Turki Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, has announced the launch of the inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival, set to take place at Boulevard City in the Saudi capital from September 26 to October 9.
The festival will feature more than 50 leading comedians from around the world, making it the largest event of its kind. Headlining the festival is Kevin Hart, the Hollywood actor and 2024 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Comedy. Hart, whose films have topped the box office eleven times, will be joined by other prominent performers, reports Al-Rai daily.
British comedian and television personality Jimmy Carr, a winner of the Royal Television Society and British Comedy Awards, will also take the stage. The lineup includes Zarna Garg, a bestselling author; Andrew Schultz, known for his hit Netflix special LIFE; Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, whose recent Netflix show topped viewership charts in early 2025; and Whitney Cummings, creator of 2 Broke Girls and star of the NBC sitcom Whitney.
Additional performers include Sebastian Maniscalco, named Billboard’s top comedy tour of 2025; Bill Burr, an Emmy and Grammy nominee; Jo Koy, one of the highest-grossing comedians worldwide; Australian star Jim Jefferies; Jessica Kirson, known for appearances on The Tonight Show and The View; Russell Peters, listed among Rolling Stone’s 50 Greatest Comedians of All Time; and Maz Jobrani, who has appeared in popular shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm and Last Man Standing.
More international names will be revealed soon as anticipation builds for this landmark two-week event in Riyadh.
