List of Comedy Festivals

Here is a list of the main comedy festivals in the UK.

Ongoing festivals

Vault Festival (London)

Running until Sunday 22nd March

Running across several months early in the year, Vault Festival is described as "London's answer to Edinburgh's Fringe".

Appearing: Adam Rhys-Davies, Aidan Mccaffery, Alex Edelman, Alex Kealy, Alfie Brown, Ali Woods, Alice-India Garwood, Amy Annette, Amy Gwilliam, Andrew Nolan and others.

Andrew Ryan, Andy Duncan, Andy Field, Angus Dunican, Ania Magliano, Anna Leong Brophy, Anna O'Grady, Annie McGrath, Archie Henderson, Barney Fishwick, Ben Pope, Ben Target, Ben Van der Velde, Beth Vyse, Carl Donnelly, Cassie Atkinson, Catherine Bohart, Charlie Baker, Charlie Dinkin, Chazz Redhead, Chloe Petts, Christian Brighty, Christopher MacArthur-Boyd, Ciarán Dowd, Dan Kelly, Daniel Cook, Daniel Wye, Danielle Ward, Dave Bibby, David Ferguson, David McIver, Dian Cathal, Ed Gaughan, Ed Jones, Ed MacArthur, Ed Night, Eddy Hare, Edy Hurst, Eleanor Colville, Eleanor Morton, Elf Lyons, Ella Prendergast, Elliot Steel, Elly Shaw, Emily Lloyd Saini, Erika Ehler, Evelyn Mok, Fern Brady, Flora Anderson, Freya Judd, Freya Parker, Freya Slipper, Gabby Best, George Fouracres, George Lewis, Glenn Moore, Graham Dickson, Grant Busé, Harriet Braine, Harriet Kemsley, Heidi Regan, Helen Bauer, Helen Cripps, Helen Duff, Henry Perryment, Holly Burn, Imogen Palmer, Isa Bonachera, Isma Almas, Isobel Rogers, Ivan Gonzalez, Jack Barry, Jack Chisnall, Jacob Hawley, Jake Baker, Jake Lambert, Jamali Maddix, James Gault, James McNicholas, James Rowland, Jamie D'Souza, Jamie Fraser, Jamie Oliphant, Jenan Younis, Jenny Bede, Jenny Kassner, Jessica Fostekew, Joanne McNally, Joe Barnes, Joe Hobbs, Joe Sutherland, Joel Dommett, John Robertson, John-Luke Roberts, Johnny White Really-Really, Jon Gracey, Jon Harvey, Jonny Donahoe, Jordan Brookes, Joseph Morpurgo, Josh Glanc, Josh Jones, Joz Norris, Julia Masli, Julian Deane, Kate Barron, Kate McGann, Kathryn Bond, Katie Pritchard, Kayla MacQuarrie, Ken Cheng, Kirsty Mann, Laura Lexx, Lauren Pattison, Laurence Owen, Lew Fitz, Lily Bevan, Lily Phillips, Liz Kingsman, Lloyd Griffith, Lou Sanders, Luca Cupani, Lucy Beaumont, Lucy Bond, Lucy Hopkins, Luke Rollason, Luke Smith, Lulu Popplewell, Maddie Campion, Maddy Anholt, Mairead Doyle, Mandy Tootill, Maria Shehata, Marise Gaughan, Mark Watson, Martin Willis, Matt Hutson, Matt Tedford, Matt Winning, Matthew Highton, Max Olesker, Michael Clarke, Michael Mannion, Michael Stranney, Micky Overman, Milo Edwards, Miztli Rose, Mo Omar, Nathan Cassidy, Nathan Roberts, Neil Delamere, Neil O'Rourke, Nick Elleray, Nick Sampson, Nigel Ng, Olga Koch, Omar Ibrahim, Ophelie Hocquard, Paddy Gervers, Patrick Healy, Patrick Spicer, Paul Foxcroft, Pernille Haaland, Phil Jerrod, Pope Lonergan, Rachel Fairburn, Raphael Wakefield, Ray Badran, Richard Soames, Richard Stott, Rob Carter, Rob Duncan, Rob Oldham, Robin Morgan, Rory O'Keeffe, Rose Johnson, Ryan Lane, Sadia Azmat, Sam Lake, Sam Nicoresti, Sasha Ellen, Sean McLoughlin, Shappi Khorsandi, Sian Clarke, Sian Davies, Siân Docksey, Sikisa, Simon Caine, Sofie Hagen, Sophie Duker, Stuart Goldsmith, Sukh Ojla, Sunil Patel, Susie McCabe, Tamar Broadbent, Tom Bell, Tom Burgess, Tom Curzon, Tom Lucy, Tom Mayhew, Tony Law, Will Penswick, Will Rowland, Yuriko Kotani, Zahra Barri

