Just For Laughs announces hybrid online and in-person festival for July

Montreal's beloved comedy festival Just For Laughs announced on Tuesday that it will be returning for a hybrid event featuring live shows and streamed performances, from July 26 to 31.

According to the news release, shows will happen both in-person in Montreal and virtually from Los Angeles and New York.

"All performancesincluding for the first time, the prestigiousJust For Laughs Awards Showwill be made available to stream online, accessible for free, for anyone who wishes to tune in from the comfort of their own homes."

The Montreal live show will behosted by Canadianactor and comedianJon Dore and will be performed in front of a live audience and then aired for free online as of Friday, July 30.

The show will feature performances byJen Grant, Nigel Grinstead, Cassie Cao, Marito Lopez andRodney Ramsey.

The Comedy Night in Canada show will also be hosted in front of a live audience in Montreal, and then streamed for free online after.

Ali Hassan, host ofCBC stand-up comedy show,Laugh Out Loud, will emcee the show with Canadian comediansArthur Simeon, Kyle Brownrigg, Brittany Lyseng, Derek Seguin andCourtney Gilmour.

There will also beactivities and installations in downtown Montreal fromJuly 15 to 24, including 20 free, outdoor shows featuringRichardson Zphir, Catherine thier, Simon Delisle, Stphane Fallu, Ral Bland and Patrick Groulx.

"Also on the menu, 40 performances of an unusual show combining dance, musical performances and comedy at Place Loto-Qubec, a fun course, street activities and large-format video projections on buildings in the Quartier des spectacles at the end of the evening," reads the release.

According to the festival, all outdoor events are free, "however, as indicated by Public Health, it is necessary to reserve a ticket to attend outdoor shows in order to ensure a safe experience for all festival goers."

Mainstays of the festival including The Nasty Show will be back on and the industry conference, ComedyPRO, will also return "in a 100% digital format this year."

Comedy fans will also be able to watch 2021 Just For Laughs Awards Show online, whereDave Chappelle,Kristen Wiig,Jason Sudeikisand others will be honoured.

"We're honouring comedy storytellers who entertained and inspired us through this challenging past year. We're thrilled that for the first time, we are able to invite audiences to join us online. It's going to be a really great celebration,"Bruce Hills, president of Just For Laughs, said in a statement.

More programming announcements are expected next month and tickets will go on sale in mid-July.