312 Comedy Festival 2026: Dates, Lineup, Tickets, and Getting Around Chicago

Chicago takes comedy seriously. Every November the whole city spends eleven days laughing, and the 312 Comedy Festival 2026 is how it happens this year. It runs November 5 through 15, with stand-up filling theaters, an arena, and clubs from the Loop to Lakeview. It’s the festival’s fourth year, and the lineup has a lot of big names in it. If you’re thinking about going, here’s what you need to know: the dates, who’s playing, how tickets work, and how to get between shows without wasting your night on parking and traffic.

312 Comedy Festival 2026 Dates and Venues

The 312 Comedy Festival 2026 dates are Thursday, November 5 through Sunday, November 15. The festival bills itself as “Chicago’s biggest laugh.” It arrived in the city in 2023, so this is edition number four. You’ll find shows at the Chicago Theatre, Park West, The Vic Theatre, the Riviera Theatre, Zanies Chicago, Zanies Rosemont, and Wintrust Arena, among other spots. Look at where those venues actually are, because they’re spread out. The Chicago Theatre is in the Loop. Park West is in Lincoln Park, The Vic in Lakeview, and the Riviera in Uptown. Zanies Chicago sits in Old Town, Zanies Rosemont is out near O’Hare, and Wintrust Arena is in the South Loop. Whichever show you pick decides how your evening goes.

312 Comedy Festival Chicago: A Quick Look Back

The 312 Comedy Festival Chicago crowds know now started out small. It debuted in 2023 and has gotten bigger every year, with more venues and bigger headliners. Last year, Fortune Feimster played the Chicago Theatre and Pete Holmes took the Riviera Theatre, and rising comics worked the clubs. The idea hasn’t changed: put national names in historic rooms and let Chicago do the rest.

312 Comedy Festival Lineup: Who’s Performing

The 312 Comedy Festival lineup is loaded with headliners, and there’s a show on most nights. These are some of the biggest confirmed dates. Thursday, November 5 is opening night. Joey Diaz is at the Chicago Theatre at 8 p.m., while Lauren Lapkus and Mary Holland bring The Lauren & Mary Show to Park West. Zanies Chicago has a show that night too. Bert Kreischer owns the Chicago Theatre on November 6 and 7, with 7 p.m. shows both nights. Pat Regan is at Zanies Chicago on November 6, and Rachel Scanlon is at Park West. Ron White comes next, on Sunday, November 8, at the Chicago Theatre at 7 p.m. The last weekend is the biggest. Nikki Glaser brings The Stunning Tour to the Chicago Theatre for three nights, November 13, 14, and 15. On Saturday, November 14, her show starts at 7 p.m. The same night, Michelle Wolf is at The Vic Theatre and Ali Siddiq is at Wintrust Arena at 7 p.m. Gabe Gibbs is at Zanies Chicago on November 15, and Danny Gonzalez is on the Park West lineup too. More than 20 comedians are playing in all, so this isn’t everyone. Shows and times can be added or changed, so check the official festival site for the newest schedule.

312 Comedy Festival Tickets: What to Know

312 Comedy Festival tickets are sold on the festival’s official website and on the venues’ own ticketing pages. There’s no single price. It changes with the show, the venue, and your seat. Tickets went on sale earlier this year, and a festival presale ended on July 31. What’s left depends on the show, so look at the official site to see what’s still open. A few practical things. Buy from official sources, not resale listings, so you don’t end up with a fake or overpriced ticket. Read the venue notes before you go. The Chicago Theatre is at 175 N. State Street, and it’s smart to arrive early. Some shows are phone-free, with phones locked in pouches during the performance. Ali Siddiq’s date at Wintrust Arena has been listed that way. Check each venue’s rules ahead of time.

Comedy Shows in Chicago November 2026: Planning Your Week

Staying for more than one night? The festival gives you plenty of choices. Big theater shows like Nikki Glaser and Bert Kreischer tend to sell out first, so grab those tickets early. Clubs like Zanies are better for smaller, close-up sets, and they’re a nice way to catch comics on their way up. Lots of people make dinner part of the plan. If you’re heading to the Chicago Theatre, the Loop has plenty of restaurants. For The Vic, Lakeview has the bars and restaurants. Pick your show first, then find a place to eat nearby. Visiting from out of town? Stay close to the venues you care about most, and you’ll cut down on transportation headaches. Weeknights and weekends feel different, too. Weeknight shows are usually easier to get in and out of. Friday and Saturday bring bigger crowds and worse traffic, so leave extra time. Of all the Chicago comedy festivals 2026 has on the calendar, this is the big November one. If you’re planning a longer trip, it also overlaps with other Chicago comedy events 2026 brings to the city’s theaters and clubs, so check venue calendars for more shows.

