(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions has announced the lineup for the 2026 Jersey City Comedy Festival, taking place June 9–13. From more than 300 submissions, 40 stand-up comics from across the U.S. have been selected to perform in the festival's stand-up competition.
The festival opens on June 9 and 10 with two headlining performances at Art House Productions. Kicking off the festival is Learnmore Jonasi, who received the golden buzzer on America's Got Talent and placed 5th in the 2024 season. The Zimbabwean stand-up comedian won the 2023 Jersey City Comedy Festival Audience Choice Award and also took home the 2023 Boston Comedy Festival title and the People's Choice Award in Steve Harvey's Stand Up Spotlight competition.
Headlining day two of the festival is nationally touring stand-up comedian and classically trained violist Isabel Hagen. Isabel has been featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and was a New Face of Comedy at the Just for Laughs festival in Montréal. She started stand-up right after earning her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in viola performance from the Juilliard School. Isabel is also a Jersey City Comedy Festival alum, having been a finalist at the inaugural festival in 2018.
From June 11 through June 12, four showcase competitions will feature 10 comics each, leading up to the Best of the Fest Final on June 13. Audience members vote for their favorite comedians each night, helping advance performers through the competition and ultimately selecting the festival favorites. Two performers will be awarded $500 each in cash, bookings at major comedy clubs, and the coveted Best of the Fest title.
TICKETS: Headliner Shows: $40; Competition Showcases: $25; Best of the Fest Finals: $45. Tickets are now available at jerseycitycomedyfestival.com. Performances take place in two locations in Jersey City: Art House Productions (345 Marin Blvd) and The Laugh Tour Comedy Club at Dorrian’s Red Hand (555 Washington Blvd)
2026 JCCF SCHEDULE
Tuesday, June 9 @ 7:30pm – Learnmore Jonasi | Art House Productions
Wednesday, June 10 @ 7:30pm – Isabel Hagen | Art House Productions
Thurdsay, June 11 @ 7:00pm & 8:30pm – Stand-Up Competitions 1 & 2 | The Laugh Tour Comedy Club at Dorrian’s Red Hand
Friday, June 12 @ 7:00pm & 8:30pm – Stand-Up Competitions 3 & 4 | Art House Productions
Saturday, June 13 @ 8:00pm – Best of the Fest Finals | Art House Productions
SELECTED STAND-UP COMICS INCLUDE: Aaron Rosen, Alex Asifo, Alex Kim, Alexis Bradby, Bhavya Shah, Bryan Burris, Chris Aileo, Dan Treadway, Dillon Krause, Eddie Morrison, Emily Azrael, Farzin Moradi, Jay Simpson, Jimmy John Misty, Jonathan Huynh, Jules Posner, Kendall Allison, Kenny Reed, Lauren Davis, Liz Coin, Malik Tambwe, Mallory Morgan, Matt Dundas, Michael Agunbiade, Mike Fleming, Monica Gross, Nathan Habib, Nick Fierro, Orly Zebak, RK, Saul Katz, Sean Collier, Sean Reilly, Sekou Ali, Travis Przybylski, Vince Royale, Yang, Zach Liss, Zach Marmolejo, Zaib Pirani
SPONSORS: The 2026 Jersey City Comedy Festival is sponsored by The Laugh Tour Comedy Club, Dorrian’s Red Hand Jersey City, NJ Beer Co., Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and West Side Comedy Club.
ACCESSIBILITY: Both venues are wheelchair accessible and offer ASL interpretation and audio description by request (2 weeks' notice). Art House Productions: [email protected] / 201-579-0532; Dorrian’s / The Laugh Tour Comedy Club : [email protected] / 551-227-5995
Art House Productions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to advancing the performing and visual arts in Jersey City. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Art House fosters creativity, inclusivity, and accessibility through theater productions, exhibitions, festivals, and community programs presented year-round.
Art House’s 2026 programming is made possible through the generous support of An Anonymous American Foundation; an anonymous donor from the Jewish Communal Fund; Hudson County Cultural Affairs’ Arts in Education and Hudson County History Partnership Programs; Hudson County Parks; the Exchange Place Alliance; the Hudson County Department of Parks and Recreation; the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the NEA; the Historic Downtown Special Improvement District (HDSID); KRE; NJ Beer Co.; Panepinto Properties; public funds from the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund; RWJ Barnabas | Jersey City Medical Center; SILVERMAN; Super Buy Rite; Tito’s; and many generous volunteers, donors, and sponsors.
