaugural Chicago weekend, and the St. Pete Improv Festival joins the site.

Berlin's international festival for improvised theatre, run by Die Gorillas since 2001, bringing guest ensembles from across the world to city stages.

A week-long international improv festival in Amsterdam Noord, with shows and workshops in English and Dutch at the Zonnehuis.

A three-day improv festival in Pocatello, Idaho, organized by The Comedy Project nonprofit at Westside Players.

An international improvisation festival in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, showcasing Galician, Spanish, and international impro across theater, music, and dance.

A week-long immersive improv festival in Canberra, Australia (Dec 7-13, 2026), hosted by Impro ACT, featuring workshops and mainstage shows.

Paris's international improv festival featuring ~100 shows over four days across three stages at the Theatre du Gymnase Marie-Bell.

ImproFest, Międzynarodowy Festiwal Improwizacji Scenicznej, an annual five-day international improv festival in Kraków, Poland, in Polish and English.

Improdrom is Bydgoszcz's international improv theatre festival, presenting Polish and international improvised shows, workshops, and jams.

Italy's premier improv festival, held at a residential coastal village in Gallipoli with workshops, site-specific performances, and beach time between sessions.

Washington Improv Theater's annual August festival of experimental improv, featuring 200+ shows of new formats across multiple days in downtown DC.

Improvention is Canberra's long-running international improv festival, a week of guest-led workshop intensives, original-format shows, and social events.

Malta's international improv festival in Valletta featuring workshops, shows, and jams over four days each September.

Impulsez is a three-week international improvisation festival in Toulouse produced by La Bulle Carrée, featuring multilingual shows with European artists.

International Improv Festival JO! (Toruń, Poland) joins improvfestivals.org, SF Sketchfest announces its 2027 edition, and Oslo confirms its 2026 dates.

Crawlspace Comedy Theatre's annual Kalamazoo improv festival brings 20+ Midwest teams to downtown Kalamazoo for three nights of shows and workshops.

Annual improv comedy festival in Longview, Texas featuring national headliners, Texas improv teams, and workshops.

MOMENTA is an international improv theater festival in Leipzig, Germany, presented by Theaterturbine at the naTo venue each September.

International theatrical improvisation festival in Mahdia, Tunisia, with visiting troupes, improv matches, workshops, and street shows each October.

An improv festival in Maidstone, Kent, UK, with shows at the Museum, the Hazlitt, and Lockmeadow, organized by County Town Improv.

A Tulsa comedy festival from nonprofit Third Space Society showcasing Oklahoma-connected improv, sketch, and stand-up over three October days.

The Philippines' premier improv festival, now in its 7th edition, at The Proscenium Theater in Makati with international and local performers.

Just The Funny's annual Miami Improv Festival is a four-day celebration of improv and sketch comedy with 40+ shows and masterclass workshops.

Midsummer Comedy Fest is Stockholm's improv-rooted comedy festival hosted by Presens Impro, with international performers, workshops, and shows each June.

An annual Chicago improv festival spanning six theaters, connecting college improv teams to Chicago's professional improv community.

Two new festival pages join improvfestivals.org from Berkeley and Tulsa, the Diablo and New Zealand festivals open submissions, and the festivals index now points to an improv festival map.

Annual improv festival in Wakefield, Rhode Island celebrating Black improvisers with shows, mixer performances, and workshops in improv, stand-up, and rap.

Orlando's improv-heavy two-day festival at Wyndham Avanti Palms featuring short-form, long-form, and musical improv plus stand-up and sketch showcases.

Norway's largest improv festival, produced by Impro Neuf at Chateau Neuf in Oslo, with 50+ acts and 200+ local and international artists each October.

A quarterly weekend of curated indie improv shows in Philadelphia, presented by Philly Improv Theater at the Hamilton Family Arts Center.

Residential improv festival in Marina di Massa, Italy, running since 2012 with international guest teachers, workshops, shows, and a Eurostage contest.

Minneapolis improv festival centering queer comedic voices, with performances, workshops, and a curated ensemble. Nov 7-8, 2026.

Off the Cuff Comedy's long-running Cedar City, Utah improv festival featuring troupes from across the country in a variety of creative improv formats.

A Hudson Valley improv festival in Croton-on-Hudson, NY, run by Blind Tiger Improv with performances, workshops, and after-parties October 16-17, 2026.

