The New York Comedy Festival, a five-borough laugh-a-palooza featuring more than 200 comedians and over 100 shows, is expanding for the first time in November. The previously week-long festival, already the nation’s largest comedy festival, will now stretch over the course of 10 days from Nov. 3 to Nov. 12.
The 19th annual New York Comedy Festival’s headliners this year include Dave Attell, Bill Burr, Nicole Byer, Jimmy Carr, Margaret Cho, Tim Dillon, Giggly Squad, Ilana Glazer, Brett Goldstein, Nate Jackson, Anthony Jeselnik, Matteo Lane, Sam Morril, Nick Mullen and Adam Friedland, Atsuko Okatsuka, Pod Meets World, Donnell Rawlings, Jeff Ross, Robyn Schall, Daniel Sloss, and Michelle Wolf.
The shows will be held at venues across New York City, including the Apollo Theatre, BAM, the Beacon Theatre, Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, The Theater at MSG, Town Hall, and others.
Sam Morril, a New York City-bred stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer, told amNewYork Metro in a statement that his upcoming performance at Madison Square Garden at this year’s festival arouses childhood dreams.
“I always wanted to play for The Knicks growing up,” Morril said. “But around seven to eight years old, I realized I had a better physique for a comedian. I worked hard, developed a drinking problem, and here I am, playing the world’s most famous arena.”
Caroline Hirsch founded the New York Comedy Festival in 2004. This year, Hirsch will be honored with the first-ever Bob Saget Award at the Edison Ballroom. Hirsch stated that this year’s festival will once again bring emerging talent and established headliners from across the country and throughout the world to New York City.
“We’ve curated an amazing line-up of shows,” Hirsch said. “As we expand from seven to ten days this year, we welcome some new partners. It’s because of our valued partnerships that we’re able to continue to expand each year and bring even more laughter than ever to The Big Apple.”
Stand-up comedian, actor, and filmmaker Bill Burr, who is returning to the New York Comedy Festival for his third appearance at Madison Square Garden, remarked on his stand-up career starting in 1992, moving to New York City two years later, when he then appeared in shows such as “Comedy Central Presents,” “Showtime at the Apollo,” and “Live at Gotham.”
“I got passed at the Comic Strip in 1996,” Burr said. “The thrill of being a working comic in NYC has never worn off. To be able to perform at MSG is beyond any dream I’ve ever had.”
Here is the 2023 New York Comedy Festival schedule (subject to additions and change):
Friday, Nov. 3
- 7 p.m. – Daniel Sloss – CAN’T at Town Hall
- 8 p.m. – Take a Banana for the Ride: A One Man Show by Jeff Ross at The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel
Saturday, Nov. 4
- 7 PM & 9:45 p.m. – Take a Banana for the Ride: A One Man Show by Jeff Ross at The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel
- 8:00 p.m. – Ilana Glazer Live! at BAM
- 8:30 p.m. – Sam Morrill: The Class Act Tour at The Theater at Madison Square Garden
Sunday, Nov. 5
- 5 PM & 8 PM – Take a Banana for the Ride: A One Man Show by Jeff Ross at The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel
- 7 p.m. – The Robyn Schall Experience at Town Hall
Wednesday, Nov. 8
- 7 p.m. – Margaret Cho: Live and LIVID! at Town Hall
- 9:45 p.m. – Nick Mullen & Adam Friedland Live at Town Hall
Thursday, Nov. 9
- 7 p.m. – Pod Meets World: The Kids Wanna Jump! Tour at Town Hall
- 7 p.m. – Donnell Rawlings at The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel
- 7 p.m. – Jimmy Carr: Terribly Funny at Carnegie Hall
- 8 p.m. – Giggly Squad at the Beacon Theatre
- 9:45 p.m. – Nate Jackson: I’ll Do It Myself
Friday, Nov. 10
- 7 p.m. & 9:45 p.m. – Donnell Rawlings at The Venue at the Hard Rock Hotel
- 7 p.m. – Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life at the Beacon Theatre
- 7 p.m. – Anthony Jeselnik: Bones and All at Carnegie Hall
- 7 p.m. – Michelle Wolf: It’s Great to Be Here at Town Hall
- 8 p.m. – Bill Burr Live at Madison Square Garden
- 8 p.m. – Nicole Byer at Apollo Theater
- 9:45 p.m. – Dave Attell and Friends at Town Hall
- 9:45 p.m. – Tim Dillon: American Royalty at Carnegie Hall
Saturday, Nov. 11
- 7 p.m. – Atsuko Okatsuka: Full Grown Tour at Town Hall
- 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. – Donnell Rawlings at The Venue at the Hard Rock Hotel
- 8 p.m. – Matteo Lane: The Al Dente Tour at Carnegie Hall
To purchase tickets and for more information, visit https://nycomedyfestival.com. Hard Rock Hotel New York is the official host hotel for the 2023 New York Comedy Festival. The hotel will host various festival performances, events, and after-parties along with overnight experiences for those attendees and performers.
