Live Comedy
Comedy festivals
A wide range of festivals operate in the UK, many either dedicated to comedy or including it as a part of their programme.
Leicester Comedy Festival
Wednesday 7th February to Sunday 25th February 2024
One of the country's biggest comedy festivals.
UK Kids' Comedy Festival
Wednesday 7th February to Sunday 25th February 2024
A children's comedy festival which forms part of the Leicester Comedy Festival.
Slapstick Festival (Bristol)
Wednesday 14th February to Sunday 18th February 2024
An annual celebration of slapstick comedy.
Edinburgh International Improv Festival
Thursday 29th February to Sunday 3rd March 2024
Scotland's first and only festival of improv.
Glasgow International Comedy Festival
Wednesday 13th March to Sunday 31st March 2024
Many top names perform in Glasgow in March.
Just For Laughs London
Thursday 14th March to Sunday 17th March 2024
A star-studded four-day comedy festival.
The Laugharne Weekend (South Wales)
Friday 15th March to Sunday 17th March 2024
Arts festival, including comedy, held in Laugharne in South Wales.
Bath Comedy Festival
Monday 1st April to Sunday 21st April 2024
Bath Comedy Festival gets bigger each year.
Consett Comedy Festival (Durham)
Thursday 2nd May to Sunday 5th May 2024
A whole host of iconic names head to Consett for a weekend full of laughter.
Brighton Fringe
Friday 3rd May to Sunday 2nd June 2024
Lots of shows, many of them work-in-progress gigs.
Machynlleth Comedy Festival (Wales)
Friday 3rd May to Sunday 5th May 2024
The 'secret festival' in Wales. A wide variety of acts perform over the early May Bank Holiday weekend.
Hay Festival (Wales)
Thursday 23rd May to Sunday 2nd June 2024
Located in Wales, with mainly literary based events. Comedians often read their books here.
Shindig Festival (Somerset)
Thursday 23rd May to Sunday 26th May 2024
A musical festival held at Dillington Estate.
HowTheLightGetsIn (London) (London)
Friday 24th May to Monday 27th May 2024
Comedy from a range of great talent you might not yet have seen on television.
HowTheLightGetsIn (Hay-on-Wye) (Hay-on-Wye)
Friday 24th May to Monday 27th May 2024
A four-day festival of philosophy and music, including a selection of great comic talent.
Wells Comedy Festival
Friday 24th May to Sunday 26th May 2024
Many of the best acts flock to this well-regarded Somerset-based festival.
Chichester Fringe
Friday 31st May to Saturday 15th June 2024
A new season of fringe events in Chichester.
Wychwood Festival (Cheltenham)
Friday 31st May to Sunday 2nd June 2024
This Cheltenham-based festival's comedy offering is "a small but perfectly-formed line-up".
The Cambridge Club Festival
Friday 7th June to Sunday 9th June 2024
Comedy at this festival, located at Childerley Orchard, can be found in the Auditorium of Intrigue tent.
KITE Festival (Oxfordshire)
Friday 7th June to Sunday 9th June 2024
A festival of ideas and talks, at Kirtlington Park in Oxfordshire.
Wandsworth Arts Fringe
Friday 7th June to Sunday 23rd June 2024
Wandsworth Council's flagship festival, Wandsworth Arts Fringe (WAF) is a 17-day long festival cover music, spoken word, theatre, comedy and dance happening all over the borough.
Hastings Fringe Comedy Festival
Wednesday 12th June to Sunday 16th June 2024
The Hastings Fringe is an independent, free festival featuring a range of comedy stars.
Download Festival (Donington)
Friday 14th June to Sunday 16th June 2024
A rock and metal music festival held at Donington Park.
Glastonbury Festival
Wednesday 26th June to Sunday 30th June 2024
Comedians can always be found at Glastonbury in the various comedy-related performance areas.
