2025 FESTIVAL LINE-UP

Saturday, July 26
10:30am - 12:00pm
Location provided after purchase

Join Borscht Belt Museum archivist Allen Frishman for a classic bagels-and-lox breakfast and private tour of his home, a veritable museum chockablock with ephemera saved from oblivion. An author, preservationist and former building inspector for the town of Fallsburg, Frishman rescued countless objects -- telephone switchboards, bungalow kitchens, swizzle sticks and hotel signs -- before the bulldozers arrived. Many of them make up the Borscht Belt Museum's core collection.

Saturday, July 26
11:00am - 12:00pm
Location TBA

What made 1950s audiences gasp then roar? Comics brave enough to shatter society’s rules about stage speech.

The Borscht Belt bred revolution. Sharp audiences craved raw rebellion from fearless performers—Sahl, Bruce, Hackett, Rivers—who turned comedy into defiance.

These weren’t jokes but cultural grenades thrown at polite society. The Belt launched this dangerous breed into America’s spotlight, forever changing what we laugh at.

Saturday, July 26
11:30am - 12:30pm
Borscht Belt Museum
90 Canal Street

Join curator Debra Schmidt Bach for an intimate tour of the museum's new exhibition, "And Such Small Portions!," which explores the intersection of food and comedy in the Catskills Resort era. A veteran curator at the New-York Historical Society, Schmidt Bach and her curatorial team have crafted an entertaining and delicious journey through the foodways and comedic culture of the Borscht Belt.

Saturday, July 26
12:00pm - 1:15pm
Shadowland Stages

The latest and greatest in the grand tradition of standup comedy returns! We’re kicking off the festival with an audience favorite, The Borscht Belt Classic. This show delivers the unmistakable flavor of Catskills comedy, performed by comedians of all generations.

Hosted by Bob Greenberg, featuring Beth Farber, Willie Zabar, and Robin Fox.

Saturday, July 26
12:30pm - 1:45pm
Location TBA

Join us for You Can’t Teach a Fish to Whistle, a knockout short play by Joey Novick starring four fierce women serving up sharp wit, heart, and hilarity at their weekly mahjong game. Nominated for Best Short Play at both the One Act/Act One Theatre Festival and NY Theatre Festival Winterfest.

Then, stay for a comedy panel featuring Carole Montgomery, - Creator of Funny Women of a Certain Age, Ellen Karis, Nancy Redman, Marla Schultz, and Jason Pollock*, sharing stories and insights from decades of breaking barriers in the comedy world.

Saturday, July 26
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Borscht Belt Museum
90 Canal Street

Join curator Debra Schmidt Bach for an intimate tour of the museum's exhibition, "And Such Small Portions!," which explores the intersection of food and comedy in the Catskills Resort era. A veteran exhibition director and museum curator, Schmidt Bach and her curatorial team have crafted an entertaining and delicious journey through the foodways and comedic culture of the Borscht Belt.

Saturday, July 26
3:00pm - 4:00pm
The Common Good
119 Canal Street

Come share your favorite Catskill memories at a Borscht Belt-themed "Story Slam." Sign up for a chance to tell a true, personal 5-minute story about your time in the Catskills. Inspired by The Moth Story Hour, story-teller names will be drawn at random for a chance to pay tribute to those wonderful bygone days and nights. Whether your story is funny, poignant, or wistful, we're sure the audience will love our story-slam trip through time as they vote for the best story. The winning storyteller will receive a prize. Following ticket purchase, email dan@borschtbeltmuseum.org to enter the storytelling contest.

Saturday, July 26
3:00pm - 4:15pm
Shadowland Stages
157 Canal Street

Lucie Pohl’s Immigrant Jam Comedy is New York's longest running immigrant comedy show, a NY Times Critics Pick, Time Out NY Critic's Pick, seen at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the New York Comedy Festival and more. Immigrant Jam features NYC’s funniest immigrant and 1st gen comics, who will make you laugh so hard you’ll wish you were born somewhere else. Guaranteed not to have stolen any of your jobs, Immigrant Jam celebrates the beauty of everything cross cultural, deliciously different and not from here.

