2025 FESTIVAL LINE-UP

Saturday, July 26
10:30am - 12:00pm
Location sent with ticket confirmation

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.

FREE
Saturday July 26 12-3pm
Sunday, July 27 11-2pm
Borscht Belt Museum
90 Canal Street

Tell your Borscht Belt story! Sign up for a 20–30 minute oral history interview and help the Borscht Belt Museum keep the memories alive.
The Borscht Belt Museum is dedicated to preserving the rich history and vibrant memories of the Borscht Belt resort hotels and bungalow colonies that once thrived in the Catskills. We invite you to share your unique stories and memories.

BORSCHT BELT TALK
Saturday, July 26
11:00am - 12:00pm
The Annex
83 Canal Street

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.

COMEDY SHOW
Saturday, July 26
12:00pm - 1:15pm
Shadowland Studio
14 Market Street

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, Jeffrey Gurian, and Emily Epstein White.

COMEDY SHOW & PANEL
Saturday, July 26
12:30pm - 1:45pm
The Annex
83 Canal Street

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
Tony & Nick’s, 162 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.

Hosted by Borscht Belt alum Julia Arenson.

COMEDY SHOW
Saturday, July 26
3:00pm - 4:15pm
Shadowland Studio
14 Market 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.

FREE

Every 15 minutes: Saturday, July 26 between 3-4:15PM IS FULLY BOOKED
Sunday, July 27 between 10-12PM and 1-3PM IS OPEN FOR RESERVATION
At the Barter Boat in the parking lot at 108 Canal Street

Got a Catskills keepsake? Donate it at the Borscht Belt Tchotchke Roadshow!

The Borscht Belt Museum is collecting Borscht Belt memorabilia — from hotel matchbooks and expired resort IDs to camp T-shirts, family recipe cards, postcards, viewfinders, old vacation photos, glamorous gowns from Catskills resort shows, and more.

The whole process takes just 15 minutes: donate off your item, we'll record a video of you telling its Catskills story, and preserve Borscht Belt history.

(This event is a collaboration with The Barter Boat. Only original items will be accepted, not scans or photocopies.)

BORSCHT BELT TALK
Saturday, July 26
3:30pm - 4:30pm
The Annex
83 Canal Street

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.

BORSCHT BELT TALK
Saturday, July 26
4:30pm - 5:45pm
Tony & Nick’s
162 Canal Street

Alongside their many differences, accomplished author Eileen Pollack (The Bible of Dirty Jokes, The Rabbi in the Attic), and new authors, Lita Slutsky Newman Moses (The Red Hotel: Tribute to a Lost World) and Dr. Arnold Rugg (A Vet's Life in Dog Years) share their common connection to the Catskills resort era. 

Daniel Noah Moses, historian, educator, author and scion of the Slutsky clan, moderates this discussion around memory, struggle, joy, and love.

AWARD RECEPTION, FILM & PANEL
Saturday, July 26
4:30pm - 7:30pm
Borscht Belt Museum
90 Canal Street

Join us for an unforgettable evening of laughter, legacy, and legendary storytelling as the Borscht Belt Museum proudly honors comedy icon Robert Klein.

Enjoy a special screening of the acclaimed documentary Robert Klein Still Can’t Stop His Leg, a panel discussion with Klein, director Marshall Fine, and, New York Times journalist and Borscht Belt Museum Board President Andrew Jacobs.

The night culminates with a celebratory award presentation by beloved comedian Josh Gondelman, paying tribute to Klein’s indelible mark on American comedy and his deep ties to the Borscht Belt legacy, with cocktails and lite bites.

A limited number of reception-only tickets are available here.

COMEDY SHOW
Saturday, July 26
5:00pm - 6:15pm
Shadowland Studio
14 Market 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

COMEDY SHOW AND TALK
Saturday, July 26
5:30pm - 6:45pm
The Annex
83 Canal Street

Sandy Hackett 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 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.

COMEDY SHOW
Saturday, July 26
7:00pm - 8:15pm
Shadowland Studio
14 Market 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 White, Dorian Vasquez, Matt Hyams, and Alejandro Morales

COMEDY SHOW
Saturday, July 26
9:00pm - 10:15pm
Shadowland Studio
14 Market 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.

