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The Boston Comedy Festival’s 26th Annual Comedy Contest comes down to one unforgettable night!After eight preliminary rounds and a field of 96 comedians, the final eight will take the stage to battle for $7,000 in prize money and the title of Boston Comedy Festival Contest Champion.
The finalists won’t be announced until Friday, so you’ll have to be there to find out who made it through! These eight comedians have earned their spot and will be bringing their best material to the stage for one final shot at the top prize.
Past winners and finalists have gone on to headline theaters, land Netflix specials, and appear on late-night television, including Nate Bargatze (Netflix, The Tonight Show), Marc Normand (Netflix, Conan, The Joe Rogan Experience), Joe List (Netflix, The Tonight Show), Learnmore Jonasi (Steve Harvey’s Stand Up Spotlight, AGT), Dan Boulger (The Late Late Show), and Kelly MacFarland (Comedy Central, The View).
Who will be the next breakout comedian to emerge from this legendary competition?
The night will be hosted by Tony V, a Boston comedy legend with television credits including Seinfeld and Conan.
We’ll also be celebrating our 2026 Boston Comedy Festival honorees:
Steven Wright – Lifetime Achievement Honoree
Academy Award winner Steven Wright is one of the most influential comedians of all time. Raised in Burlington, MA, and an Emerson College grad, he got his start at Ding Ho’s in Cambridge before a 1982 Tonight Show debut so strong that Johnny Carson invited him back the following week. He has earned two Grammy nominations, starred in HBO and Comedy Central specials, and appeared in films like Reservoir Dogs and Natural Born Killers. He was the first inductee into the Boston Comedy Hall of Fame and is the author of the novel Harold.
Eight finalists. $7,000 on the line. One champion. Don’t miss the night the 26th Annual Boston Comedy Festival crowns its next winner!
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Event venue
SOMERVILLE THEATRE, 13 Park Ave, Somerville, MA 02144-1932, United States
Tickets
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