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
Montréal Jazz Festival 2026 – Patrick Watson
July 3, 2026
If you thought the outdoor main stage at Jazz Fest was packed earlier in the week, it had absolutely nothing on the sea of people that squeezed into the Place des Festivals for Patrick Watson. The site was packed right to the limit. The last time he played the festival back in 2021, it was to a strictly limited, socially distanced crowd, and he actually took a moment to contrast that eerie, quiet landscape with the overwhelming wall of faces looking back at him this time around. The massive turnout made it feel like the city had just been waiting for the perfect moment to properly welcome him back.
The whole night felt like a massive, curated homecoming celebration with his favourite people on earth. By the third song, he already had the crowd cheering when he brought out Montreal’s own Martha Wainwright, who has been heavily involved in the local scene and festival circuit this year, to share the stage. Right after that, he raised the bar even higher by bringing up a string quartet for a stunning performance of “Ode to Vivian.” He took a second to tell the story behind the track, explaining how it was inspired by the street photographer Vivian Maier, who secretly kept her incredible work to herself until she passed, only to posthumously become an inspiration to thousands of photographers worldwide.
The emotional peak of the set came during “To Build a Home.” Watson talked about how deeply the experience of growing up in Montreal shaped him both as a person and a musician, noting that his music could only ever be written in a city with this exact type of creative spirit. As the song played, vintage 1960s video footage of Montreal rolled across the massive backdrops, which gave the whole performance an incredibly nostalgic, cinematic weight. He kept the collaborations rolling through the night, too, pulling the brilliant November Ultra onto the stage for “Silencio,” and later bringing out the rising indie-folk artist Solann.
The years might be passing, but Patrick Watson proves every time he steps on a stage that he remains an absolute force of nature. He doesn’t care about shifting trends; he just cares about his craft. A few people floating around the crowd might have been a little disappointed not to hear some of the older classics like “Lighthouse” or “The Great Escape,” but honestly, what better setting is there to test out your newest material than the Montreal Jazz Festival in front of your home crowd? Besides, when the performance is that stunning from start to finish, you really can’t be mad about it.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
PATRICK WATSON
All Photo Credit: Andres Amaya
Festivals
FIFA Fan Festival™ Vancouver – Simple Plan & JJ Wilde
The weather did everything it could to keep people away from the the FIFA Fan Festival™ in Vancouver on July 2, but fans had other ideas. Heavy rain lingered throughout the day, yet by the evening the amphitheatre at the PNE Grounds was packed with concertgoers ready to enjoy live music alongside the excitement of the FIFA World Cup.
The day’s schedule featured Round of 32 matches on the big screen between performances from local and international artists. Vancouver’s own JJ Wilde took the amphitheatre stage in the early evening, bringing her trademark mix of gritty rock vocals and confident stage presence. Her performance gave the crowd plenty of energy before the night’s main attraction, and showed everyone why she became the first woman in 25 years to win Canadian Rock Album Of The Year prize at Junos Awards.
Closing out the night was Montreal pop-punk veterans Simple Plan, who showed exactly why they continue to be one of Canada’s most reliable live bands more than two decades into their career. Rain-soaked fans sang along from the opening notes of “I’d Do Anything” as the band wasted no time getting the audience involved. Their set moved quickly through fan favourites including “Nothing Changes,” “Shut Up!,” “Jump,” “Jet Lag,” and “Welcome to My Life,” with nearly every chorus echoed back by the crowd.
The setlist balanced nostalgia with newer material, featuring songs like “Nothing Changes,” “Loser of the Year,” and “Million Pictures” alongside classics that have become staples of the band’s live shows. “Summer Paradise” brought a welcome reminder of sunnier days, even if the skies over Vancouver refused to cooperate.
One of the night’s most entertaining moments came during “What’s New Scooby-Doo?” Better known by fans simply as the Scooby-Doo song, the band continued its long-running concert tradition by inviting several people dressed as Scooby-Doo onto the stage.
The energy never dipped as the band powered through a party medley before closing with “Where I Belong,” “I’m Just a Kid,” and, fittingly, “Perfect.” Thousands of voices filled the amphitheatre, creating one of the loudest singalongs of the festival so far.
July 2 served as another reminder of what has made the FIFA Fan Festival such a success throughout the tournament. Football may bring people together during the day, but the nightly concerts have become just as much a reason to gather. Even under grey skies and persistent rain, Vancouver fans turned out in force, and Simple Plan rewarded that dedication with a high-energy performance that left the crowd smiling long after the final note.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full galleries of Simple Plan and JJ Wilde!
SIMPLE PLAN
JJ WILDE
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer