Join us for an unforgettable journey of comedy and competition
and witness the rise of Canada’s next comedy star!
Get ready for a laugh-filled extravaganza with “Sorry! Comedy’s Next Best Comic Search”, a thrilling contest set to electrify the Sorry! Comedy Festival. Spanning eight weeks, this competition will feature over 500 comedians from 9 cities across Canada delivering their best jokes, each vying for a spot in the Grand Finale.
DETAILS OF THE CONTEST:
• Duration: Eight weeks of intense comedy showdowns.
• Participants: Each region will host 50-60 comedians showcasing their finest material. Each week two winners will progress to their local Regional Finals. One winner from each region, as well as 2 total wildcard selections, will be sent to the festival to participate in the Grand Finale, and other festival shows. (Travel & Accommodations paid for)
• Weekly Winners: Each region will send TWO comics to participate in the Regional Finals.
• Grand Finale: The climactic Grand Finale will kick off the 2026 Festival on Wednesday, November 4th at TBD in London, Ontario.
The ULTIMATE PRIZE awaits the WINNER of the Grand Finale: a coveted opening set for 1 of the 4 Sorry! Comedy Festival Headliners during the Festival and $1000 (CDN). Three runner ups will receive opening spots on remaining Main Stage Events.
Sorry! Comedy’s Next Best Comic Search:
Contest Rules and Sign-up
Contest Rules and Regulations
1. OVERVIEW:
Welcome to Sorry! Comedy’s Next Best Comic Search Contest! This exciting competition will showcase the talents of over 500 comedians over the course of 8 weeks in 9 cities across Canada. Below are the detailed rules and regulations for the contest.
2. CONTEST SCHEDULE AND STRUCTURE:
Duration: The contest will run for 5-8 consecutive weeks, starting September 2026 and concluding on October 2026 (exact dates vary by region)
Venue: Qualifying Venue will vary from city to city and will become the hub of hilarity throughout the competition.
Format: Each night will feature performances by up to 10 different comedians. Each performer is allotted exactly 5-minutes to present their best material.
Performance Time: Performers MUST adhere to the 5-minute limit for their set.
3. VOTING PROCESS
Audience Participation: Audience members will select winners by voting for their three favorite comedians from the performances each night. Each audience member is allowed to cast a maximum of three votes.
Vote Deduction Policy: To ensure fairness and maintain schedule, there will be a deduction of 10 votes for every 30 seconds a performer goes over the allotted 5-minute time limit.
4. ADVANCEMENT TO FINALS:
Nightly Winners: At the end of each contest night, the two comedians with the highest number of votes will be declared the Nightly Winners. These individuals will earn a spot in the Regional Finals of the competition.
The winner of each cities Regional Finals will be sent to the Grand Finale at the festival (Travel and accommodation covered)
Wildcard Selections: Two Wildcard spots will also be selected from contest participants by producer nominations to participate in the Grand Finale.
Grand Finale Date: The Grand Finale will be held on Wednesday, November 4th 2026 at TBD in London, ON. The Regional Finals winners from each city as well as the two wildcard selections will compete in the final round.
5. LIKENESS RIGHTS
Sorry! Comedy Festival will also potentially use participants likeness and performance in promotional materials, social media, all other media, and more.
Likeness Rights: Contestants agree that, by entering the contest, they grant the Sorry! Comedy Festival a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, broadcast, and display their name, image, likeness, voice, biographical information, and any submitted materials in connection with the promotion, production, and distribution of the contest and related television programming, in any media now known or hereafter developed, without further compensation or notice, except where prohibited by law. Contestants waive any right to inspect or approve the final content and release the Sorry! Comedy Festival and its affiliates from any claims arising out of such use, including claims for invasion of privacy, right of publicity, or defamation.
6. GENERAL RULES:
Adherence to Time Limits: All performers must strictly adhere to their 5-minute time limit. Overrunning the time will result in vote deductions as outlined in the voting process.
Performance Integrity: Performers are expected to deliver original and engaging material. Any form of plagiarism or violation of the contest’s ethical standards may result in disqualification.
Conduct: Participants and audience members are expected to maintain respectful and professional conduct throughout the event.
Voting: Any participant caught being involved in any way with any attempt at fraudulent voting activity can be removed from the contest.
Participation: All contest participants agree to promote the contest and festival to the best of their ability.
We wish all contestants the best of luck and look forward to an entertaining and memorable competition. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please email Sorry! Comedy Festival Talent Coordinator Cameron Avery.
cavery@sorrycomedyfest.com