Saturday, July 26
3:30pm - 4:40pm
Location TBA

Drummer Eve Sicular explores Borscht Belt music where Yiddish sounds defined summer romance and identity. Catskills resorts blended klezmer with Hollywood glamour, creating unique fusion capturing Jewish-American experience. Sicular, the leader of the band Isle of Klezbos, reveals how music became mountain anthems—tearjerkers and comedy moving audiences. Through clips and demos, discover melodies flowing from theaters to poolsides, exploring composers making Yiddish music integral to Borscht Belt experience.

Saturday, July 26
5:00pm - 6:15pm
Shadowland Stages
157 Canal Street

Join host and Ellenville native David Lonstein for an original show where comedians perform and then auction off mystery memorabilia and artifacts without being able to say exactly what the things are. It’s like charades but with real treasures donated by local business. Featuring standup comedy from: Igor Martinez, Hannah Lieberman, Jason King, and Matt Storrs

Saturday, July 26
5:30pm - 6:45pm
Location TBA

Sandy Hackett, Guy Richards, and Jeff Capri bring their own stand-up followed by a Q&A panel filled with laughs and backstage stories. Sons of legends Buddy Hackett, Sal Richards, and Dick Capri, they share what it was like growing up with comedy royalty—from dinner table punchlines to Catskills hijinks. Hear how the Borscht Belt shaped their lives and careers in this heartfelt, hilarious tribute to family, legacy, and the golden age of American comedy.

Saturday, July 26
7:00pm - 8:15pm
Shadowland Stages
157 Canal Street

Retired Nevele bellhop Alejandro Morales has some very special guests to check in to the festival! Share some laughs with a handful of talented out-of-owners hand-picked by the Borscht Belt Museum’s own comedy curator. Featuring standup comedy from: Rachel Barnes, Emily Epstein, Dorian Vasquez, Matt Hyams, and Alejandro Morales

Saturday, July 26
9:00pm - 10:15pm
Shadowland Stages
157 Canal Street

Josh Gondelman is a writer and comedian who incubated in Boston before moving to New York City, where he currently lives and recently worked as the head writer and an executive producer for Desus & Mero on Showtime. Gondelman also contributed to the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which was a thrill for both him and his parents. Prior to that, he spent five years at Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, first as a web producer and then as a staff writer where he earned four Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, and three WGA Awards. His debut standup special People Pleaser (2022) was produced by Comedy Dynamics and is available to stream now.

Sunday, July 27
10:30am - 11:30am
Borscht Belt Museum
90 Canal Street

Join curator Debra Schmidt Bach for an intimate tour of the museum's new exhibition, "And Such Small Portions!," which explores the intersection of food and comedy in the Catskills Resort era. A veteran curator at the New-York Historical Society, Schmidt Bach and her curatorial team have crafted an entertaining and delicious journey through the foodways and comedic culture of the Borscht Belt.

Sunday, July 27
11:00am - 12:00pm
The Common Good
119 Canal Street

Come share your favorite Catskill memories at a Borscht Belt-themed "Story Slam." Sign up for a chance to tell a true, personal 5-minute story about your time in the Catskills. Inspired by The Moth Story Hour, story-teller names will be drawn at random for a chance to pay tribute to those wonderful bygone days and nights. Whether your story is funny, poignant, or wistful, we're sure the audience will love our story-slam trip through time as they vote for the best story. The winning storyteller will receive a prize. Following ticket purchase, email dan@borschtbeltmuseum.org to enter the storytelling contest.

Sunday, July 27
11:00am - 12:00pm
Location TBA

Discover the hidden culinary treasures of Upstate New York! Author June Hersh reveals how Jewish kitchens in the Catskills created uniquely American cuisine—from legendary Borscht Belt brisket to iconic bagels. Join serial entrepreneur Mike Dalewitz as he bridges tradition with modern dining through his authentic deli. Together, they’ll share stories, reinvented recipes, and insider knowledge from the rolling hills where food history was made.

