#FIRSTLOOK: JUST FOR LAUGHS VANCOUVER WELCOME DAVID LETTERMAN AND ZACH GALIFIANAKIS

Just For Laughs VANCOUVER is pleased to announce that legendary comedian and award-winning talk show host David Letterman will make his Just For Laughs debut at the Festival next month, marking his first Canadian performance since 1978. One of the most influential figures in late-night television, Letterman will appear at the 10th edition of Just For Laughs VANCOUVER with “An Evening with David Letterman and Special Guest Zach Galifianakis,” a very special in-conversation event between two extraordinary comedy legends, on February 18, 2026 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome David Letterman to Just For Laughs VANCOUVER. He is one of the defining voices in comedy history, and to be able to pair him with Zach Galifianakis for a show like this is incredibly special for us and for comedy fans in Vancouver,” said Nick Brazao, VP of Programming & Talent, Just For Laughs.

“As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, I couldn’t imagine a more fitting way to honour a decade of bringing world-class comedy to Vancouver than by welcoming David Letterman and Zach Galifianakis to the festival,” said Heather Wallace, Founding Partner and Festival Director of Just For Laughs VANCOUVER. “This year’s lineup is packed with exceptional local and international talent, and we’re proud to keep delivering these incredible moments to the fans who make Vancouver such a vibrant comedy city.”

Tickets for “An Evening with David Letterman and Special Guest Zach Galifianakis” will go on pre-sale tomorrow, Tuesday, January 20 at 10AM PT, followed by the general public sale on Wednesday, January 21 at 10AM PT at JFLVancouver.com. To access the pre-sale, subscribe to the Just For Laughs VANCOUVER mailing list at JFLVancouver.com. Tickets for the full Festival lineup are available now.

Artist Bios
David Letterman
Over 33 years on late-night television, David Letterman was the longest-running late-night broadcaster in American history. As a writer, performer, and producer, Letterman is one of the most-nominated individuals in Emmy Award history, with 52 nominations, resulting in 10 wins. Letterman is also a two-time Peabody-Award winner and a Kennedy Center Honoree. Letterman produced the Disney+ docu-special, Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman (2023). Letterman can currently be seen hosting My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, the Emmy-winning interview show streaming on Netflix, featuring guests including Barack Obama, Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, JAY-Z, Robert Downey Jr., Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dave Chappelle, Miley Cyrus, Caitlin Clark, Billie Eilish, and Adam Sandler.

Zach Galifianakis
After failing his last college course by one point at North Carolina State University, Zach Galifianakis moved to New York City. He got his start performing his brand of humour in the back of a hamburger joint in Times Square, graduating to doing stand-up in nightclubs and coffee houses across the city. While working as a busboy, he got his first acting job on the sitcom “Boston Common.” An eclectic career has followed.

Zach is most well-known from THE HANGOVER trilogy with additional credits including THE CAMPAIGN, DUE DATE, IT’S A FUNNY KIND OF STORY, DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS, INTO THE WILD and THE BEANIE BUBBLE. Feature animation credits include G-FORCE, RON’S GONE WRONG and most recently LILO AND STITCH. Zach created the critically-acclaimed series “Baskets,” which garnered him an Emmy nomination, and starred in the comedy “Bored to Death.” He also hosted the VH1 talk show “Late World With Zach,” as well as wrote and starred in “Dog Bites Man” for Comedy Central. He hosted the Emmy-winning internet talk show “Between Two Ferns” on which he interviewed such guests as President Barack Obama, Brad Pitt, Steve Carell, Natalie Portman, Conan O’Brien and Justin Bieber.

Zach recurred on season four of “Only Murders in the Building” and next up will be seen in the dark comedy thriller, THE GALLERIST, which will premiere at Sundance this year. He also recently completed production on the upcoming AMC series, THE AUDACITY, as well as the Taika Waititi pilot VERY YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN for FX as ‘Dr. Frankenstein.’

Just For Laughs VANCOUVER is proud to welcome its partners Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia, Destination Vancouver, SiriusXM Canada, B.C. Lottery Corporation, Stanley Park Brewing, NUTRL, Downtown Van, Vancouver Sun, The Province, DailyHive and Curiocity to its 10 Year celebration and 2026 event.

ABOUT JUST FOR LAUGHS VANCOUVER:
Just For Laughs VANCOUVER is one of Canada’s largest and most renowned comedy festivals, showcasing an extraordinary lineup of top-tier comedic talent from around the globe. Spanning multiple venues across the city, the festival brings Vancouver to life with a celebration of all things comedy. Over the years, Just For Laughs VANCOUVER has welcomed some of the biggest names in comedy, including Jerry Seinfeld, John Mulaney, Bill Burr, Trevor Noah, Hannah Gadsby, Marc Maron, The Office Ladies, Wanda Sykes, Margaret Cho, Maria Bamford, Ronny Chieng, and many more. In addition to hosting global megastars, the festival proudly fosters homegrown talent with its wildly popular curated series, Best of the West, shining a spotlight on the exceptional comedians emerging from Vancouver and beyond. With a legacy of unforgettable performances and a reputation for curating both established icons and rising stars, Just For Laughs VANCOUVER continues to solidify its place as a premier destination for comedy fans.

Just For Laughs VANCOUVER is a co-production between Just For Laughs and B.C. based company NorthWest Comedy. For more information, please visit