Just For Laughs is a grand comedy festival that began in 1983 and is now known as the premiere event when it comes to showcasing the world’s best comedic acts. It takes place in Montreal in July of each year. It was originally a small, two-day event, but has since grown to encompass nearly the entire month of July.
Each year, the length of the festival is split into two halves. One half showcases mainly French-speaking acts while the other is reserved for English-speakers. There are also other, non-language-specific acts throughout the festival, for those coming from other places around the world and those whose acts require no language, such as mimes and physical performers.
Performers put on their acts throughout the city at a variety of venues. Theaters, cafes, nightclubs and other places of gathering all take part in Just For Laughs. Audiences, as well as top talent scouts, come to Montreal from all over the world to see the next big things that the world of comedy has to offer. Many of the famous comedians that people know today started with a lucky break while performing at this event.
In addition to the classic comedy acts that one might expect to see, there are also entertainments such as clowns, acrobats, circus acts and many street performers. If you don’t want to spend money to get in to see someone at a proper venue, you can often find someone doing something for free nearby. A comedic film festival has also recently been added to the line-up, featuring more than 100 films of various lengths coming from all around the world.
If you want a holiday filled with comedy, the month of July is a good time to visit Montreal. Or, if you happen to fancy yourself a talented comedian, you can always try to get a venue and cross your fingers that one of the many scouts happens to see you and like what you have to offer. And for those that can’t make the festival for one reason or another, it’s become so popular that several television stations broadcast the best bits.