Submissions are open from January 1st to May 15th, 2025. Responses from the review committee will arrive by June 1st, 2025. The cost schedule is outlined above, the sooner you submit the lower the fee. We will reach out to you via email to let you know if you have made it into the festival.

We’re open to all kinds of comedic content! Whether it’s a sketch, parody, animation, or experimental comedy, we want to see it. While we encourage you to follow the general guidelines (shorts should be up to 5 minutes long and focus on humor), there’s plenty of room for creative freedom.

Yes, you can! Each short will need its own submission form and fee, but we’d love to see all your ideas.

We are looking for the five minutes you are most proud of available by YouTube or Vimeo link (they can be unlisted). You can provide a longer tape but the review committee is only guaranteed to watch the first five minutes. Start the tape right when you start speaking on stage, avoid edits that jump in time, and submit a high quality recording to have the best chance of being selected for the festival.

You need at least ten minutes of material you are proud of by Labor Day Weekend. You are expected to do fresh material at every spot you get. We guarantee at least two spots to every comedian who travels to be with us.

All selected digital shorts will be showcased during the festival, and attendees will vote for their favorite. The short with the most audience votes will win the cash prize. The creator(s) don’t have to be present at the festival to collect the prize.

We guarantee each comedian at least two spots in the festival. These sets can range from 5 minutes to 20 minutes each.

To ensure the best experience for our audiences, we require distinct sets for each of the three nights of this event. Joke repetition is not cool due to significant audience overlap.

While we understand the desire for creative freedom, we expect a level of awareness and sensitivity in your material to avoid excessive offensiveness. If your material is based around excessive offensiveness you will not be invited back.

We don’t directly pay submission comedians. Accepted comedians can expect assistance with lodging and multiple opportunities to showcase talent. We will provide exclusive discounts in Bend for the weekend of the festival.

Please note that comedy festivals typically do not offer significant financial compensation for performers. This festival is no exception. While we provide lodging support and some valuable perks, you will be responsible for covering your travel expenses (airfare) and most of your meals. Bend is one of the most beautiful places in the world and we strongly believe you will enjoy your time here.

Volunteers will have a fun time being a part of the Bend Comedy Festival and get access to comedy events all weekend long. We encourage comedians to volunteer as we will call upon volunteer comics to fill stage time when needed. Fill out a volunteer application here!

Early bird passes go on sale March 1st, 2025. Regular all access passes go on sale May 1st, 2025. Secure yours now!

Look at flights into RDM (Redmond Airport). It is about 20 minutes away from downtown Bend. We will help coordinate a way for you to get to Bend after landing if needed.

Comics are expected to be in Bend from Friday early afternoon until Sunday night of Labor Day Weekend. This is a requirement to receive lodging assistance and stage time.

Comics are welcome to fly in early and stay late to do fun Bend stuff.