THE GATINEAU COMEDY FESTIVAL ENTERS THE JUST FOR LAUGHS UNIVERSE
September 9, 2026
THE LARGEST NETWORK OF COMEDY FESTIVALS ADDS THE OUTAOUAIS TO ITS TERRITORIES A STRATEGIC ALLIANCE TO GROW AS THE FESTIVAL APPROACHES 10TH ANNIVERSARY
Gatineau, September 9, 2026—The Just for Laughs Group today announced a strategic agreement with the Festival d'humour de Gatineau, through which it will ensure the development and operation of the event under the Just for Laughs brand. On the eve of its 10th anniversary, the festival has reached a new milestone in its history by joining the largest network of comedy festivals and adopting the industry’s most internationally recognized brand, while maintaining its deeply rooted roots in the Outaouais community.
After Montreal, Quebec and Charlevoix, the Outaouais becomes the fourth Quebec territory where Just for Laughs deploys its know-how, in addition to its festivals in Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, Singapore and Bermuda.
A festival built by people from here
In almost ten years, the Gatineau Comedy Festival has established itself as a summer event appreciated by the public, artists and partners of the region. Created and supported by entrepreneurs and builders of the Outaouais, it has carved out a prominent place in the regional cultural landscape. It is this success that Just for laughs wants to grow, with the tools, expertise and network that have made its reputation.
«The Festival d'humour de Gatineau is a success, built with passion by people from here. Our intention is not to change his DNA, but to give him the means to grow even more. We put the strength of the Just for Laughs brand, our expertise, our international network and our synergies at the service of an event already loved and recognized in its region.
When we relaunched Just for Laughs, we said we wanted to build the future of humor from Quebec, in partnership with communities. Gatineau is exactly that kind of story. We arrive with a lot of humility, but also with an immense ambition: to make this festival shine even more, to generate new benefits for the region and to create an unmissable event for the entire national capital region.
It’s not Gatineau that becomes Just for Laughs. It’s Just for Laughs that becomes a bit more Gatinois and a bit more Outaouais.”
- Sylvain Parent-Bédard President and CEO, Just for Laughs Group
A gateway to the National Capital Region
This agreement marks the official arrival of Just for Laughs in the great region of the national capital, connecting Gatineau, the Outaouais and Ottawa. Located in the heart of a bilingual and dynamic market, the festival offers exceptional development potential for partners, festival-goers and tourists, media and television broadcasters, as well as artists from here and elsewhere.
The common objective is clear: to make the event a must-see destination for the summer and significantly increase its tourist, economic and cultural benefits for the entire region.
GROWTH BASED ON COLLABORATION
The development of the festival will be done in close collaboration with its founders, regional and now national partners, cultural institutions, the business community, tourism organizations and local communities.
"The success of the Festival d'humour de Gatineau is based on public trust, the support of our partners and the commitment of an entire community. By joining the Just for Laughs universe, we are giving ourselves the means to see bigger, with a partner who masters this expertise like no other, while remaining faithful to what has made our success from the beginning.”
- Alexandre Van Dieren Founder and owner, Gatineau Comedy Festival
A network of festivals unique in Quebec, Canada and the world
With this announcement, Just for Laughs continues the deployment of its network of festivals and events in Quebec, Canada and internationally. Alongside the events in Montréal, Québec and Charlevoix, the addition of the National Capital Region reinforces an ambitious vision, complementing the festivals in Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, Singapore and Bermuda. The Group thus confirms its role as a world leader in the design and operation of comedy festivals.
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Festival d'humour de Gatineau will prepare a special edition that will mark the beginning of this new era. The details of the programming will be unveiled in the coming months.
SOURCE: Just for laughs | HAHAHA.com
Media Relations: Junior Bombardier | Bombardier Communications
[email protected]
Gatineau, September 9, 2026—The Just for Laughs Group today announced a strategic agreement with the Festival d'humour de Gatineau, through which it will ensure the development and operation of the event under the Just for Laughs brand. On the eve of its 10th anniversary, the festival has reached a new milestone in its history by joining the largest network of comedy festivals and adopting the industry’s most internationally recognized brand, while maintaining its deeply rooted roots in the Outaouais community.
After Montreal, Quebec and Charlevoix, the Outaouais becomes the fourth Quebec territory where Just for Laughs deploys its know-how, in addition to its festivals in Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, Singapore and Bermuda.
A festival built by people from here
In almost ten years, the Gatineau Comedy Festival has established itself as a summer event appreciated by the public, artists and partners of the region. Created and supported by entrepreneurs and builders of the Outaouais, it has carved out a prominent place in the regional cultural landscape. It is this success that Just for laughs wants to grow, with the tools, expertise and network that have made its reputation.
«The Festival d'humour de Gatineau is a success, built with passion by people from here. Our intention is not to change his DNA, but to give him the means to grow even more. We put the strength of the Just for Laughs brand, our expertise, our international network and our synergies at the service of an event already loved and recognized in its region.
When we relaunched Just for Laughs, we said we wanted to build the future of humor from Quebec, in partnership with communities. Gatineau is exactly that kind of story. We arrive with a lot of humility, but also with an immense ambition: to make this festival shine even more, to generate new benefits for the region and to create an unmissable event for the entire national capital region.
It’s not Gatineau that becomes Just for Laughs. It’s Just for Laughs that becomes a bit more Gatinois and a bit more Outaouais.”
- Sylvain Parent-Bédard President and CEO, Just for Laughs Group
A gateway to the National Capital Region
This agreement marks the official arrival of Just for Laughs in the great region of the national capital, connecting Gatineau, the Outaouais and Ottawa. Located in the heart of a bilingual and dynamic market, the festival offers exceptional development potential for partners, festival-goers and tourists, media and television broadcasters, as well as artists from here and elsewhere.
The common objective is clear: to make the event a must-see destination for the summer and significantly increase its tourist, economic and cultural benefits for the entire region.
GROWTH BASED ON COLLABORATION
The development of the festival will be done in close collaboration with its founders, regional and now national partners, cultural institutions, the business community, tourism organizations and local communities.
"The success of the Festival d'humour de Gatineau is based on public trust, the support of our partners and the commitment of an entire community. By joining the Just for Laughs universe, we are giving ourselves the means to see bigger, with a partner who masters this expertise like no other, while remaining faithful to what has made our success from the beginning.”
- Alexandre Van Dieren Founder and owner, Gatineau Comedy Festival
A network of festivals unique in Quebec, Canada and the world
With this announcement, Just for Laughs continues the deployment of its network of festivals and events in Quebec, Canada and internationally. Alongside the events in Montréal, Québec and Charlevoix, the addition of the National Capital Region reinforces an ambitious vision, complementing the festivals in Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, Singapore and Bermuda. The Group thus confirms its role as a world leader in the design and operation of comedy festivals.
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Festival d'humour de Gatineau will prepare a special edition that will mark the beginning of this new era. The details of the programming will be unveiled in the coming months.
SOURCE: Just for laughs | HAHAHA.com
Media Relations: Junior Bombardier | Bombardier Communications
[email protected]