Guildford Fringe Festival
Saturday 29th June to Saturday 20th July 2024
Lots of comedy shows take place in Guildford across July.
Buxton Festival Fringe
Wednesday 3rd July to Sunday 21st July 2024
One of the largest open-access arts festivals in the country, providing three weeks of "friendly, supportive and affordable" entertainment each July.
Byline Festival (East Sussex)
Friday 5th July to Sunday 7th July 2024
Festival in the woodlands of Pippingford Park, Ashdown Forest, near the A22 in East Sussex.
Henley Festival
Wednesday 10th July to Sunday 14th July 2024
A posh festival that attracts a number of top comedy headliners.
2000trees Festival (Cheltenham)
Thursday 11th July to Sunday 14th July 2024
A rock festival, with a comedy tent.
Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival
Thursday 11th July to Sunday 14th July 2024
The Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival has been running since 2017.
Bedford Festival Fringe
Thursday 18th July to Sunday 28th July 2024
Events take place at The Quarry Theatre and The Place Theatre in the Bedfordshire market town.
Rewind Scotland (Perth)
Friday 19th July to Sunday 21st July 2024
A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Scottish instalment, taking place in Perth.
Ventnor Fringe (Isle of Wight)
Friday 19th July to Sunday 28th July 2024
Comedy on the Isle of Wight.
Durham Fringe Festival
Wednesday 24th July to Sunday 28th July 2024
A festival taking place across four venues in the north-east.
Latitude (Suffolk)
Thursday 25th July to Sunday 28th July 2024
Easily one of the best comedy line-ups in the country. This festival - featuring multiple areas for comedy - attracts both big name headliners and lesser known alternative acts.
Camp Bestival (Dorest)
Thursday 25th July to Sunday 28th July 2024
Based around Lulworth Castle in Dorset, this festival normally books a couple of big headline comedy acts.
Bluedot (Jodrell Bank)
Thursday 25th July to Sunday 28th July 2024
A music, science and comedy festival held at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire.
Tramlines (Sheffield)
Friday 26th July to Sunday 28th July 2024
A three-day festival in Sheffield, including music and comedy.
Truck Festival (Oxfordshire)
Friday 26th July to Sunday 28th July 2024
A music festival held at Hill Farm, Oxfordshire.
Deer Shed Festival (North Yorkshire)
Friday 26th July to Monday 29th July 2024
An annual festival at Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire.
The Camden Fringe (London)
Monday 29th July to Sunday 25th August 2024
Running for a month in North London, this festival involves lots of comedians playing across many different venues.
Wilderness Festival (Oxfordshire)
Thursday 1st August to Sunday 4th August 2024
Based in Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, this festival has booked some big name comedians in previous years.
Kendal Calling
Thursday 1st August to Sunday 4th August 2024
A festival at Lowther Deer Park in The Lake District.
Rewind North (Macclesfield)
Friday 2nd August to Sunday 4th August 2024
A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Northern instalment, taking place in Macclesfield.
Y Not Festival (Derbyshire)
Friday 2nd August to Sunday 4th August 2024
'Y Not?' is a Peak District music festival which often has some great comedy names also performing.
Fringe By The Sea (North Berwick)
Friday 2nd August to Sunday 11th August 2024
A festival held in the Scottish seaside town of North Berwick in August.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Friday 2nd August to Monday 26th August 2024
Thousands - literally thousands - of comedians appear at this festival each year. Check out BCG's comprehensive website.
Green Man (Brecon Beacons)
Thursday 15th August to Sunday 18th August 2024
This festival takes place in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. It's popular with comedians and so a number appear at the festival each year.
Camp Bestival (Shropshire)
Thursday 15th August to Sunday 18th August 2024
A second Camp Bestival, held at Weston Park.
Rewind South (Henley-on-Thames)
Friday 16th August to Sunday 18th August 2024
A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Southern instalment, taking place in Oxfordshire.
