Upcoming Shows
Kick Off Show with Headliner Shane Torres
Windy City Comedy Fest Presents: Shane Torres
This event has a 2 item minimum
Windy City Comedy Fest is kicking off our second year with a bang at The Den Theatre with some of Chicago's favorite local comedians and national touring headliner: Shane Torres! Thursday, August 6th at 6pm in the main room we'll be serving up laughs-Chicago-style!
Get ready for a full weekend of shows at iconic venues, workshops with industry professionals, and networking events for both comedians and fans!
The Den Theatre and comedy club is pleased to host Windy City Comedy Fest Presents: Shane Torres on August 6, 2026 at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.
Tickets are currently available at thedentheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830.
Shane Torres is a stand-up comedian, writer, podcaster, and actor who resides in Brooklyn. Produced by Bert and LeeAnn Kreischer, Shane’s very first special THE BLUE EYED MEXICAN, was released in December 2023. Vulture named it as one of the stand-up specials not-to-be-missed in 2023, raving “The Blue Eyed Mexican stands out for its beautiful directness and keen sense of good storytelling. It’s a refreshing combination of delicate and obscene.” It is available to stream on YouTube. Shane can be seen on CONAN (twice), THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT, NBC’S LAST COMIC STANDING, HALF HOUR SPECIAL WITH COMEDY CENTRAL, and THIS WEEK FROM THE CELLAR on Comedy Central. You might have heard Shane’s “laconic drawling delivery with deliberate pacing” as the NY Times calls it, on popular podcasts such as BERTCAST WITH BERT KREISCHER, BARSTOOL’S KFC RADIO, DR DREW AFTER DARK, THE HONEYDEW WITH RYAN SICKLER, and ARE YOU GARBAGE and a slew of others. His podcast, NO ACCOUNTING FOR TASTE with Kyle Kinane is available wherever you get your podcasts.
Late Night at The Lodge
Late Night at The Lodge
Thursday, August 6, 2026 | 9:00 PM | $20
The Lincoln Lodge
Chicago’s premiere late-night comedy talk show—live at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026.
Late Night at The Lodge blends stand-up comedy with talk show banter, as rising stars and seasoned comedians take the stage, perform their sets, and sit down for a live interview with the host.
This show has limited capacity—so get your tickets now.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Wigs
Wigs
Friday, August 7, 2026 | 6:00 PM | $20
Stand-up comedy… in wigs.
For decades, scientists theorized and philosophers debated: what happens when comedians wear wigs? This show answers that question.
WIGS brings together some of Chicago’s best stand-up comedians performing full sets… in wigs. Expect sharp jokes, unexpected characters, and a night that fully commits to the bit.
Set in the intimate theater at The Lincoln Lodge, this is a uniquely ridiculous comedy experience with limited capacity—and yes, you’re encouraged to participate.
BYOW (Bring Your Own Wig).
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Industry Showcase 7PM at Lincoln Lodge
Industry Showcase
Friday, August 7, 2026 | 7:00 PM | $20
The Lincoln Lodge
This is one of four official Industry Showcases at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026—where selected performers take the stage in front of bookers and industry professionals from across the Midwest.
Designed to spotlight top talent from the festival, this showcase brings together comedians ready to be seen, booked, and remembered.
By bringing industry to Chicago, Windy City Comedy Fest is helping shape the future of the Midwest comedy scene—connecting performers with real opportunities on a regional stage.
Hosted in the theater at The Lincoln Lodge, this is a high-stakes, high-quality show with limited capacity.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Comedy Royalty
Comedy Royalty
Friday, August 7, 2026 | 7:30 PM | $20
The Lincoln Lodge
Bow down—Comedy Royalty is taking over The Lincoln Lodge as part of Windy City Comedy Fest 2026.
This showcase brings together a court of comedic killers—seasoned stand-ups and rising stars—each ready to earn their crown.
This is top-tier comedy in one of Chicago’s most iconic venues. No royal decree required—just show up and laugh.