February

Leicester Comedy Festival

Wednesday 5th February to Sunday 23rd February

One of the country's biggest comedy festivals.

Appearing: Ahir Shah, Alex Edelman, Alex Lowe, Andrew Lawrence, Andy Parsons, Angela Barnes, Arthur Smith, Dane Baptiste, Danielle Ward, Dom Joly and others.

Edinburgh International Improv Festival

Thursday 27th February to Sunday 1st March

Scotland's first and only festival of improv.

March

Glasgow International Comedy Festival

Thursday 12th March to Sunday 29th March

Many top names perform in Glasgow in March.

April

Bath Comedy Festival

Tuesday 31st March to Sunday 19th April

Bath Comedy Festival gets bigger each year.

Underbelly Festival Southbank

Wednesday 1st April to Wednesday 30th September

A tented venue set up near the Southbank Centre in London, running through much of Spring and Summer.

West Didsbury Comedy Festival (Manchester)

Friday 24th April to Sunday 26th April

A new festival for 2020, due to take place in the Manchester suburb. The open-to-all long weekend will feature festival favourites, TV comedians, rising stars and local talent.

May

Brighton Fringe

Friday 1st May to Sunday 31st May

Lots of shows, many of them work-in-progress gigs.

Machynlleth Comedy Festival

Friday 1st May to Sunday 3rd May

The 'secret festival' in Wales. A wide variety of acts perform over the early May Bank Holiday weekend.

Manford's Blackpool Comedy Festival

Friday 1st May to Sunday 3rd May

The inaugural Manford's Blackpool Comedy Festival was held in May 2019. It'll return to the home of British comedy in May 2020 with an all-star line-up.

Hay Festival

Thursday 21st May to Sunday 31st May

Located in Wales, with mainly literary based events. Comedians often read their books here.

Bath Fringe

Friday 22nd May to Sunday 7th June

People talking (usually one at a time) at a microphone. Often funny, occasionally profound.

HowTheLightGetsIn (Hay-on-Wye)

Friday 22nd May to Monday 25th May

A four-day festival of philosophy and music, including a selection of great comic talent.

Wells Comedy Festival

Friday 22nd May to Sunday 24th May

Many of the best acts flock to this well-regarded Somerset-based festival.

Appearing: Adam Buxton, Reginald D Hunter, Stuart Laws

Wychwood Festival (Cheltenham)

Friday 29th May to Sunday 31st May

This festival's comedy offering is a small but perfectly-formed line-up.

June

Hastings Fringe Comedy Festival

Wednesday 10th June to Sunday 14th June

The Hastings Fringe is an independent, free festival featuring a range of comedy stars.

Petworth Fringe

Friday 12th June to Sunday 28th June

A season of events in Petworth, West Sussex. Notably, this fringe festival includes the biggest comedy prize in the country: £10,001.

Ludlow Fringe Festival

Saturday 20th June to Sunday 5th July

A bunch of comedy shows to enjoy in the Shropshire market town.

Glastonbury Festival

Wednesday 24th June to Sunday 28th June

Comedians can always be found at Glastonbury in the various comedy-related performance areas.

CH1 Chester Comedy Festival

Sunday 28th June to Thursday 9th July

First held in 2018, this comedy festival takes place each year in the historic North-Western city.

Oxford Festival Fringe Preview Comedy Festival.

Oxford Comedy Festival

Monday 29th June to Monday 27th July

A month-long comedy festival happening throughout July. The organisers are presenting some of the best comedians headed to Edinburgh and other large festivals.

July

Buxton Festival Fringe

Wednesday 1st July to Sunday 19th July

One of the largest open-access arts festivals in the country.

Greater Manchester Fringe

Wednesday 1st July to Friday 31st July

The Greater Manchester Fringe takes place across July.

Appearing: Hannah Platt, Will Preston

June

Guildford Fringe Festival

Friday 3rd July to Sunday 26th July

Lots of comedy shows take place in Guildford across July.

July

ARG Com Fest (London)

Saturday 4th July to Sunday 5th July

The Actually Rather Good Comedy Festival (aka ARGComFest) hosts lots of preview shows each July in Shoreditch, ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe.

Henley Festival

Wednesday 8th July to Sunday 12th July

A posh festival that attracts a number of top comedy headliners.

Appearing: Ada Campe, Al Murray, Anuvab Pal, Chris Stokes, Craig Hill, Edward Askham-Spencer, Jonny Awsum, Justin Moorhouse, Ken Cheng, Kirsty Newton and others.

Lee Ridley, Mark Simmons, Matt Forde, Milton Jones, Olga Koch, Robert White, Rory Bremner, Shappi Khorsandi, Simon Evans, Sophie Duker, Tom Houghton

Cornbury Festival (Oxfordshire)

Friday 10th July to Sunday 12th July

This Oxfordshire festival features stand-up alongside various musical performances.

Larmer Tree Festival (South)

Thursday 16th July to Sunday 19th July

A festival in Cranborne Chase, straddling Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

Appearing: Josie Long, Nish Kumar, Catherine Bohart, Colin Hoult, Ivo Graham, Jessica Fostekew, John-Luke Roberts, Laura Lexx, Rob Auton, Sarah Keyworth and others.

Stuart Goldsmith, Yuriko Kotani

Latitude (Suffolk)

Thursday 16th July to Sunday 19th July

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.

Appearing: Bill Bailey

Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival

Thursday 16th July to Sunday 19th July

The Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival has been running since 2017.

Appearing: Tom Stade

Rewind Scotland (Perth)

Friday 17th July to Sunday 19th July

A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Scottish instalment, taking place in Perth.

Bedford Festival Fringe

Thursday 23rd July to Sunday 26th July

Events take place at The Quarry Theatre and The Place Theatre.

Standon Calling (Hertfordshire)

Thursday 23rd July to Sunday 26th July

A festival of music, comedy and family-friendly entertainment.

Deer Shed Festival (North Yorkshire)

Friday 24th July to Sunday 26th July

An annual festival at Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire.

Y Not Festival (Derbyshire)

Friday 24th July to Sunday 26th July

Y Not? is a Peak District music festival with some great comedy names also performing.

Kaleidoscope (London)

Saturday 25th July to Saturday 25th July

A one-day festival at the Alexandra Park and Palace in London.

Camp Bestival (Dorset)

Thursday 30th July to Sunday 2nd August

Based around Lulworth Castle in Dorset, this festival normally books a couple of big headline comedy acts.

Kendal Calling

Thursday 30th July to Sunday 2nd August

A festival at Lowther Deer Park in The Lake District.

August

Wilderness Festival (Oxfordshire)

Thursday 30th July to Sunday 2nd August

Based in Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, this festival has booked some big name comedians in previous years.

July

Tramlines (Sheffield)

Friday 31st July to Sunday 2nd August

A three-day festival in Sheffield, including music and comedy.

August

Rewind North (Cheshire)

Friday 31st July to Sunday 2nd August

A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Northern instalment, taking place in Cheshire.

July

The Camden Fringe

Monday 3rd August to Sunday 30th August

Running for a month in North London, this festival involves lots of comedians playing across 25 different venues.

August

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Friday 7th August to Monday 31st August

Thousands - literally thousands - of comedians appear at this festival each year. Check out BCG's comprehensive coverage

Rewind South (Henley-on-Thames)

Friday 14th August to Sunday 16th August

A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Southern instalment, taking place in Oxfordshire.

Green Man (Brecon Beacons)

Thursday 20th August to Sunday 23rd August

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.

Lost Village

Thursday 27th August to Sunday 30th August

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.