Hardwick Festival (Sedgefield)
Friday 16th August to Sunday 18th August 2024
A music festival, including some comedy performers, held at Hardwick Hall in County Durham since 2013.
Reading & Leeds Festivals
Wednesday 21st August to Sunday 25th August 2024
The biggest music and comedy acts appear together at the same dual-location, 3-day festival event.
Lost Village (Lincolnshire)
Thursday 22nd August to Sunday 25th August 2024
Lost Village is an otherworldly 4-day festival experience set in an abandoned woodland village. The festival includes, food, music, workshops and comedy from both household and acclaimed but lesser-known acts.
Victorious Festival (Portsmouth)
Friday 23rd August to Sunday 25th August 2024
Victorious Festival launched its first comedy tent in 2018.
Standon Calling (Hertfordshire)
Sunday 25th August to Wednesday 28th August 2024
A festival of music, comedy and family-friendly entertainment.
Women in Comedy Festival (Manchester)
Thursday 3rd October to Sunday 13th October 2024
A Manchester-based festival featuring female acts.
Aberystwyth Comedy Festival
Friday 4th October to Sunday 6th October 2024
A new-ish comedy festival from the team that organise Machynlleth.
Birmingham Comedy Festival
Friday 4th October to Sunday 13th October 2024
Over 70 comedy performances take place across the city each October.
Other festivals to look out for
The following festivals have yet to confirm their next dates.
Vault Festival (London)
Normally January
Running across several months early in the year, Vault Festival is described as "London's answer to Edinburgh's Fringe".
The Chortle Comedy Book Festival (London)
Normally January
Britain's only book festival entirely devoted to comedy.
The Big Burns Supper (Dumfries)
Normally January
Scotland's largest contemporary Burns celebration, marking Burns Night among other events.
WeGotTickets Independent Comedy Festival
Normally April
A series of gigs across England as part of a festival organised by the website WeGotTickets.
Underbelly Festival (Cavendish Square, London)
Normally April
A tented venue set up near the Southbank Centre in London, running through much of Spring and Summer.
Cambridge Fringe Comedy Festival
Normally April
The Cambridge Fringe is a comedy festival, part of the Sound and Vision Convention.
Bath Fringe
Normally May
"People talking (usually one at a time) at a microphone. Often funny, occasionally profound."
A Pinch of VAULT (London)
Normally May
An off-shoot from the main VAULT Festival, taking place in The Glitch and Sino Thai venues in Waterloo. There's a fortnight for theatre in June, but the first fortnight is all comedy.
The London LGBTQ+ Stand-Up Comedy Festival
Normally May
A comedy festival featuring LGBTQ+ performers.
Salt And Tar Comedy Weekender (Bootle)
Normally May
A festival held in Bootle, Merseyside in a new events space.
Margate Fringe Festival
Normally June
A new festival for 2023, located at the Tom Thumb Theatre, a former Victorian Coach House in the heart of Cliftonville, Margate.
New Forest Comedy Festival
Normally June
A festival held in several towns around the New Forest area.
Bristol Comedy Garden
Normally June
Queen Square, in the heart of Bristol, is transformed into a comedy wonderland in the Summer, complete with legendary line-ups in the Big Top and Apple Top venues.
London Clown Festival
Normally June
This festival explores what clown is to the modern performer and their audiences.
Dogstival (Romsey, Hampshire)
Normally June
A festival for dogs and dog lovers held to make Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.
Live @ The RSC (Stratford-upon-Avon)
Normally June
Twenty-two of the country's top comedians, fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe, play the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage across two weekends.
Milton Keynes International Festival
Normally July
An outdoor theatre with large and small-scale performance, circus, stand-up comedy, live music, family activities and free events.
Oxford Comedy Festival
Normally July
A month-long comedy festival that normally happens in July. The organisers present some of the best comedians headed to Edinburgh and other large festivals.