Sunday, July 27
12:00pm - 1:15pm
Shadowland Stages
157 Canal Street

Another generous helping of the old-school comedy you know and love. Sunday’s Borscht Belt Classic features a chuckle-worthy mix of the past and the present of standup comedy.

Sunday, July 27
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Location TBA

The Catskills once rang with the crackling energy of Borscht Belt comedy—fast-paced, fearless, and wildly influential. That legacy lives on in the writers’ rooms of television’s most iconic shows, where timing is king and every laugh is earned.

Join comedy veterans Eddie Brill (Late Show with David Letterman), JR Havlan (The Daily Show), and Rich Francese (Saturday Night Live) as they take you behind the scenes of TV’s toughest and funniest creative spaces. Hear what it takes to write the jokes that keep America laughing.

Sunday, July 27
1:00pm - 2:00pm
The Common Good
119 Canal Street

Join acclaimed author Gary Shteyngart for a lively and thought-provoking conversation on the intersection of writing, Jewish identity, and cultural memory. In a discussion moderated by Aaron Hicklin, director of the Deep Water Literary Festival, Shteyngart will reflect on his literary journey, from his early days in Leningrad and summers at a Catskills bungalow colony, to his rise as one of America’s most celebrated novelists, and explore the lasting influence of Jewish heritage and the Catskills on his work. With humor, insight, and sharp wit, this promises to be a highlight of the festival.

Sunday, July 27
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Borscht Belt Museum
90 Canal Street

Join curator Debra Schmidt Bach for an intimate tour of the museum's exhibition, "And Such Small Portions!," which explores the intersection of food and comedy in the Catskills Resort era. A veteran exhibition director and museum curator, Schmidt Bach and her curatorial team have crafted an entertaining and delicious journey through the foodways and comedic culture of the Borscht Belt.

Sunday, July 27
2:00pm - 3:15pm
Shadowland Stages
157 Canal Street

Get ready for an unforgettable afternoon of intelligent, uplifting, and side-splitting comedy with Bob Alper—a performer unlike any other on the stand-up circuit. With 38 years of experience making people laugh across the globe, Bob has carved out a truly singular space in the comedy world. He’s not just a comedian; he’s also an ordained rabbi with a Doctor of Ministry degree from The Princeton Theological Seminary. This rare combination of spiritual depth and comedic talent has allowed Bob to connect with audiences in a way that’s both hilarious and deeply human.

Sunday, July 27
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Location TBA

A dynamic conversation with New Yorker cartoonists Liana Finck, David Ostow, Asher Perlman and Avi Steinberg, exploring the role of Jewish humor, past and present, in shaping American comedy and cartooning. Panelists will share insights into their creative process, from developing ideas and captions to navigating the fine line between clever and confusing.

Sunday, July 27
4:00pm - 5:15pm
Shadowland Stages
157 Canal Street

Meet SARGE: a larger-than-life, biracial Jewish comedian who went from homeless addict to headlining Radio City Music Hall. Born in Miami Beach to a Jewish mother and Black father, adopted and raised on Long Island, he discovered his musical genius at age 6. After a dark spiral into addiction, he got clean in 1990 and never looked back. Now, he’s a rapid-fire comic compared to Don Rickles, a self-taught piano savant, and a motivational speaker bringing “Comedy Therapy” to recovery centers nationwide.

Sunday, July 27
6:00pm - 7:15pm
Shadowland Stages
157 Canal Street

Elon Gold is a comedian, actor, and writer whose one-hour Netflix stand-up special Chosen & Taken received acclaim from audiences and peers alike. Known for his sharp wit and spot-on impressions, he has appeared on The Tonight Show and The Late Late Show with James Corden. He stars in the upcoming films Trust Me, I’m a Doctor and The Badchan. His hit podcast Stars of David is the #1 Jewish podcast in America. Gold blends clever observations with hilarious characters, delivering high-energy, smart, and relatable comedy that appeals to a wide range of audiences.