We’re bringing the laughs back to Union Square on June 4 with a powerhouse lineup!
The Second Annual NYLaughs Festival 2026 returns June 4–7, 2026, bringing stand-up comedy across Lower Manhattan and Union Square’s Northside Plaza with expanded programming, new venues, surprise moments, and enough punchlines to temporarily heal at least three New Yorkers from their seasonal emotional-support rage.
Presented by comedy nonprofit NYLaughs in collaboration with The Stand Restaurant & Comedy Club and Union Square Partnership, the four-day festival celebrates the city the way New Yorkers actually experience it: chaotic, creative, crowded, alive, and somehow deeply connected underneath all the yelling.
And the best part? The kickoff event is completely free. A concept currently polling extremely well with New Yorkers.
The festival opens Thursday, June 4, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM in Union Square with Comedy in the Square, a massive outdoor comedy event featuring Chris Turner, Mark Normand, Matthew Broussard, Emma Willmann, Caitlin Peluffo, and Usama Siddiquee. Matt Richards will host.
Additional festival programming includes ticketed performances from Jeff Ross, Dave Attell, Matteo Lane, Bret Ernst, Joey Dardano, Steve Rannazzisi, Paul Virzi, and more to be announced. Expect full sets, surprise drop-ins, and the kind of energy only New York City can deliver.
Programming continues throughout the weekend with performances ranging from free public events to ticketed headliner shows across participating venues. Ticket prices range from free to $58 depending on the event.
Additional lineup announcements and programming details will be released soon.
Reservations are preferred via the following link: nylaughsfest.com. Admission is free to the kickoff event, and seating is first-come, first-served. The event will also feature closed captioning support provided in part through funding from the New York State Council on the Arts and TDF TAP Plus.
Event Details— RSVP NOW
Date: Thursday, June 4, 2026
Time: 6:00–9:00 PM
Location: Union Square
Admission: Free and open to the public. Reservations preferred; seating is first-come, first-served.
Lineup subject to change. For updates, follow @nylaughsfest or call 917-727-5233.
Founded in Tompkins Square Park over a decade ago with little more than a microphone, a handmade sign, and an unreasonable amount of belief in the power of punchlines to make a better NYC, NYLaughs has grown into NYC’s leading nonprofit dedicated to free public comedy programming and the first comedy nonprofit to receive more than $120,000 in New York City Council support for comedy initiatives.
Free public programming associated with the festival, including Comedy in the Square and other community-focused outdoor events produced by NYLaughs, is supported in part by public funding and institutional partners that recognize the cultural and civic value of accessible live comedy programming in New York City.
Support for NYLaughs’ public programming has been provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council, including discretionary and Speaker’s Award funding. Additional support has been provided by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the Theatre Development Fund, as well as the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
Lineup
Matt Richards Host
Matt Richards, a versatile talent in the entertainment industry, has left his mark as an actor, host, comedian, and writer. He currently hosts the popular game show app HQ Trivia and has appeared on various television series such as Showtime’s Flatbush Misdemeanors, HBOMax’s That Damn Michael Che, CBS’ 2 Broke Girls, Nickelodeon’s School of Rock, Disney’s KC Undercover, and Bizaardvark. Matt’s comedic prowess earned him recognition as a NEW FACE Character at the 2018 Just For Laughs Festival and a standout performer in the 2017 CBS Diversity Showcase. He’s also made significant contributions as a writer, with credits on series like That Damn Michael Che and various programming for Snoop Dogg on VH1, TBS, Peacock, and Animal Planet. Additionally, Matt has showcased his comedic talents on platforms like Complex’s web-series Group Therapy sponsored by Old Spice, and has appeared on The Funny Dance Show for E!, MTV’s World Star TV, and The Steve Harvey Show. Audiences can anticipate seeing Matt in the upcoming Comedy Central Studios feature film for Paramount, RUN FOR THE MONEY, alongside Beck Bennett and Joel McHale, slated for release later this year.
Matthew Broussard
A Rice University applied mathematics graduate turned stand-up comedian, Matthew Broussard writes jokes the way mathematicians write proofs: tight setups, logical turns, and punchlines that feel surprising but, in retrospect, inevitable. He has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Conan, The Mindy Project, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Mark Normand
A New Orleans-born, New York-based comedian widely regarded as one of the sharpest joke writers in stand-up today, Mark Normand is a fixture at the Comedy Cellar and co-host of two of comedy’s most popular podcasts. His fifth special, None Too Pleased, premiered on Netflix in March 2026 and landed in the platform’s Top 10 within 24 hours.
Caitlin Peluffo
Originally hailing from San Francisco, Caitlin Peluffo is a stand up comedian living in New York City. This lovable loose cannon has been seen on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and has been featured on Comedy Central. She’s opened for comedians like Matteo Lane, Maria Bamford, Brian Regan, and Fortune Feimster. In 2026, the rest of the country finally started catching up after she was named runner-up on Kevin Hart’s Funny AF on Netflix.
Usama Siddiquee
Usama Siddiquee is a Bengali-American stand-up comedian and actor based in New York. Usama slings jokes on these topics and more with rapid-fire charisma and hilarity. He was featured on the 2020 season of America’s Got Talent. He traveled to Montreal as one of the New Faces at Just For Laughs in 2018. He made his standup television debut on BET’s 50 Central. He has been featured on Showtime’s Desus and Mero, MTV’s News, and Bravo’s Cash Cab. He was a finalist for the 2017 NY’s Funniest Competition at Caroline’s; a finalist in the 2017 NBC Standup Competition; and 1st place winner of the 2016 Laughing Devil Cup Comedy Festival in New York. After being recently named runner-up on Kevin Hart’s Funny AF on Netflix, Usama Siddiquee became one of the breakout discoveries of Netflix Is a Joke Fest 2026.
Chris Turner
Chris Turner, the award-winning comedian and freestyle rapper, was a runner-up on America’s Got Talent Season 20, one of the first comedians to perform a Las Vegas residency with Cirque du Soleil, and the winner of TED’s inaugural Man vs. Machine rap battle against OpenAI’s ChatGPT. A regular at the Comedy Cellar, Turner has amassed more than 125 million views online with his wildly popular improvisational performances.
Emma Willmann
A regular at the Comedy Cellar and part of the inaugural season of Netflix’s The Lineup, Emma Willmann is known for her sharp storytelling, laid-back confidence, and appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Crashing, and The Good Fight.