TBA
Hosted By:
Featuring:
Comedy Heavyweights
Comedy Heavyweights
Friday, August 7, 2026 | 8:00 PM | $25
The Lincoln Lodge – Orange Room
No filler—just hitters.
Comedy Heavyweights is the Friday night knockout showcase at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026, featuring some of the sharpest joke writers and strongest stage presences of the fest.
If you're looking for punchlines that land hard and comics who bring the heat, this is your show.
Set in the Orange Room theater at The Lincoln Lodge, this is a full night of hard-hitting comedy with limited capacity—no weak sets, no mercy.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Industry Showcase 7PM at Lincoln Lodge
Industry Showcase
Friday, August 9, 2026 | 7:00 PM | $20
The Lincoln Lodge
This is one of four official Industry Showcases at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026—where selected performers take the stage in front of bookers and industry professionals from across the Midwest.
Designed to spotlight top talent from the festival, this showcase brings together comedians ready to be seen, booked, and remembered.
By bringing industry to Chicago, Windy City Comedy Fest is helping shape the future of the Midwest comedy scene—connecting performers with real opportunities on a regional stage.
Hosted in the theater at The Lincoln Lodge, this is a high-stakes, high-quality show with limited capacity.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Headliner Show
HEADLINER SHOW WITH EM BROWN
Friday, August 7, 2026 | 9:00 PM
Schuba’s Tavern – Main Room
Windy City Comedy Fest 2026 presents a special Headliner Show at Schuba’s Tavern, featuring a standout night of top-tier comedy.
Headlining the show is Em Brown, Featuring Joey Reilly and additional appearances from select Windy City Comedy Fest performers, This is a stacked lineup in one of Chicago’s most beloved live performance venues.
Doors: 8:30 PM
Show: 9:00 PM
Demon Hour
Demon Hour
Friday, August 7, 2026 | 9:30 PM | $25
The Lincoln Lodge
Chicago’s rawest, most unhinged comedy experience takes over Windy City Comedy Fest 2026.
Demon Hour is where stand-up meets confession. The city’s top comedians hit the stage—but the real chaos begins when anonymous audience confessions are read out loud for everyone to hear.
With wild audience stories, surprise moments, and a crowd that’s fully in on the madness, no two shows are ever the same.
Set in the intimate theater at The Lincoln Lodge, this is an interactive comedy experience with limited capacity—and absolutely no predictability.
Your safe haven for wild confessions.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Blackout Diaries Chicago
Blackout Diaries Chicago
Friday, August 7, 2026 | 10:30 PM | $25
The Lincoln Lodge
True stories. Real chaos. No blackout required (but encouraged).
The Blackout Diaries is a hit Chicago comedy show where stand-up comedians and “regular” people—firefighters, teachers, consultants, and more—share their most incredible, true drinking stories.
Then the audience gets involved, asking questions and diving deeper into the madness behind the stories.
A critics’ pick by major Chicago publications and featured on NPR and Comedy Central, this show delivers some of the funniest (and wildest) storytelling you’ll hear all weekend.
Set in the theater at The Lincoln Lodge, this late-night experience has limited capacity—and yes, your ticket includes a complimentary taste of Malört.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Laughter Hours
Laughter Hours
Friday, August 7, 2026 | 11:00 PM | $30
The Lincoln Lodge – Orange Room
A late-night comedy experience with a jazzy, lounge vibe—only at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026.
Laughter Hours brings together some of Chicago’s best comedians for a two-part showcase: polished stand-up sets followed by a second round of improvised riffs based on audience suggestions.
All of it underscored by live, interactive jazz guitar from one of the city’s top musicians.
Set in the intimate Orange Room theater at The Lincoln Lodge, this is a laid-back, late-night show with limited capacity—where comedy and music come together in a way you won’t find anywhere else.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Heckler's Happy Hour
Heckler’s Happy Hour
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 6:00 PM | $25
The Lincoln Lodge
Comedy where the audience talks back.
