As new parent company ComediHa! rebrands as Just For Entertainment

Quebec’s comedy festival is to be renamed Just For Laughs after its organisers snapped up the brand name.

The event, that has been running since 1997, was previously known as ComediHa! Fest-Québec.

Parent company ComediHa!, which is based in the city, acquired Just For Laughs in June, after the well-known Montreal-based enterprise collapsed, having racked up losses of £4.5million in the first ten months of last year. One contributing factor was the Just For Laughs festival held in the O2 Arena in London last year which tanked, racking up a £450,000 loss.

ComediHa! Group will now be known as Just For Entertainment following the acquisition and to reflect the fact it also produces major musical events and digital content.

ComediHa! president and founder Sylvain Parent-Bédard said: ‘Last June, our group acquired the biggest comedy brand on the planet, Just For Laughs. I’m proud that the head office of the world’s number one comedy group will now be based in Quebec City.’

His company put together a reduced Just For Laughs in Montreal in July, with forthcoming events in Sydney, Bermuda and Vancouver.

It will also return to Toronto and Montreal, while Just For Laughs Festival-Quebec City  will run from August 6 to 17 next year.

Published: 18 Oct 2024