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Festival Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Associate Comedy Festival Programmer Job Purpose SXSW is seeking an Associate Comedy Programmer to serve as the organizational backbone of the SXSW Comedy Festival. This role will work closely with ...

The JOB Festival Ticket Sellers will be responsible for delivering exceptional customer service to patrons during events at various venues throughout the Los Angeles area for Netflix Is A Joke ...

Festival and Market Manager

Milton, MA ยท On-site

$47K - $50K/yr

This position is responsible for managing Historic New England's large-scale festivals and markets, and for coordinating retail operations at thirteen museum shops. The right candidate will provide ...

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Festival information

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$10

$61

$86

How much do festival jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 10, 2026, the average hourly pay for festival in the United States is $61.45, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53.12 and $68.51 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Festival vs Event Coordinator?

AspectFestivalEvent Coordinator
CredentialsVaries; often includes event planning, hospitality, or arts management certificationsTypically requires event planning, hospitality, or management certifications
Work EnvironmentLarge-scale, outdoor or multi-day settings with diverse activitiesIndoor or outdoor venues, managing specific events or functions
Industry UsageUsed in arts, music, cultural, and community sectorsUsed across corporate, social, and entertainment events
Job FocusOverseeing entire festival operations, logistics, and programmingPlanning, coordinating, and executing individual events

While both roles involve event planning, a Festival typically refers to managing large, multi-day events with multiple activities, often in outdoor or community settings. An Event Coordinator handles specific events, focusing on logistics and execution. The roles overlap in skills and certifications but differ in scope and scale.

What is a Festival job?

A Festival job typically involves temporary or seasonal work at music, cultural, or food festivals. Roles can vary widely, including event planning, ticketing, crowd management, vendor coordination, and technical support. These jobs often require strong customer service skills, flexibility, and the ability to work in fast-paced environments. Festival jobs provide great opportunities for networking and gaining experience in event management and the entertainment industry.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Festival Organizer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Festival Organizer, you need strong project management abilities, event planning experience, and a background in hospitality or related fields. Familiarity with event management software, budgeting tools, and risk assessment processes is typically required. Excellent communication, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work under pressure help you stand out in this role. These skills ensure seamless coordination, safety, and a memorable experience for attendees and stakeholders.

What are some common challenges faced by festival coordinators and how can they be addressed?

Festival coordinators often encounter challenges such as managing large crowds, ensuring smooth communication between diverse teams, and handling last-minute changes due to weather or performer schedules. Addressing these requires strong organizational skills, proactive contingency planning, and effective use of communication tools. Building relationships with vendors, local authorities, and volunteers also helps in quickly resolving unexpected issues, making adaptability and teamwork crucial for success in this dynamic role.

What are festival organizers?

Festival organizers are professionals responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing festivals or large-scale public events. Their duties include managing logistics, securing permits, booking entertainment, overseeing marketing, and ensuring the safety and satisfaction of attendees. They work with vendors, sponsors, and local authorities to create a memorable experience while staying within budget and complying with regulations. Successful festival organizers often possess strong project management, communication, and problem-solving skills.
What cities are hiring for Festival jobs? Cities with the most Festival job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Festival jobs? The most popular types of Festival jobs are:
What states have the most Festival jobs? States with the most job openings for Festival jobs include:
Infographic showing various Festival job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Locum Tenens, 1% As Needed, 69% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 94% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $127,824 per year, or $61.5 per hour.
Associate Comedy Festival Programmer

Associate Comedy Festival Programmer

SXSW LLC

Austin, TX โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago


Job description

Associate Comedy Festival Programmer
Job Purpose
SXSW is seeking an Associate Comedy Programmer to serve as the organizational backbone of the SXSW Comedy Festival. This role will work closely with the Director of Comedy and is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations and planning for live comedy programming. This includes tracking and reviewing submissions, onboarding talent, and advancing and facilitating on-site Comedy events to ensure the successful execution of the festival. The ideal candidate must be highly collaborative and organized, with a deep knowledge of comics and industry trends. Strong communication skills, close attention to detail, ability to work with talent, specifically comics, and effective multitasking in a fast-paced environment are required for this position.
Duties & Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
  • Support Comedy programming by tracking industry trends, scouting and identifying talent across live, streaming, digital, and podcasting.
  • Maintain up-to-date project and programming trackers, ensuring operational milestones are met, and information is accurate across internal databases.
  • Collaborate closely with internal teams, including legal, registration & housing, event staffing, content, accounting, and production, to ensure a smooth event experience for comedians, attendees, and industry professionals.
  • Oversee talent onboarding, working with representatives and production companies to confirm travel, hotel, and transportation leading up to the event, and proactively mitigating issues as they arise on-site.
  • Develop and maintain working relationships with comedians, producers, bookers, reps, and industry execs.
  • Assist in developing new initiatives alongside the Director of Comedy to support SXSW Comedy's growth as a top-tier culture-driving festival.

On-Site Event Responsibilities
  • Serve as a primary on-site point of contact for talent, reps, and presenters, troubleshooting issues and assisting with any task necessary to keep shows on track and ensure a high-quality experience for attendees and artists
  • Actively communicate with stage managers, production teams, and volunteer crews to align on nightly schedules, production needs, and guest lists
  • Coordinate with venues to ensure signage, greenrooms, and hospitality spaces are event-ready and meet SXSW standards

Qualifications & Skills
Qualifications include:
  • A proactive and adaptable collaborator with an "all-hands-on-deck" mentality; someone who maintains a positive, solution-oriented attitude while navigating the high-pressure environment of a live festival
  • Deep knowledge of US and international comedy talent, industry trends, and pop culture.
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to interface professionally with high-level talent and representatives
  • Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage complex logistics across multiple projects
  • Experience working in the comedy industry, production, and/or live events preferred
  • Proficiency with Google Suite, Slack, Airtable, and FileMaker

Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • Requires prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to frequently stand, walk, and visit multiple festival venues for long periods of time during the event cycle.
  • Safely lift and move 25-40 pounds regularly as needed for venue setup and event operations.
  • Maintain the manual dexterity required to operate standard office equipment (computers, phones, printers).
  • Requires the ability to remain on-site and away from home for up to 7 consecutive days during peak event execution.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Work Location & Schedule
This is a full-time position located in Austin, Texas. Core business office hours are 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Candidates must be available to work additional hours from January through March, including evenings and weekends, and be on-site during the March event. This schedule operates on a hybrid model and may be adjusted dynamically based on seasonal scaling and operational event demands.