The return of a local comedy event featuring a variety of comedians from the US and Canada will be taking place next month in Hudson County. The Jersey City Comedy Festival is back for 2023, and will be happening from June 7th-10th at two locations in Jersey City — Art House Productions and The Laugh Tour Comedy Club at Dorrian’s Red Hand. Read on for more details about the 2023 festival and what to expect.
About the Festival
The 2023 Jersey City Comedy Festival, which is hosted by Art House Productions, will feature 48 comedians from both the US and Canada and will be happening from Wednesday, June 7th to Saturday, June 10th. The festival will be taking place at two locations — Art House Productions (345 Marin Boulevard) and The Laugh Tour Comedy Club at Dorrian’s Red Hand (555 Washington Boulevard).
Read More: This Jersey City Comedian Has Shows at Dorrian’s Each Week
The selected comics from a pool of over 300 submissions will compete in five competition showcases, and audiences will be able to vote for their favorite comedian at each showcase in order to advance them to the finale on June 10th — which will be headlined by Marina Franklin. Other headliners for the festival include Rex Navarrete and Chris Gethard.
The 10 finalists will receive spots at The Laugh Tour Comedy Club. Two comics (audience pick + industry pick) will win “Best of the Fest,” and receive $500 each. The audience pick will also receive a spot at West Side Comedy Club’s new talent show. The industry winner will receive spots at West Side Comedy Club, The Laugh Tour Comedy Club, and Catch A Rising Star.
“We’re so excited to bring back the Jersey City Comedy Festival after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. This year’s fest is bigger than ever before, and will be the first time we present comedy at Art House’s new performing and visual arts center,” Meredith Burns, executive artistic director, said in a press release.
The full lineup of performances and selected comics for the 2023 Jersey City Comedy Festival is as follows:
Wednesday, June 7th
Art House Productions, 345 Marin Boulevard
- 7:30PM: Rex Navarrette
- 9PM: Chris Gethard
The Laugh Tour Comedy Club at Dorrian’s Red Hand, 555 Washington Boulevard
- 6:30PM: Stand-Up Competition #1 featuring Aditya Shankar, Aidan Kelly, Alexis Gay, Barak Ziv, Brendan Smith, Jilberto Soto, Josh Ri’Esgo, Kendall Allison, and Mike O’Sullivan
- 8:30PM: Stand-Up Competition #2 featuring Ely Kreimendahl, James Mac, Jon Bander, Joshua Stokes, Laura Merli, Learnmore Jonasi, Lee Paul, Mike Atcherson, Shivani Dave, and Tony Sykowski
Thursday, June 8th
Art House Productions, 345 Marin Boulevard
- 7:30PM: North Coast Hip Hop Improv/Uncle Function Sketch Comedy
- 9PM: Characters Showcase
The Laugh Tour Comedy Club at Dorrian’s Red Hand, 555 Washington Boulevard
- 6:30PM: Stand-Up Competition #3 featuring Aaron Rosen, Abby Washuta, Boris Khaykin, Darryl Charles, Jaren George, Joe Mahoney, Marcy Smiles, Rayne McGowan, and Steve Cohen
- 8:30PM: Stand-Up Competition #4 featuring Alex Kim, Ariel Evans, Art Cai, Dan Hurwitz, David Grebenik, Joseph Ferraro, Monique Latise, Natan Badalov, Nate Lander, and Parth Shorey
Friday, June 9th
Art House Productions, 345 Marin Boulevard
- 7:30PM: Stand-Up Competition #5 featuring Ajay G, Calvin Reid, Cassidy O’Malley, Cathy Boyd, CH Lee, Jordan J, Karl Xie, Laura Patton, Madelein Murphy-Smith, and Meka Mo
See More: A Guide to Spring Festivals in New Jersey
Saturday, June 10th
Art House Productions, 345 Marin Boulevard
- 8PM-10PM: Best of Fest + Headliner Marina Franklin
Tickets for the festival range from $20 to $45, and you can purchase them on the Jersey City Comedy Festival website.
