List of Comedy Festivals
Live comedy is back! Here is a guide to the UK festivals which have comedy as part of their programme...
Last Stop To Edinburgh Comedy Festival (Stockton)
Friday 22nd October to Saturday 23rd October
A two-day Edinburgh Fringe preview festival at the Georgian Theatre in Stockton-on-Tees, featuring big names, local acts and kids' shows.
Appearing: Phil Smith, Fran Garrity, John O'Sullivan, Vaun Earl Norman, Eddie French, Chris Lumb, Catherine Young, Tony Law, Bobby Mair, Jed Salisbury and more.
West Didsbury Comedy Festival (Manchester)
Thursday 28th October to Sunday 31st October
Comedy in the Manchester suburb. The open-to-all long weekend features festival favourites, TV comedians, rising stars and local talent.
Appearing: Boothby Graffoe, Tony Law, Brennan Reece, Glenn Moore, Matt Richardson, Daliso Chaponda, Laura Lexx, Jeddy Bear and Gary, Lauren Pattison, Nutty Noah
Nottingham Comedy Festival
Friday 12th November to Saturday 20th November
Nottingham Comedy Festival is an open access festival where acts of all levels and types of comedy are welcome to apply.
Appearing: Alfie Moore, Kevin Precious, Jon Pearson, Josh Pugh, Jay Sandhu, Sarah Keyworth, Catherine Bohart, Katie Mitchell, Rosie Francis, Pippa Hastings and more.
The Big Burns Supper (Dumfries)
Friday 14th January to Sunday 30th January 2022
Scotland's largest contemporary Burns celebration, marking Burns Night among other events.
Appearing: Rosie Jones, Russell Kane, Nish Kumar, Susie McCabe, Christopher MacArthur-Boyd, Ross Leslie, Richard Pulsford, Rich Hall, Michael Winsor, Ray Bradshaw
Vault Festival (London)
Tuesday 25th January to Sunday 20th March 2022
Running across several months early in the year, Vault Festival is described as "London's answer to Edinburgh's Fringe". Returns in 2022.
Slapstick Festival (Bristol)
Wednesday 26th January to Sunday 30th January 2022
An annual celebration of slapstick comedy.
Leicester Comedy Festival
Wednesday 2nd February to Sunday 20th February 2022
One of the country's biggest comedy festivals.
Appearing: Ahir Shah, Ed Gamble, Ross Noble, Katherine Ryan, Stewart Lee, Henning Wehn, Fascinating Aïda, Alfie Brown, Michael Brunström
HowTheLightGetsIn (Hay-on-Wye)
Monday 2nd May to Thursday 5th May 2022
A four-day festival of philosophy and music, including a selection of great comic talent.
Brighton Fringe
Friday 6th May to Sunday 5th June 2022
Lots of shows, many of them work-in-progress gigs.
Bath Fringe
Sunday 29th May to Monday 13th June 2022
"People talking (usually one at a time) at a microphone. Often funny, occasionally profound."
Wychwood Festival (Cheltenham)
Friday 3rd June to Sunday 5th June 2022
This Cheltenham-based festival's comedy offering is "a small but perfectly-formed line-up".
Henley Festival
Monday 6th June to Friday 10th June 2022
A posh festival that attracts a number of top comedy headliners.
Ludlow Fringe Festival
Saturday 18th June to Sunday 10th July 2022
A bunch of comedy shows to enjoy in the Shropshire market town.
Glastonbury Festival
Wednesday 22nd June to Sunday 26th June 2022
Comedians can always be found at Glastonbury in the various comedy-related performance areas.
Guildford Fringe Festival
Saturday 25th June to Saturday 16th July 2022
Lots of comedy shows take place in Guildford across July.
Buxton Festival Fringe
Wednesday 6th July to Sunday 24th July 2022
One of the largest open-access arts festivals in the country, providing three weeks of "friendly, supportive and affordable" entertainment each July.
Cornbury Festival (Oxfordshire)
Friday 8th July to Sunday 10th July 2022
This Oxfordshire festival features stand-up alongside various musical performances.
Latitude (Suffolk)
Thursday 21st July to Sunday 24th July 2022
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.
Standon Calling (Hertfordshire)
Thursday 21st July to Sunday 24th July 2022
A festival of music, comedy and family-friendly entertainment.
Rewind Scotland (Perth)
Friday 22nd July to Sunday 24th July 2022
A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Scottish instalment, taking place in Perth.
Tramlines (Sheffield)
Friday 22nd July to Sunday 24th July 2022
A three-day festival in Sheffield, including music and comedy.
Kaleidoscope (London)
Saturday 23rd July 2022
A one-day festival at the Alexandra Park and Palace in London.
Kendal Calling
Thursday 28th July to Sunday 31st July 2022
A festival at Lowther Deer Park in The Lake District.
Camp Bestival (Dorset)
Thursday 28th July to Sunday 31st July 2022
Based around Lulworth Castle in Dorset, this festival normally books a couple of big headline comedy acts.
