Riyadh is all set to welcome the Riyadh Comedy Festival opening tomorrow, Friday, September 26, and running through October 9, 2025.
According to the organizers, the Riyadh Comedy Festival will be the world’s largest comedy festival.
The Riyadh Comedy Festival has so far attracted over 50 A-category comedians across the world, including the biggest American names in comedy, but fans on social media are urging them to speak out against the country’s human rights violations.
The lineup includes some of North America’s most popular comedians, along with comics from Europe and elsewhere featured on the bill, including Dave Chapelle, Kevin Hart, and Bill Burr.
However, before the festival even started, the controversies had surrounded the event with internet users criticizing the festival’s censorship environment - not allowing the comedians to highlight the human rights abuses in the country.
Zach Woods recently criticized performers like Bill Burr, while Tim Dillon's name was dropped from the festival lineup over controversial jokes, spotlighting the festival’s censorship environment.
The Riyadh festival is hitting the stage with over 50 international comedians performing stand-up, satire, and sketch comedy.
The festival will be putting Riyadh on the world stage as the home for creativity, bold comedic talent, and culture. Here’s everything you can expect from the Riyadh Comedy Festival.
Laughter is no doubt the best medicine, and anyone in Riyadh can experience its power firsthand at Hittin’s open-air Boulevard City.
However, a second venue has also been added to the Riyad Comedy Festival, ANB Arena.
The event is about to take over the Saudi capital from Friday, September 26, 2025, until October 9, 2025.
The organizers of the Riyadh Comedy Festival have billed the event as part of Saudi Arabia’s effort to broaden its entertainment sector under its vision 2030.