Brighton Comedy Garden
Normally July
The first Brighton Comedy Garden planted its roots in June 2019.
Greater Manchester Fringe
Normally July
The Greater Manchester Fringe normally takes place across July.
Last Stop To Edinburgh Comedy Festival (Stockton)
Normally July
A two-day Edinburgh Fringe preview festival at the Georgian Theatre in Stockton-on-Tees, featuring big names, local acts and kids' shows.
GigGag Comedy Festival (London)
Normally July
GigGag has partnered with open mic nights in London - including Hellfire Comedy, 0596 Comedy Club, Virtue Comedy, Laughter Lab Comedy and PingPong LGBTQ Comedy Show - to run a 12 day festival.
ARG Com Fest (Shoreditch, London)
Normally July
The Actually Rather Good Comedy Festival (aka ARGComFest) hosts lots of preview shows each July in Shoreditch, ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe.
Ealing Comedy Festival
Normally July
The Ealing Comedy Festival takes place over several nights in July, in Walpole Park.
Woolwich Words & Sounds
Normally July
A festival covering comedy, music and spoken-word, held at the Woolwich Works arts venue.
Balham Comedy Festival
Normally July
Based at The Bedford in Balham, this festival always offer up one of the best line-ups of the summer.
The Tringe (Hertfordshire)
Normally July
A series of Edinburgh Festival preview shows performed in the Hertfordshire market town of Tring.
Ludlow Fringe Festival
Normally August
A bunch of comedy shows to enjoy in the Shropshire market town.
Roundhouse Comedy Festival (London)
Normally August
A month-long comedy festival held at the Roundhouse venue in London.
Henley Literary Festival
Normally September
Comedians who have written a book are often booked to speak at this festival.
Last Train Home Festival (Darlington)
Normally September
A music and comedy festival in Darlington organsied by the Tracks music collective.
Liverpool Theatre Festival
Normally September
Liverpool Theatre Festival was first staged in September 2020 to boost the city's live performance and creative arts sectors following the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the industry.
Winchester Comedy Festival
Normally September
A series of shows from the Hampshire city, including the Theatre Royal.
Greenwich Comedy Festival (London)
Normally September
One of London's biggest comedy festivals, with lots of well-known acts performing each year.
Liberty (Croydon)
Normally September
Three day festival in Croydon to celebrate the work of Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists.
Ulverston Comedy Festival
Normally September
Pitch Up have partnered with Manford's Comedy Club at Ford Park Ulverston, Cumbria.
London Vegan Comedy Festival (& Performing Arts) (Kensington)
Normally September
A comedy festival featuring only vegan performers.
Leamington Spa Comedy Festival
Normally October
The Leamington Spa Comedy Festival takes place in October.
Birmingham Improv Festival
Normally October
Established in 2016, this is an annual week-long festival of improvisational comedy. Next festival planned for 2024.
Faversham Fringe (Kent)
Normally October
A fringe festival featuring all genres of the performing arts including stand-up, theatre, magic, storytelling, improv and hypnotism.
Leith Comedy Festival
Normally October
Following a series of one-off days, Leith Comedy Festival formerly launches in 2023. The tagline is: "Comedy for good. Laughter for all. A brand new comedy festival in Edinburgh."
Southport Comedy Festival
Normally October
Featuring top acts, a Children's Comedy Festival, a competition for new comedians, and more.
Bournemouth Comedy Festival
Normally October
This five-day comedy festival, run by Coastal Comedy, launched in 2023.
Giggling Goat Festival of Comedy (Carmarthen)
Normally October
A Welsh comedy festival organised by the company Giggling Goat.
Tsitsit: The Jewish Fringe
Normally November
Described as "a new fringe festival with a broad Jewish flavour", it takes place in various cities across the country.
Nottingham Comedy Festival
Normally November
Nottingham Comedy Festival is an open access festival where acts of all levels and types of comedy are welcome to apply.