Burlesque festivals are a brilliant place to see and be seen within the burlesque community, which is why I always recommend making them a regular part of your social year. As a performer, I loved the opportunity to travel and perform in front of new audiences across Europe, whilst as a photographer I enjoy the opportunity to discover talented burlesque performers from all over the world. In the past, I’ve attended London Burlesque Festival, El Molino (Barcelona) Burlesque Festival, Rome Burlesque Festival and Paris Burlesque Festival to name but a few – and I ticked off The Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender from my list in June 2019!

With that I mind, I’ve made a list of some of the big-name burlesque festivals I’ve got on my bucket list, along with the time of year they’re usually held and a handy guide for burlesque performers on when each festival accepts applications. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to visit them all!

European Burlesque Festivals to Apply To

Name – Hamburg Burlesque Festival
Location – Hamburg, Germany
When – Usually April
Application Deadline – Usually November
www.hamburg-burlesque-festival.de

Name – Cork Burlesque Festival
Location – Cork, Ireland
When – Usually April
Application Deadline – Usually November
www.corkburlesquefestival.com

Name – Hebden Bridge Burlesque Festival
Location – Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, UK
When – Usually May
Application Deadline – Usually February
www.hebdenbridgeburlesquefestival.co.uk

Name – Boylesque Drag Festival
Location – Berlin, Germany
When – Usually May
Application Deadline – Usually March
www.boylesque-festival.de

Name – Vienna Boylesque Festival
Location – Vienna, Austria
When – Usually May
Application Deadline – Usually January
www.viennaboylesquefestival.com

Name – Berlin Burlesque Week
Location – Berlin, Germany
When –  Usually May/June
Application Deadline – Usually February
www.berlinburlesqueweek.one

Name – Stockholm Burlesque Festival
Location – Stockholm, Sweden
When – Usually October
Application Deadline – Usually May
www.stockholmburlesquefestival.com

USA Burlesque Festivals to Apply To

Name – The Noire Pageant
Location – New York, USA
When –  Usually March
Application Deadline – Usually April
www.thenoirehalloffame.com

Name – Jeezy’s Juke Joint: A Black Burly-Q Revue
Location – Illinois, Chicago
When – Usually March
Application Deadline – Usually February
www.jeezysjukejoint.com

Name – Nerdlesque Festival
Location – Coney Island, New York, USA
When – Usually April
Application Deadline – Usually November
www.thenerdlesquefest.com

Name – Show Me Burlesque
Location – St. Louis, Missouri
When – Usually May
Application Deadline – Usually February
www.showmeburlesque.com/en

Name – The Burlesque Hall of Fame
Location – Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
When – Usually June
Application Deadline – Usually January
www.burlesquehall.com

Name – The Golden Legend Champion Challenge
Location – St. Petersberg, Florida
When – Usually August
Application Deadline – Usually December
www.goldenlegends.org

Name – The New Orleans Burlesque Festival
Location – New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
When – Usually September
Application Deadline – Usually May
www.neworleansburlesquefest.com

Name – New York Burlesque Festival
Location – New York, USA
When –  Usually September
Application Deadline – Usually May
www.thenewyorkburlesquefestival.com

Name – Minneapolis Burlesque Festival
Location – Minnesota, USA
When –  Usually October
Application Deadline – Usually June
www.elektracutepresents.com