The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival Reveals Initial 2026 Headliners

The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival (GOCF) continues to chart its own course as one of North America’s premier destinations for live comedy with the unveiling of the first wave of headliners for the 2026 season. Now entering its sixth consecutive year, the festival has cemented its reputation as a disruptor in the live entertainment space, reimagining how comedy is experienced through its open-air, multi-city format that unites audiences through a shared love of stand-up and the connection it sparks.

This season, the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival is once again set to host some of the biggest names in entertainment. Comedian, actor, and global social media sensation Matt Rife – known for his magnetic stage presence, razor-sharp crowdwork, and viral online clips – will headline across all six GOCF weekends in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Halifax, Calgary, Spokane, and Vancouver, while comedian, actor, and television host Nikki Glaser will headline in Halifax, closing out the weekend alongside Fortune Feimster, and Steph Tolev, with more exciting 2026 lineup reveals to come.

What truly sets The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival apart is the way it builds community beyond the stage. Through The Great Outdoors Community Fund, the festival invests in local charities and organizations that reflect its three core pillars: Arts & Culture, Mental Health, and Sustainability. Each city stop sees meaningful support directed toward initiatives that strengthen local creative industries, foster inclusion, and help create lasting impact long after the curtains close. It’s a model rooted in connection, ensuring that GOCF gives back to the same communities that make the festival experience possible.

As the comedy landscape evolves and audiences seek new ways to connect, the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival stands at the forefront, bridging culture, community, and comedy in a way that feels fresh, inclusive, and unmistakably of this moment.

Great Outdoors Comedy Festival 2026:

EDMONTON, AB | KINSMEN PARK | JULY 17-19

Friday, July 17 – TBA
Saturday, July 18 – Matt Rife & Friends
Sunday, July 19 – TBA

WINNIPEG, MB | ASSINIBOINE PARK | JULY 17-19

Friday, July 17 – TBA
Saturday, July 18 – TBA
Sunday, July 19 – Matt Rife & Friends

HALIFAX, NS | GARRISON GROUNDS | AUGUST 6-9

Thursday, August 6 – Matt Rife & Friends
Friday, August 7 – Matt Rife & Friends
Saturday, August 8 – TBA
Sunday, August 9 – Nikki Glaser, Fortune Feimster, Steph Tolev

CALGARY, AB | PRINCE’S ISLAND PARK | AUGUST 28-30

Friday, August 28 – Matt Rife & Friends
Saturday, August 29 – TBA
Sunday, August 30 – TBA

SPOKANE, WA | ONE SPOKANE STADIUM | AUGUST 28-30

Friday, August 28 – TBA
Saturday, August 29 – Matt Rife & Friends
Sunday, August 30 – TBA

VANCOUVER, BC | STANLEY PARK | AUGUST 28-30

Friday, August 28 – TBA
Saturday, August 29 – TBA
Sunday, August 30 – Matt Rife & Friends