CoMeDY CONTEST
For 25 years, the Boston Comedy Festival has been the ultimate proving ground for stand-up’s rising stars—and the 25th Annual Comedy Contest is bigger than ever! This year, 72 comedians from across the country will battle it out in a series of high-stakes rounds, delivering their best material in front of live audiences and esteemed judges. Only the sharpest, funniest, and most original performers will advance, leading up to a nail-biting final where one comic will take home the $7,000 grand prize.
Past winners and finalists have gone on to headline theaters, land Netflix specials, and dominate late-night TV—including Nate Bargatze (Netflix, The Tonight Show), Marc Normand (Netflix, Conan, 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 rise to the top and become the next breakout star? Don’t miss a single round of this legendary competition—where the future of stand-up takes shape, one killer set at a time!
Priliminary Rounds
Tuesday April 1st
Prelim 1 At the Comedy Studio 8pm
Prelim 2 At the Rockwell 7pm
Wednesday April 2nd
Prelim 3 At the City Winery 7pm
Prelim 4 At the City Winery 9:30pm
Prelim 5 At the Rockwell 7pm
Prelim 6 At the Rockwell 9:30pm
Winners from each prelim move on to the semi Finals
Semi-Final Round 1
Thursday, April 3rd
7pm
Semi Final Rounds at the City Winery
Semi-Final Round 2
Thursday, April 3rd 9:30pm
Semi-Final Round 3
Friday, April 4th
7pm
Semi-Final Round 4
Friday, April 4th 9:30pm
2 Winners from each Semi Final Round move on to the Finals
CONTEST FINALS - Saturday April 5th
CONTEST FINALS - Saturday April 5th
The final eight comedians narrowed from a 72-comic field, will battle for a $7,000 grand prize, delivering razor-sharp wit and high-energy performances before a live audience and esteemed judges. Don’t miss an unforgettable night of stand-up as the next generation of comedy’s elite take their shot at glory!
Along with the competition, we’ll honor our 2025 award recipients:
Ryan Hamilton (Comedian of the Year), a Netflix and late-night favorite known for his sharp, observational humor
The night will be hosted by Tony Viveiros, a Boston comedy legend with TV credits including Seinfeld and Conan. Don’t miss this historic night of laughter!
Somerville Theatre
Sat. April 5th at 8pm
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
Ticketing Questions
Each venue runs its own ticketing, so if you have any questions about seating or tickets, the fastest way to get answers is to reach out to them directly.
I need ADA-accessible seating—what should I do?
We’ve got you covered! Most venues have ADA-accessible seating, we recommend reaching out to them directly to reserve the best spot for you. If you need any help connecting with the venue, let us know—we’re happy to assist! We want to make sure you have a great experience at the show.
Oh no! That’s a bummer, and we totally get how frustrating that is. Since each show is at a different venue with its own ticketing system, we, unfortunately, can’t make a quick fix on our end. But don’t worry! Your best bet is to request a refund through the ticketing provider and then grab tickets for the correct show. We know it’s a bit of a hassle, and we’re sorry about that—but we hope to see you at the right show soon!
I bought tickets to the wrong show—help!