ImprovFestivals.orgOttawa Improv Festival
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | May 28-30, 2026 |
| Location | Ottawa, ON, Canada |
| Language | English |
| Organizer | The Improv Embassy |
| Website | ottawaimprovfest.com |
| Ottawa Improv Festival | |
| @ottawaimprovfestival |
Overview
The Ottawa Improv Festival (OIF) is an annual improvised comedy festival produced by The Improv Embassy, Ottawa's volunteer-run non-profit improv theatre school. The festival features local, national, and international performers across three nights of shows, workshops, and social events at Arts Court Theatre in Canada's capital.
First held in 2016, the festival ran annually through 2020, drawing sold-out crowds at Arts Court Theatre. After a hiatus during the pandemic years, OIF returned in 2024 and has continued as a late-May fixture. The festival aims to "inspire the Ottawa community to expand and grow the art of improv by offering awe-inspiring shows, world-class workshops and a great hang."
Headliners
The 2026 edition includes Toronto-based improviser and actor Kris Siddiqi (CBC's TallBoyz, Bad Dog Theatre) as a headliner. Additional acts are listed on the festival's show schedule page.
Workshops
The festival offers workshops for both beginners and experienced improvisers, led by visiting and local teachers. Past topics have included clownprov, sketch, and solo improv.
Submissions
The 2026 submission window ran from January 27 to February 23. The festival seeks "acts that bring something unique to the stage or push the boundaries of existing formats" and is open to Ottawa, Canadian, and international applicants.