Just For Laughs Festival (Festival Juste Pour Rire )

Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival (Festival Juste Pour Rire) is a comedy festival that runs for 11 days during the month of July. The festival features hundreds of comedians and events throughout the streets of Montreal. Besides featuring many comedy shows, the festival features free street shows, dance acts, circus arts, street dancing and so much more. The Just For Laughs Festival features both English and French comedians.

The Largest Comedy Festival in the World

The Just For Laughs festival is the largest comedy festival in the world and one of Montreal’s most popular festivals. There are more than 2,000 shows that take place during the festival, with more than half of these performances being free. The festival attracts nearly two million spectators every year. It was founded by Montreal producer Gilbert Rozon in 1983. The festival has gotten so popular that there are now Just For Laughs Festivals in Toronto and Chicago.

Stand-up Comedy and the Just For Laughs Festival

The Just For Laughs Festival’s main offering is stand-up comedy and stand-up comedy artists. Some of the most well-known names in comedy have attended the Just for Laughs festival. Names like Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, Bill Cosby, Jay Leno, Tim Allen, Jon Stewart, Jim Carrey and Russell Peters. Many of comedy’s most well-known stars got their first big break at the Just For Laughs festival.

Free events at The Just For Laughs Festival

There are also various free street events offered during the festival. Many of these free events take place around the Latin Quarter area with various streets becoming pedestrian-only areas that are closed off to vehicles. The most popular street for free street events during the festival is Rue St. Denis, between Rue Ste. Catherine and Sherbrooke street. You’ll find performance artists, street entertainers, acrobats, fire breathers and mimes. The free events are some of the most popular events of the festival.

Getting to The Just For Laughs Festival

The best way to get to the festival is by public transportation since the downtown and Latin Quarter areas tend to be quite busy during the Just For Laughs Festival. Berri-UQAM and Place-des-Arts metro stations are the two best metro stations to use to gain access to many of the events that take place during the festival.

Venues at The Just For Laughs Festival

Many of Montreal’s popular venues are used to host the various shows of the Just For Laughs Festival. In the evening, many nightclubs and live venues around the Latin Quarter offer special shows that are related to the festival.

Comedia Comedy Film Festival

In 1996, the Comedia comedy film festival was launched as part of the Just For Laugh Festival. The festival features many short films and feature films. Most of the films of the Comedia Film Festival are shown at the Imperial Theatre.

Images of the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival

Crowds at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal (unknown)

The Just For Laughs Comedy Festival (clubsnap.com)

The Just For Laughs Comedy Festival (clubsnap.com)