After a multi-year pause, the San Francisco Improv Festival is back this August, plus two upcoming submission deadlines for festivals in Chicago and Melbourne.

Annual improv comedy festival at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, Florida, featuring national and international troupes, workshops, and multiple formats.

The inaugural Scary Strangers Comedy Festival brings stand-up, improv, sketch and musical comedy to Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

Seven festival submission windows close Thursday, a Portland symposium joins the wiki, and recent news posts now appear on /news and the home page.

Seven festivals from Poland to Australia joined improvfestivals.org, with new editions for Floodwater and Liverpool and two submission deadlines closing July 31.

Annual French-language improv festival in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, featuring theatrical, musical, and family-friendly performances.

Oslo's international improv festival organized by Tøyen Impro, with shows and workshops in English and Norwegian at Kampen Bydelshus.

The Singapore Improv Festival (SIF) is a biennial international improv festival in Singapore, launched by The Improv Company, gathering 40+ teams from around the world.

Arizona's SAVI Fest, now in its 3rd edition, brings improv shows and workshops to the MIX Center in downtown Mesa.

A four-day improv comedy festival at Spitfire Comedy House in St. Petersburg, Florida featuring 23 teams, three nights of shows, and six workshops.

The BIG IF is Barcelona Improv Group's international English-language improv festival, one of Europe's largest, drawing around 200 improvisers from 20+ countries.

Barcelona's international musical improv festival featuring workshops and shows at Calabria 66, organized by Barcelona Improv Group.

Atlas Improv Company's free Madison festival anchored by a 14-hour overnight improv marathon, plus long-form shows, Theatresports, and workshops.

Vancouver's international improv comedy showcase on Granville Island, now in its 3rd edition at The Improv Centre.

Williamsburg's annual improv festival featuring national headliners including Whose Live Anyway, Bluebird Improv, and a new festival improv academy.

London's pro-sober improv festival at Blanche Improv in Earls Court, featuring international headliners, workshops, and the Fan Faves Competition.

An annual UK residential improv retreat with daily workshops, shows, and community time over a five-day stay at a countryside venue, now managed by AndAlso Improv.

A multi-day improv and comedy festival at The Nest Theatre in Columbus, Ohio, featuring performances and workshops from local and visiting artists.

Nashville's annual Third Coast Improv Fest (TCIF) brings 50 troupes and 200+ improvisers to Third Coast Comedy Club in Marathon Village each November.

The Nestival and the Idaho Improvathon are now listed on improvfestivals.org, and the Festival d'Impro de Quebec has posted dates for its fifth edition.

An international site-specific improv theatre festival in the hilltop town of Tolfa, Italy, featuring workshops and performances in historic streets and squares.

Tucson Improv Movement's 10-day festival each November featuring 70+ visiting improvisers alongside sketch and stand-up acts from across the country.

Imperdible and Festiv'Impro join improvfestivals.org, the San Francisco Improv Festival opens 2026 submissions, and the Detroit and XL festivals begin this week.

TÖRN is Hamburg's international festival of improvised theatre, presented by Steife Brise, with a global ensemble in shows and workshops. Next edition March 2027.

NYC improv festival offering 30 hours of workshops, jams, and shows all performed in the style of Shakespeare.

A four-day improv festival at the restored Uptown Theatre in Utica, NY with 25+ shows, workshops, community jams, and late-night hangs each October.

Earlier this year I began searching online for improv festivals and ended up with a website listing all the festivals I found.

International improv festival in Rome, organized by i Bugiardini, with workshops, nightly shows, and a festival party each May.

A long-running improv comedy festival at the Gas Station Arts Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, featuring local and international guests since 2000.

A first-year comedy festival in Amsterdam centering women, femmes, and non-binary performers. Submissions open for improv, stand-up, sketch, and character acts.

An international improv festival in Paris, now in its 4th edition, with shows and workshops in French and English across multiple venues.

One of Europe's largest improv theatre festivals, held annually each October in Würzburg with international performers, workshops, and signature Maestro and Collab:Lab programs.

Annual English-language improv festival in Zurich featuring international and local shows, workshops, and themed weekends.

Ñande Impro is Paraguay's first international improv theatre festival, held in Asunción with guest groups from across Latin America.