Hecklers’ Happy Hour is an interactive stand-up showcase where Chicago’s funniest comics take the stage—and you get to join the action.
Comedians perform their sets while inviting audience questions, comments, and yes, heckling. But be warned: if you dish it, they will dish it right back.
Designed as a space for comics to sharpen their crowd work and for audiences to let loose, this show is chaotic, quick-witted, and always different.
Set in the theater at The Lincoln Lodge, this is an interactive comedy experience with limited capacity. Come ready to participate—but keep it respectful. No hate speech, no crossing the line.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Industry Showcase 7PM at the Annoyance
Industry Showcase
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 7:00 PM | $20
The Annoyance Theatre
This is one of four official Industry Showcases at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026—where selected performers take the stage in front of bookers and industry professionals from across the Midwest.
Designed to spotlight top talent from the festival, this showcase brings together comedians ready to be seen, booked, and remembered.
By bringing industry to Chicago, Windy City Comedy Fest is helping shape the future of the Midwest comedy scene—connecting performers with real opportunities on a regional stage.
Hosted at the Annoyance, this is a high-stakes, high-quality show with limited capacity.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Bob Keen "Shots Fired" Live Album Recording
Bob Keen “Shots Fired” Live Album Recording
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 8:00 PM
Lincoln Hall
A major moment for Chicago comedy.
Windy City Comedy Fest 2026 and Audiotree present Bob Keen: Shots Fired, a live comedy special taping at Lincoln Hall.
A veteran of the Chicago comedy scene, Bob Keen takes the stage to record his first special—bringing years of sharp writing, seasoned perspective, and hard-earned punchlines to one of the city’s premier venues.
This is more than a show—it’s a taping. Be part of the live audience for a night that will be captured on film.
Hosted By: Ariel Julie
Featuring: TBA
Headliner's Only
Headliners Only
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 8:30 PM
The iO Theater
No openers. No fluff. Just pure headliner energy.
Headliners Only is the ultimate Saturday night lineup at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026, featuring comics who know how to own a stage. These performers don’t need warm-ups—they are the main event.
Expect a stacked showcase of seasoned comedians delivering tight, high-impact sets in one of Chicago’s most iconic comedy venues.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Industry Showcase 9PM at the Annoyance
Industry Showcase
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 9:00 PM | $20
The Annoyance Theatre
This is one of four official Industry Showcases at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026—where selected performers take the stage in front of bookers and industry professionals from across the Midwest.
Designed to spotlight top talent from the festival, this showcase brings together comedians ready to be seen, booked, and remembered.
By bringing industry to Chicago, Windy City Comedy Fest is helping shape the future of the Midwest comedy scene—connecting performers with real opportunities on a regional stage.
Hosted at the Annoyance, this is a high-stakes, high-quality show with limited capacity.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
No Filter Comedy
No Filter Comedy
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 9:30 PM
Newport Theater
A no-holds-barred, uncensored night of stand-up at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026.
No Filter Comedy features some of the boldest voices in the fest, delivering brutally honest material, fearless punchlines, and sets that go wherever they want.
This late-night showcase is raw, unpredictable, and not for the easily offended—just the way great comedy should be.
Come for the laughs—stay for the chaos.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Comedy Legends
Comedy Legends
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 10:00 PM
The de Maat Theater at Second City
Late night. Legendary stage. No slowing down.
Comedy Legends at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026 brings a stacked lineup of comedians to one of the most iconic comedy venues in the world.
Featuring performers who know how to command a room, this late-night showcase keeps the energy high, the crowd loud, and the punchlines rolling well past 10 PM.
Set in the de Maat Studio Theater at Second City, this is a must-see show for anyone looking to experience top-tier comedy in a historic space.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Haha to Hell
Haha to Hell
Dark. Loud. Unapologetic.
Haha to Hell brings its signature blend of dark, dirty, and high-energy stand-up to Windy City Comedy Fest 2026.