Getting Around: The Venue Problem

This is where the festival gets tricky. A weeknight show in the Loop is easy enough. A Saturday night at Wintrust Arena, with that crowd leaving just as the Nikki Glaser audience pours out of the Chicago Theatre, is a different story. Parking in the Loop is expensive and hard to find. Rideshare prices jump right when a show lets out. And in late November, any wait on a curb feels longer than it should. Zanies Rosemont is its own problem. It’s out by O’Hare, far from most downtown hotels and restaurants, so if you’re staying in the city, you’re signing up for a real drive.

Booking a Ride for Comedy Night

That’s where Chi Town Black Cars helps. A point-to-point car service takes you from your hotel or home to the venue, then picks you up afterward at a spot you’ve agreed on beforehand. No parking, and no digging for a rideshare in the crowd. Got a night with more than one stop, like dinner, a show, and drinks after? An hourly car service keeps one driver with you the whole evening. It also works for a double-header, say an early show at one venue and a late set at another. And if you’re going with friends or coworkers, a black car service fits everyone in one ride instead of several. Flying in for the weekend? Airport transfers from O’Hare or Midway take you to your hotel, so you don’t need a rental car. A festival night also fits alongside the other special event bookings Chi Town handles throughout the year.

Tips for the 312 Comedy Festival 2026

Buy headliner tickets early. The biggest names go first. Get there early. Theater entrances and security lines can take a while, especially on a Saturday. Check each venue’s policies. Phone rules, bag rules, and entry points differ from place to place. Sort out your ride home before the show starts. When a big crowd leaves at once, cars are hard to find. Dress for November. You might end up waiting outside, and the weather can turn fast.

Final Thoughts on the 312 Comedy Festival 2026

The 312 Comedy Festival 2026 is a rare chance to see some of the country’s biggest comedians in some of Chicago’s best rooms, all packed into eleven days. Whether you’re after a big night with Nikki Glaser at the Chicago Theatre, a phone-free evening with Ali Siddiq at Wintrust Arena, or a smaller club set at Zanies, there’s something for almost every taste, and the whole city feels a little louder while it’s happening. A bit of planning makes the week much easier. The biggest names tend to sell out first, so buy your tickets early and only from official sources. Read each venue’s rules before you go, since phone policies, bag rules, and entry points differ from place to place. Pick your show first, then choose a dinner spot close by, and give yourself extra time on Friday and Saturday nights when the crowds are bigger and the traffic is heavier. Getting around is the part that catches most people off guard. The venues are scattered from the Loop to Lakeview to Rosemont, parking downtown is expensive, rideshare prices jump right when a show lets out, and late-November weather makes any curbside wait feel longer. Sort out your ride home before the show starts. Book your ride with Chi Town Black Cars ahead of time, agree on a pickup spot, and the only thing left to worry about is laughing too hard.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 312 Comedy Festival 2026? It runs November 5 through 15, 2026, at venues across Chicago and Rosemont. Who is performing at the 312 Comedy Festival? The lineup includes Joey Diaz, Bert Kreischer, Ron White, Nikki Glaser, Michelle Wolf, Ali Siddiq, Lauren Lapkus and Mary Holland, and more than 20 comedians overall. Where can I buy 312 Comedy Festival tickets? Use the festival’s official website or the venues’ official ticketing pages. Prices depend on the show. Is the 312 Comedy Festival Chicago held in one place? No. It’s spread across theaters, clubs, and an arena in different parts of the city, plus Zanies Rosemont near O’Hare, so check the venue for each show. Where are the shows held? Venues include the Chicago Theatre, Park West, The Vic Theatre, the Riviera Theatre, Zanies Chicago, Zanies Rosemont, and Wintrust Arena. What’s the easiest way to get to a comedy show downtown? Skip the parking hunt. Take the CTA, or book a car service ahead of time and set a pickup spot for after the show.