Bruce Springsteen to Headline Stand Up For Heroes 20th Anniversary Benefit in New York

Bruce Springsteen is set to headline the 20th anniversary edition of Stand Up For Heroes on November 9, 2026, at David Geffen Hall inside Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The veterans benefit will also feature comedy sets from Jon Stewart, Josh Johnson and Hasan Minhaj, plus live music from the band The Resilient and singer Alex Warren.

The show is presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation in partnership with the New York Comedy Festival. Since launching in 2007, Stand Up For Heroes has raised more than $117 million for veterans, military families and caregivers.

• Date and venue: November 9, 2026, at David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York City
• Comedy lineup: Jon Stewart, Josh Johnson and Hasan Minhaj
• Musical guests: The Resilient (a band made up of wounded U.S. combat veterans) and singer Alex Warren
• Total funds raised since 2007: more than $117 million
• New York Comedy Festival runs November 6 to November 15, 2026, with Stand Up For Heroes falling three days into the festival

Why Stand Up For Heroes Started and Who Founded It

Stand Up For Heroes traces back to ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, who suffered a traumatic brain injury while reporting from the frontlines of the Iraq war in 2006. Woodruff went on to co-found the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which has run the benefit annually alongside the New York Comedy Festival since 2007.

Marking the milestone anniversary, Woodruff said in a statement: “Twenty years ago we put together Stand Up for Heroes with a simple idea: bring people together with laughter and music in honor of those who have sacrificed so much for our country… When we started this way back in 2007 we thought it would just be a one-time concert. But it’s become one of the most meaningful nights of the year.”

New York Comedy Festival founder Caroline Hirsch said the event, which she developed together with Bob and Lee Woodruff, has evolved from a one-off show into “a powerful and enduring tradition.” Bob Woodruff Foundation CEO Anne Marie Dougherty added that the organization intends to remain “a reliable backbone of support for our veterans and the military families and caregivers who make service possible,” twenty years after the promise Woodruff made upon leaving Bethesda Naval Hospital.

Bruce Springsteen’s History With Stand Up For Heroes

Springsteen has performed at Stand Up For Heroes in nearly every year since the event’s 2007 debut at New York’s Town Hall, sitting out only 2017 because of scheduling conflicts tied to his Broadway commitments. He also took a rare year off from the benefit in 2025 before his planned return for the 20th anniversary show.

At his most recent appearance in 2024, Springsteen performed acoustic renditions of “The Power of Prayer,” “Land of Hope and Dreams,” “Dancing in the Dark” and “Long Walk Home,” interspersing the songs with jokes. The November 9 date is currently the only live performance on his schedule following the completion of the North American leg of his Land of Hope and Dreams tour.

How to Get Tickets

Tickets for the 2026 Stand Up For Heroes benefit are on sale now. The show will take place during the New York Comedy Festival’s 2026 run, which spans November 6 through November 15.

More Info

• Bruce Springsteen to headline fundraiser for veterans in New York | Far Out Magazine
• Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Alex Warren and Hasan Minhaj Set for Stand Up for Heroes Event | The Hollywood Reporter Music
• Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart to Perform at Stand Up For Heroes 20th Anniversary Event | Rolling Stone
• Bruce Springsteen Alex Warren to Play Stand Up for Heroes on 20th Anniversary of Veterans Benefit Show | Billboard