Festivals
Just For Laughs Vancouver 2025 Announces Full Lineup

Just For Laughs Vancouver is back for its ninth year, taking over the city for 10 days in February 2025. The festival promises an unforgettable lineup packed with some of the biggest names in comedy.
The announcement of Jerry Seinfeld as the headliner has already sent waves of excitement through fans. The iconic observational humorist will take the stage for two highly anticipated shows at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Seinfeld’s ability to make the mundane hilarious is unmatched, guaranteeing a night of side-splitting laughter.
Today’s lineup reveal adds even more star power, with acts like Sugar Sammy, Kumail Nanjiani, Margaret Cho, and Tim Dillon joining the mix. Whether you love sharp social commentary, cultural humour, or unfiltered wit, there’s something for every taste.
For those who’ve been following comedy’s rise on social media, the festival bridges the gap between viral content and live performances. Internet favourites like Nurse John, with his high-energy hospital tales, and the chaotic brilliance of Two Idiot Girls bring their unique styles from screens to stages. Be warned: attending The Basement Yard may come with audience participation, so shy fans might want to choose their seats carefully!
Local talent also takes center stage in the “Best of the West” series, highlighting British Columbia’s diverse comedy scene. From hilarious drag brunches to quirky improv skits, these performances showcase the incredible homegrown talent. This year also introduces the Comedy for Community initiative, ensuring comedy reaches even broader audiences.
“For our ninth year, we’re thrilled to deliver another lineup that celebrates both the world’s biggest comedy stars alongside our own Canadian talent,” shares festival director Heather Wallace. “Additionally, through our new Comedy For Community initiative and in collaboration with BCLC’s Community Ticketing Program, we are distributing tickets to non-profits and charitable organizations across BC, ensuring even more fans can connect through the universal language of laughter.”
Here’s the full schedule of performances:
Jerry Seinfeld – February 23, 6:30 pm and 9pm at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
The Basement Yard – February 20, 7pm at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Nurse John: The Short-Staffed Tour – February 22, 7pm at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Sugar Sammy – February 14, 7pm and February 15, 7pm and 9:30 pm at Vancouver Playhouse
Kumail Nanjiani – February 22, 6pm at Vogue Theatre
Tim Dillon – February 14, 7pm at Vogue Theatre
Margaret Cho: Live and LIVID! – February 16, 9:30 pm at Vogue Theatre
Roy Wood Jr. – February 16, 7pm at Vogue Theatre
Pete Holmes – February 21, 7pm at Vogue Theatre
Maz Jobrani – February 13, 7pm at Vogue Theatre
Ashley Gavin – February 20, 7pm at Vogue Theatre
Sofia Niño de Rivera – February 19, 7pm at Vogue Theatre
Harland Williams – February 13, 7pm and 9:30 pm at Rio Theatre
Brian Simpson – February 19, 7pm and February 20, 9:30 pm at Rio Theatre
Preacher Lawson – February 21, 7pm and February 22, 9:30 pm at Rio Theatre
René Vaca – February 15, 7pm at The Commodore Ballroom
Sam Jay – February 20, 7pm and February 21, 9pm at Biltmore
Cabaret Ryan Long – February 21, 9:30 pm and February 22, 7pm at Rio Theatre
Jason Cheny – February 13, 7pm at Vancouver Playhouse
Esther Povitsky – February 15, 7pm at Rio Theatre
Two Idiot Girls Live – February 16, 9:30 pm at Rio Theatre
Laurent Paquin – February 17, 7pm at Rio Theatre
UpDating – February 20, 7pm at Rio Theatre
Jiaoying Summers – February 19, 9:30 pm at Rio Theatre
Irene Tu – February 15, 7pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Langston Kerman – February 22, 6:45 PM at Biltmore Cabaret
Sabrina Wu – February 16, 9pm at Biltmore Cabaret
The Silver Lining with Gianmarco Soresi – February 18, 9pm at Biltmore Cabaret
The Downside Podcast Live – February 17, 7pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Sara Pascoe – February 13, 7pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Erica Rhodes – February 18, 7pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Jay Jurden – February 20, 9pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Maddy Smith – February 19, 9pm at Biltmore Cabaret
The Ryan and Amy Show – February 16, 5:30 pm at Rio Theatre
Fabrizio Copano (en Español) – February 16, 7pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Ahren Belisle – February 19, 7pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Brittany Schmitt – February 15, 9pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Right Now with John Goblikon – February 22, 8:45 PM at Biltmore Cabaret
The Big Magical Cult Show – February 21, 7pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Tatanka Means – February 14, 6:30 pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Vanessa Gonzalez – February 14, 8:30 pm at Biltmore Cabaret
Alistair Ogden – February 15, 7pm at The Pearl
Raanan Hershberg – February 15, 9pm at The Pearl
Festivals
Coachella 2026 Set Times Are Out, With Jack White Added to Weekend One
The schedule for the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is here, and weekend one is already looking packed. Music starts at 1 p.m. PST on Friday, April 10, kicking off three days of tight set clashes, late-night headliners, and one surprise addition.
Headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G lead the bill across the weekend. Carpenter opens things on Friday with a 9:05 p.m. set on the Coachella Stage, running just over 90 minutes. She’s followed by Anyma, who takes over at midnight to debut a new production titled “Æden.”
Saturday belongs to Bieber, who closes out the night with an 11:25 p.m. start. Before that, The Strokes hit the same stage at 9 p.m. Sunday wraps with Karol G, with competing sets from BIGBANG and Kaskade pulling fans in different directions.
The big curveball this year is Jack White, who joins the lineup for a Saturday afternoon slot. He’ll open the Mojave Stage at 3 p.m., marking a return to the festival after last headlining as a solo act in 2015. His appearance follows a recent run of surprise bookings at Coachella, a trend that’s become part of the festival’s identity.
Saturday night also brings Nine Inch Noize—a collaboration between Trent Reznor and Boys Noize—to the Sahara Tent for an 8 p.m. set.
Elsewhere, Coachella is leaning into immersive experiences. A new installation tied to Radiohead, called “Radiohead Motion Picture House: Kid A Mnesia,” will debut near the Sahara Tent. The 75-minute film blends visuals and audio pulled from the recording era of their albums Kid A and Amnesiac, created by Thom Yorke and longtime collaborator Stanley Donwood. It’s free with a reservation, with standby access for anyone willing to wait.
Beyond the headliners, the real challenge this year is picking a path through the schedule. Set conflicts are everywhere: David Byrne vs. Interpol, FKA twigs vs. The Rapture, and a crowded overlap featuring The xx, Dijon, Ninajirachi, DEVO, and more. Late Saturday gets especially messy with PinkPantheress going up against The Strokes, and Sunday throws in clashes like Moby vs. Turnstile.
A few lineup tweaks round things out. Foster the People move to Sunday, and new additions include Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Afrojack x Smiza, Deep Dish, and more.
Weekend two set times are still under wraps. For now, weekend one already looks like a scheduling headache, in the best way.
More information on the festival’s website.
Festivals
Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins to Headline Darker Waves 2026
Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins will headline Darker Waves Festival on November 14, 2026 in Huntington Beach, CA. Returning to Huntington Beach City Beach at Huntington Street and Pacific Coast Highway, the ocean-side festival will feature legendary performances from over 35 artists across three stages including Simple Minds, Bad Religion, Adam Ant, The Psychedelic Furs, Soft Cell, The Damned, Manic Street Preachers, Gary Numan, Silversun Pickups, Buzzcocks, EMF, Circle Jerks, Spacehog, Marky Ramone and more. Fans can sign up now for the festival SMS list at DarkerWavesFest.com to receive a passcode to the presale beginning Thursday, April 2 at 10am PT with access to the lowest-priced GA tickets from 10am to 11am PT. GA, GA+, VIP, and Ultimate VIP Tickets will be available, with layaway payment plans starting at $19.99 down. Any remaining tickets will go on sale to the public following the presale.

GA+ tickets include access to the exclusive GA+ Lounge with shaded seating and air-conditioned restrooms, plus a dedicated entry lane at the festival main entrance, and more. VIP tickets include unlimited entry into the VIP Lounge with preferred viewing area by the main stage, charging stations, air-conditioned restrooms, dedicated entry lane at the festival main entrance and more. Ultimate VIP tickets feature all amenities of VIP, plus access to elevated and unobstructed views of both main stages with shaded open lounge seating, dedicated VIP concierge team, a complimentary locker to store personal items, three complimentary drinks including choice of craft cocktails, beer, wine or non-alcoholic beverages, a complimentary meal redeemable for exclusive food options in the VIP Lounge and more.
Official Darker Waves vacation packages from Jampack pair GA, GA+, or VIP tickets with beachfront stays at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa or The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel, and more. Bundles include a dedicated entrance, re-entry access, and commemorative merch.
For tickets and the full list of amenities available in each ticket package, please visit DarkerWavesFest.com.