Elephant Camp (Northamptonshire)
Friday 29th July to Sunday 31st July 2022
A festival featuring a number of comedy bookings, currently held in Fawsley Park. Formerly the Port Eliot Festival, which was based in St Germans, Cornwall.
Deer Shed Festival (North Yorkshire)
Friday 29th July to Sunday 31st July 2022
An annual festival at Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire.
Y Not Festival (Derbyshire)
Friday 29th July to Sunday 31st July 2022
'Y Not?' is a Peak District music festival which often has some great comedy names also performing.
The Camden Fringe (London)
Monday 1st August to Sunday 28th August 2022
Running for a month in North London, this festival involves lots of comedians playing across many different venues.
Wilderness Festival (Oxfordshire)
Thursday 4th August to Sunday 7th August 2022
Based in Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, this festival has booked some big name comedians in previous years.
Rewind North (Macclesfield)
Friday 5th August to Sunday 7th August 2022
A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Northern instalment, taking place in Macclesfield.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Friday 5th August to Monday 29th August 2022
Thousands - literally thousands - of comedians appear at this festival each year. Check out BCG's comprehensive website.
Fringe By The Sea (North Berwick)
Friday 5th August to Sunday 14th August 2022
A festival held in the Scottish seaside town of North Berwick in August.
Green Man (Brecon Beacons)
Thursday 18th August to Sunday 21st August 2022
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.
Rewind South (Henley-on-Thames)
Friday 19th August to Sunday 21st August 2022
A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Southern instalment, taking place in Oxfordshire.
Lost Village (Lincolnshire)
Thursday 25th August to Sunday 28th August 2022
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.
Reading & Leeds Festivals
Friday 26th August to Sunday 28th August 2022
The biggest music and comedy acts appear together at the same dual-location, 3-day festival event.
Victorious Festival (Portsmouth)
Friday 26th August to Sunday 28th August 2022
Victorious Festival launched its first comedy tent in 2018.
Other festivals to look out for
The following festivals have yet to confirm their next dates.
Edinburgh International Improv Festival
This festival normally takes place in February
Scotland's first and only festival of improv.
UK Kids' Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in February
A children's comedy festival which forms part of the Leicester Comedy Festival.
Glasgow International Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in March
Many top names perform in Glasgow in March.
Big Mouth Comedy Festival (Portsmouth)
This festival normally takes place in March
A comedy festival at the Guildhall venue in Portsmouth.
The Laugharne Weekend (South Wales)
This festival normally takes place in March
Arts festival, including comedy, held in Laugharne in South Wales.
Bath Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in April
Bath Comedy Festival gets bigger each year. For 2021, it was sub-titled "Permission To Laugh Festival!"
April Fools Barnsley Comedy Fest
This festival normally takes place in April
As its name suggests, this festival takes place in April.
Underbelly Festival (Cavendish Square, London)
This festival normally takes place in April
A tented venue set up near the Southbank Centre in London, running through much of Spring and Summer.
Leeds Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in May
Leeds Comedy Festival last took place in 2017, but returned in 2021.
Machynlleth Comedy Festival (Wales)
This festival normally takes place in May
The 'secret festival' in Wales. A wide variety of acts perform over the early May Bank Holiday weekend.
Hay Festival (Wales)
This festival normally takes place in May
Located in Wales, with mainly literary based events. Comedians often read their books here.
London Clown Festival
This festival normally takes place in May
This festival explores what clown is to the modern performer and their audiences.
Wells Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in May
Many of the best acts flock to this well-regarded Somerset-based festival.
HowTheLightGetsIn (London)
This festival normally takes place in May
Comedy from a range of great talent you might not yet have seen on television.
Lichfield Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in May
A full day of entertainment and comedy for all the family in Beacon Park.
Manford's Blackpool Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in May
Comedy festivals held by Jason Manford's comedy club.
Bristol Comedy Garden
This festival normally takes place in 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.
Hastings Fringe Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in June
The Hastings Fringe is an independent, free festival featuring a range of comedy stars.
Oxford Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in June
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.
Attic Arts Club (Crystal Palace, London)
This festival normally takes place in June
A festival at Upper Norwood Library Hub in Crystal Palace.
Oban Comedy Festival (Scotland)
This festival normally takes place in June
A Scottish comedy festival featuring gigs spread across a month.
Cambridge Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in July
A festival in Cambridge, which has been occurring for more than a decade.
Greater Manchester Fringe
This festival normally takes place in July
The Greater Manchester Fringe takes place across September.
ARG Com Fest (Shoreditch, London)
This festival normally takes place in 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
This festival normally takes place in July
The Ealing Comedy Festival takes place over several nights in July, in Walpole Park.
Larmer Tree Festival (South)
This festival normally takes place in July
A festival in Cranborne Chase, straddling Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire.
Balham Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in July
Based at The Bedford in Balham, this festival always offer up one of the best line-ups of the summer.
Darlington Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in July
The Darlington Comedy Festival usually runs from early July for a month.
The Tringe (Hertfordshire)
This festival normally takes place in July
A series of Edinburgh Festival preview shows performed in the Hertfordshire market town of Tring.