Saturday, July 26
6:00 - 9:00pm
The Common Good
119 Canal Street

“Not Your Motha's "Dating Game!" The Jewish Dating Game is a hilarious interactive game show with delicious prizes. Hosted by modern matchmaker Linnea Sage. Watch sparks fly or sign up to be a contestant! A night of joy, fun, and love for Jews and allies, singles and couples alike.

The show runs 6:00–7:30 PM, followed by a single mingle and raffle featuring more prizes from local Jewish vendors.

Want to be a contestant? Buy a ticket and fill out this form to apply.

All tickets include one cocktail. VIP tickets include front row seats and merch.

COMEDY SHOW

Sunday, July 27
2:00pm - 3:15pm
Shadowland Studio
14 Market 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.

COMEDY SHOW

Sunday, July 27
4:00pm - 5:15pm
Shadowland Studio
14 Market 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.

COMEDY SHOW

Sunday, July 27
6:00pm - 7:15pm
Shadowland Studio
14 Market 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.

FREE

Every 15 minutes on Saturday, July 26 between 3-4:15PM
& Sunday, July 27 10-12PM and 1-3PM
At the Barter Boat in the parking lot at 108 Canal Street

Got a Catskills keepsake? Bring it!

The Borscht Belt Museum is collecting Borscht Belt memorabilia — from hotel matchbooks and expired resort IDs to camp T-shirts, family recipe cards, postcards, viewfinders, old vacation photos and glamorous gowns from Catskills resort shows.

The whole process takes just 15 minutes: drop off your item, we'll record a video of you telling its Catskills story, and preserve history.

(This event is a collaboration with The Barter Boat. Only original items will be accepted, not scans or photocopies.)

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.

FREE
Saturday July 26 12-3pm
Sunday, July 27 11am-2pm
Borscht Belt Museum
90 Canal Street

Tell your Borscht Belt story! Sign up for a 20–30 minute oral history interview and help the Borscht Belt Museum keep the memories alive.
The Borscht Belt Museum is dedicated to preserving the rich history and vibrant memories of the Borscht Belt resort hotels and bungalow colonies that once thrived in the Catskills. We invite you to share your unique stories and memories.

Sunday, July 27
11:00am - 12:00pm
The Annex
83 Canal Street

Discover the hidden culinary treasures of upstate New York. Author June Hersh reveals how Jewish kitchens in the Catskills created uniquely American cuisine—from Borscht Belt brisket to iconic bagels. With serial entrepreneur Mike Dalewitz of Borscht Belt Deli and NYC baking icon Seth Greenberg, they’ll share stories, reinvent recipes, and provide insider knowledge from the hills where food history was made. Rachel Fishman Feddersen, publisher of the Forward, moderates this delicious conversation.

Sunday, July 27
12:00pm - 1:15pm
Shadowland Studio
14 Market 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. 

Hosted by Ron MacCloskey as Groucho Marx, featuring performances from Allen Frishman, Linda Belt, Ivan Richter, Ben Asher and Jeffrey Gurian

Sunday, July 27
12:30pm - 1:30pm
The Annex
83 Canal Street

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), J.R. Havlan (The Daily Show), Rich Francese (Saturday Night Live), and Periel Aschenbrand, a bold voice in today's comedy and podcasting worlds, 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
2:30pm - 3:30pm
The Annex
83 Canal Street

Join moderator, Emily Nussbaum, critic and staff writer for The New Yorker along with New Yorker cartoonists Liana Finck, David Ostow, Asher Perlman, and Avi Steinberg for a lively conversation on Jewish humor’s influence in American comedy and cartooning. Hear how they develop ideas and captions, navigate cultural references, and walk the line between clever and confusing in their work. A sharp, funny look inside the cartoonist’s creative process.

Sunday, July 27
3:00-4:15 pm
The Common Good
119 Canal Street

The natural beauty of the Catskills and the colorful kaleidoscope of characters that inhabited its hotels, resorts and bungalow colonies have long inspired writers seeking to capture a unique summer world — and the high jinks that often ensued.

Though separated by a generation, fiction writers Eileen Pollack (The Bible of Dirty Jokes; The Rabbi in the Attic; Paradise, New York) and Lily Barrish Levner (Banquets and Bootleg Bounty), both grew up in the Catskills and their identities and storytelling are profoundly shaped by the resort era.

Thea Wieseltier, director of public programs at 70 Faces Media, moderates this intimate exploration of family, community, nostalgia and their power to spark our imagination.