2026 Riot National Comedy Contest Final Rounds at The Riot Comedy Festival

This is the semi-final round of our national comedy contest. We have reduced over 400 submissions down to the final 9 comedians! Come support and vote on your favorite comedians to advance!

🎉 THE RIOT COMEDY FESTIVAL 2026

The Riot Comedy Festival returns April 1–4, 2026 for four days of standup, podcasts, special events, parties, and the national comedy contest, all centered in the Montrose area. Shows will take place at The Riot Comedy Club at Rudyards and The Gordy Theatre, with more venues being added.

This is Houston’s biggest comedy weekend of the year and the best way to see dozens of incredible comedians, including Shawn Gardini and many more.

🎟️ Festival passes are on sale now.
If you’re planning to see multiple shows, the pass is the move.

👉 Get passes and full festival info at:
RiotComedyFestival.com or TheRiotHTX.com

THE fun thing to do in Houston! A fun date, a night out with friends, or just to get out and meet new people. Our standup comedy club features comedy shows with the funniest comedians you've seen on Netflix, HBO, Comedy Central, at the Comedy Store and Comedy Cellar. We serve tasty food, draught beer, wine, and cocktails in an intimate and casual setting.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Brian Gendron and Haris Sayani