Barnes Fringe
This festival normally takes place in July
Edinburgh may be some 415 miles from Barnes, but for one week only in July, you can catch many of the acts appearing at the world-famous Festival in a series of exclusive previews taking place at the OSO Arts Centre and the Olympic Cinema.
Milton Keynes International Festival
This festival normally takes place in July
An outdoor theatre with large and small-scale performance, circus, stand-up comedy, live music, family activities and free events.
Brighton Comedy Garden
This festival normally takes place in July
The first Brighton Comedy Garden planted its roots in June 2019.
Bedford Festival Fringe
This festival normally takes place in July
Events take place at The Quarry Theatre and The Place Theatre in the Bedfordshire market town.
Marlowe Comedy Weekender (Canterbury)
This festival normally takes place in July
A celebration of all things funny at Higginson Park.
Chester Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in July
First held in 2018, this comedy festival takes place each year in the historic North-Western city.
West Yorkshire Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in July
A festival covering Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and Huddersfield.
Country Mile Comedy Festival (Kings Cross, London)
This festival normally takes place in July
A festival held at the Country Mile Comedy Club in Kings Cross.
St Albans Comedy Garden
This festival normally takes place in July
Outdoor comedy gigs in Verulamium Park.
Ventnor Fringe (Isle of Wight)
This festival normally takes place in July
Comedy on the Isle of Wight.
Assembly Festival Garden (Coventry)
This festival normally takes place in July
A special event held in a Covid-safe venue in Coventry, as the city marks its spot as City of Culture 2021.
Durham Fringe Festival
This festival normally takes place in July
A festival taking place across four venues in the north-east.
Byline Festival (East Sussex)
This festival normally takes place in August
Festival in the woodlands of Pippingford Park, Ashdown Forest, near the A22 in East Sussex.
Macclesfield Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in August
A festival taking place at Macclesfield Rugby Club.
The Blue Tick Festival (Dalston)
This festival normally takes place in August
A festival of online comedians having their work screened at the Rio Cinema in Dalston, London.
Stourbridge Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in August
A comedy festival held in the Irish pub the Katie Fitzgerald's.
Laughs On The Lawn (Burton Constable)
This festival normally takes place in August
An outdoor comedy festival organised by the people behind the Hull Comedy Festival, held at Burton Constable, East Yorkshire.
Greenwich Comedy Festival (London)
This festival normally takes place in September
One of London's biggest comedy festivals, with lots of well-known acts performing each year.
Liverpool Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in September
A range of shows across Liverpool city centre and Merseyside.
Henley Literary Festival
This festival normally takes place in September
Comedians who have written a book are often booked to speak at this festival.
Objectively Funny Festival (London)
This festival normally takes place in September
A festival in central London (The Albany on Great Portland Street).
Winchester Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in September
A series of shows from the Hampshire city, including the Theatre Royal.
Camberley Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in September
A one-night comedy festival in Surrey's Camberley Theatre.
Last Train Home Festival (Darlington)
This festival normally takes place in September
A music and comedy festival in Darlington organsied by the Tracks music collective.
Birmingham Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in October
Over 70 comedy performances take place across the city each October.
Women in Comedy Festival (Manchester)
This festival normally takes place in October
A Manchester-based festival featuring female acts.
Leamington Spa Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in October
The Leamington Spa Comedy Festival takes place in October.
Funny Things (Wolverhampton)
This festival normally takes place in October
Wolverhampton's comedy festival.
Aberdeen International Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in October
Usually a ten-day festival features national and international comedians, who will perform throughout the city centre. In 2021 the shows were spread over several months.
Southport Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in October
Featuring top acts, a Children's Comedy Festival, a competition for new comedians, and more.
Aberystwyth Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in October
A new-ish comedy festival from the team that organise Machynlleth.
Leith Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in October
Leith Comedy Festival aims to celebrate and inspire creativity and wellbeing through laughter.
Faversham Fringe (Kent)
This festival normally takes place in October
A fringe festival featuring all genres of the performing arts including stand-up, theatre, magic, storytelling, improv and hypnotism.
Tsitsit: The Jewish Fringe
This festival normally takes place in October
Described as "a new fringe festival with a broad Jewish flavour", it takes place in various cities across the country.
Last Stop To Edinburgh Comedy Festival (Leeds)
This festival normally takes place in October
A festival originally for Edinburgh preview shows held in Stockton and Leeds. The Leeds shows are performed Carriageworks Theatre.
Newcastle Comedy Weekender
This festival normally takes place in October
A two-day comedy festival from the Vertu Motors Arena.
Cheltenham Literature Festival
This festival normally takes place in October
A book festival held in the Montpellier Gardens.
Colchester Fringe Festival
This festival normally takes place in October
A four-day festival in Colchester.
Whitechapel Arts Showcase (London)
This festival normally takes place in October
A celebration of London's finest expressions of creativity and talent, set right in the heart of the East End.
Hull Comedy Festival
This festival normally takes place in November
Fun across various venues in the centre of Hull.