Hosted and produced by Tina Youkhana, this show features a lineup of local comedians delivering bold material for audiences who like their comedy a little heavier.
Set inside Reggie’s Rock Club in Chicago’s South Loop, this late-night showcase channels a raw, “comedy metal” energy—perfect for fans of alternative comedy and anything a little off-center.
Not for the easily offended—exactly for everyone else.
Hosted By:
Tina Youkhana
Featuring:
TBA
Gold Standard Comedy
Gold Standard Comedy
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 11:00 PM
The Annoyance Theatre
Sharp. Polished. Unmissable.
Gold Standard Comedy lives up to its name with a lineup of some of the finest comedians at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026. Every performer is a proven crowd favorite—delivering stand-up that’s clever, confident, and consistently funny.
This late-night showcase brings together top-tier talent for a smooth, high-quality comedy experience that highlights the best of the fest.
It’s classic Chicago comedy with a festival twist.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Industry Showcase 7PM at the Laugh Factory
Industry Showcase
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 7:00 PM | $20
The Laugh Factory
This is one of four official Industry Showcases at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026—where selected performers take the stage in front of bookers and industry professionals from across the Midwest.
Designed to spotlight top talent from the festival, this showcase brings together comedians ready to be seen, booked, and remembered.
By bringing industry to Chicago, Windy City Comedy Fest is helping shape the future of the Midwest comedy scene—connecting performers with real opportunities on a regional stage.
Hosted at the Annoyance, this is a high-stakes, high-quality show with limited capacity.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
Industry Showcase 9PM at the Laugh Factory
Industry Showcase
Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 9:00 PM | $20
The Laugh Factory
This is one of four official Industry Showcases at Windy City Comedy Fest 2026—where selected performers take the stage in front of bookers and industry professionals from across the Midwest.
Designed to spotlight top talent from the festival, this showcase brings together comedians ready to be seen, booked, and remembered.
By bringing industry to Chicago, Windy City Comedy Fest is helping shape the future of the Midwest comedy scene—connecting performers with real opportunities on a regional stage.
Hosted at the Annoyance, this is a high-stakes, high-quality show with limited capacity.
Hosted By:
TBA
Featuring:
TBA
WCCF: Comedy Fundraiser Event at My Buddy's
WCCF Presents: A Fundraising Comedy Event at My Buddy’s
Kick off Windy City Comedy Fest with a night of live comedy that’s up close, a little chaotic, and actually fun.
Join us May 8 at My Buddy’s for a special fundraising comedy show featuring fantastic local comedians and a show for a cause.
🎤 7PM Comedy Show
🎶 Karaoke After Party (yes, you’re staying)
Capacity is limited - come out to support the fest!
Every ticket supports the Windy City Comedy Fest this August. WCCF is a 501-C3 and all tickets can be considered tax deductible.
Kevin & Hell Comedy Special Premiere Screening
Kevin & Hell Comedy Special Screening
The Lincoln Lodge Tuesday, March 31 9PM
Chicago comedian Kevin Kellam has recorded a special at the first Windy City Comedy Fest in August and 2025 and is finally premiering! This will be special release party and screening April 1st! Come to a special screening of the film 3/31.
Professor Pizza Fundraiser Show
Professor Pizza Fundraiser Show
Laugh for a cause at the Windy City Comedy Fest Fundraiser Show on Friday, January 16 at 1374 W Grand Ave 9:30PM. The WCCF team is excited to perform at the newest Professor Pizza location, spotlighting this fantastic sponsor, our producers, and our day-ones.
This pizza party stand-up show brings together a Windy City Comedy Fest approved lineup of Chicago comics to celebrate the city’s comedy scene while raising funds to support Windy City Comedy Fest.
Your $30 ticket includes:
Entry to the comedy show
Two slices of pizza 🍕
Two beverages (water always available)
Doors open at 9:00 PM. Show starts at 9:30 PM. Get Tickets now
Come hungry, come thirsty, and come ready to laugh — Chicago-style.