Montreal behemoth combines with Moontower Comedy Festival

Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival is expanding into Austin, Texas.

The company is to join forces with the city’s Moontower Comedy Festival to create a major new festival for April next year.

‘This is an amazing opportunity for two generational comedy organisations, respected by the comedy industry at large, to work together to create an amazing festival for fans and artists,’ said Just For Laughs chief executive Charles Décarie.

Moontower co-founder Lietza Brass, added: ‘In our early years we looked to the Montreal festival for inspiration as we modelled Moontower. We are beyond excited to partner with Just For Laughs because we know that, with our comedic powers combined, we are building something very special and enduring for Austin.’

This year’s Moontower festival has just kicked off, having been postponed five months because of Covid, and features comics such as Dave Attell, Maragret Cho and Maria Bamford.

Programming for next year’s event - expanded from four to ten days – will be revealed in the coming months.

Austin already hosts the mammoth South By South West festival in March, which  features comedy alongside music, film and tech events.

Published: 24 Sep 2021