NIAJ Fest Gets Los Angeles In on the Joke With Free Pop-Up Events

Netflix Is a Joke Fest is, once again, putting the ‘LA’ back in ‘laugh.’

Taking place May 4-10, the festival returns — bolder, funnier and more star-studded than ever! The ultimate celebration of humor, Netflix's global comedy brand returns for its third iteration to transform Los Angeles into the epicenter of laughter. This week-long extravaganza, produced by Netflix in partnership with Live Nation, brings together comedy's biggest names and rising stars for unforgettable experiences across LA's most iconic venues. 

This year, the world’s biggest comedy giants will join forces to entertain fans. With over 350 live events, the festival features stand-up, variety shows, top comedy podcasts, tapings, exclusive events and screenings, and talent from some of your favorite Netflix series and films, embodying the diverse comedy landscape Netflix is known for. 

And this year, the city of Angels is getting in on the joke. In a tribute to Los Angeles, we’re putting on a special series of free Comedy for the Community stand-up shows to support Altadena & Eaton Fire Relief following the devastating 2025 wildfire that destroyed more than 9,000 buildings. Hosted by Deon Cole from May 4-8, every show promises an unforgettable night of comedy with surprise line-ups featuring the biggest stars. Every night, guests can arrive early and enjoy a festive pre-show reception with food, music and Altadena vendors to bring awareness to local businesses. 

All five nights will take place at Altadena’s outpost of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international fraternal nonprofit dedicated to fellowship, charity, and community service. In addition to hosting this series of free shows, we also paid to have the lodge painted and bought new chairs and patio furniture for the venue.

Half of all tickets for these events go directly to fire victims in partnership with The Greenline Housing Foundation, who connected us with local community organizations such as the NAACP, The Eaton Fire Collaborative, Altadena Community Preservation Fund, Altadena for Accountability, and Friends In Deed. 

Beyond the city lines of Altadena, we’re also sponsoring 78 free pop-up shows at a wide range of venues from diners and dive bars to breweries, book stores and, yes, literal backyards. To make sure every Angelino gets in a good laugh, these shows span both the city and county of Los Angeles, from the Valley all the way down to the South Bay. No long commute required (unless you’re into that sort of thing).

These shows are all hosted and curated by local comedians in the independent spaces that keep the city’s comedy scene in stitches between festivals and sold-out shows. Many of these Angelinos have been running their own shows for years, like Lindsey Adams, Mike Joyce and Sam and Will Miles at The Monday Show in Eagle Rock. Their long-running weekly comedy show at Señor Fish was created to support the neighborhood restaurant and give comics a welcoming, consistent room on the Eastside. Or Mike Menendez, whose Feelez show in Los Feliz literally started in a living room, where he sold food from the kitchen just to break even, so he could guarantee comics a consistent place to perform and experiment.

Thanks to Netflix’s support, some of these shows will be free to join for the first time, like Pupusas & Punchlines at Juraguá in Hollywood. Tickets usually cost around $12, but with Netflix covering costs during the festival, Justin Alexio can turn this into a free event so nearby residents — who might not have been able to attend before — can finally pop in.

To get in on the joke, check out the full Netflix Is a Joke lineup here.