Comedy Central is marking the 29th anniversary of South Park with a 24-hour marathon on Thursday, August 13, 2026, according to detroitnews.com. The all-day television event leads directly into the fall premiere of Season 29, set for September 16, 2026, according to Bubbleblabber.
South Park Day Marathon Schedule and Lineup
The 48-episode marathon kicks off at 6 a.m. ET on Thursday, August 13, and runs until 6 a.m. ET/PT on Friday, August 14, across Comedy Central, as reported by detroitnews.com. The network established the 24-hour block to commemorate “South Park Day,” marking the anniversary of the satirical animated series’ television debut on August 13, 1997.
Viewers can expect fan-favorite episodes during the broadcast, including “Sermon on the ‘Mount,” which served as the premiere episode of Season 27 last summer. According to Comedy Central data cited by detroitnews.com, that episode earned the franchise one of its three Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Animated Series category. Additional Emmy nods for the show include Outstanding Music and Lyrics for the song “Christian Woman” in “The Crap Out” episode, and an Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance nomination for Trey Parker as Satan in the same episode.
Season 29 Premiere Date and Release Schedule
Following the anniversary marathon, Season 29 of South Park debuts on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central, according to Bubbleblabber. Co-created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the series continues its traditional cable rollout with subsequent new episodes airing on a bi-weekly Wednesday schedule throughout the autumn months.
According to Bubbleblabber, the Season 29 release dates include:
- Episode 1: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
- Episode 2: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
- Episode 3: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
- Episode 4: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
- Episode 5: Wednesday, November 11, 2026
- Episode 6: Wednesday, November 25, 2026
Fans unable to tune in to the 24-hour linear marathon can access the entire series library on Paramount+. New episodes of Season 29 will stream on Paramount+ with next-day availability for subscribers in the United States, Canada, and Australia, per Bubbleblabber.
Recent Industry Milestones and Ratings Dominance
The upcoming season arrives as the franchise approaches its 30th anniversary in 2027. According to Bubbleblabber, South Park ranked as the number one show on cable in 2025 among Adults 18–49, with Season 27 delivering the program’s highest average P18-49 share in 27 years and its most-watched season in six years.
The series also secured major industry milestones recently. In 2026, the Television Academy Honors recognized the show as its first-ever animated honoree, according to Bubbleblabber. Furthermore, the Producers Guild of America (PGA) nominated the series in the Best Episodic Comedy category, marking the organization’s first nomination for an animated series in that category, according to Bubbleblabber.
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