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.
Glasgow International Comedy Festival
Wednesday 13th March to Sunday 31st March
Many top names perform in Glasgow in March.
Bath Comedy Festival
Monday 1st April to Sunday 21st April
Bath Comedy Festival gets bigger each year.
Consett Comedy Festival (Durham)
Thursday 2nd May to Sunday 5th May
A whole host of iconic names head to Consett for a weekend full of laughter.
Brighton Fringe
Friday 3rd May to Sunday 2nd June
Lots of shows, many of them work-in-progress gigs.
Machynlleth Comedy Festival (Wales)
Friday 3rd May to Sunday 5th May
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
Located in Wales, with mainly literary based events. Comedians often read their books here.
Shindig Festival (Somerset)
Thursday 23rd May to Sunday 26th May
A musical festival held at Dillington Estate.
Bath Fringe
Friday 24th May to Sunday 9th June
"People talking (usually one at a time) at a microphone. Often funny, occasionally profound."
Comedy At The Castle (Warwick)
Friday 24th May to Sunday 26th May
A festival held at Warwick Castle.
HowTheLightGetsIn (London) (London)
Friday 24th May to Monday 27th May
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
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
Many of the best acts flock to this well-regarded Somerset-based festival.
Chichester Fringe
Friday 31st May to Saturday 15th June
A new season of fringe events in Chichester.
Wychwood Festival (Cheltenham)
Friday 31st May to Sunday 2nd June
This Cheltenham-based festival's comedy offering is "a small but perfectly-formed line-up".
Nevill Holt Festival
Saturday 1st June to Wednesday 26th June
A festival held at the 13th century Nevill Holt Estate in Leicestershire.
The Cambridge Club Festival
Friday 7th June to Sunday 9th June
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
A festival of ideas and talks, at Kirtlington Park in Oxfordshire.
Wandsworth Arts Fringe
Friday 7th June to Sunday 23rd June
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.
Bristol Comedy Garden
Wednesday 12th June to Sunday 16th 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
Wednesday 12th June to Sunday 16th June
The Hastings Fringe is an independent, free festival featuring a range of comedy stars.
Download Festival (Donington)
Friday 14th June to Sunday 16th June
A rock and metal music festival held at Donington Park.
Glastonbury Festival
Wednesday 26th June to Sunday 30th June
Comedians can always be found at Glastonbury in the various comedy-related performance areas.
Guildford Fringe Festival
Saturday 29th June to Saturday 20th July
Lots of comedy shows take place in Guildford across July.
Buxton Festival Fringe
Wednesday 3rd July to Sunday 21st July
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
Festival in the woodlands of Pippingford Park, Ashdown Forest, near the A22 in East Sussex.
Henley Festival
Wednesday 10th July to Sunday 14th July
A posh festival that attracts a number of top comedy headliners.
2000trees Festival (Cheltenham)
Thursday 11th July to Sunday 14th July
A rock festival, with a comedy tent.
Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival
Thursday 11th July to Sunday 14th July
The Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival has been running since 2017.
ALSO Festival (Warwickshire)
Friday 12th July to Sunday 14th July
"The UKs most inspirational summer festival combining ideas, music and comedy alongside adventures in food, nature and wellness".
Kaleidoscope (London)
Saturday 13th July
A one-day festival at the Alexandra Park and Palace in London.
Newcastle Fringe Festival
Tuesday 16th July to Saturday 27th July
A Fringe festival held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Bedford Festival Fringe
Thursday 18th July to Sunday 28th July
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
A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Scottish instalment, taking place in Perth.
Durham Fringe Festival
Wednesday 24th July to Sunday 28th July
A festival taking place across four venues in the north-east.
Latitude (Suffolk)
Thursday 25th July to Sunday 28th 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.
Camp Bestival (Dorest)
Thursday 25th July to Sunday 28th July
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
A music, science and comedy festival held at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire.
Truck Festival (Oxfordshire)
Friday 26th July to Sunday 28th July
A music festival held at Hill Farm, Oxfordshire.
Deer Shed Festival (North Yorkshire)
Friday 26th July to Monday 29th July
An annual festival at Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire.
Tramlines (Sheffield)
Friday 26th July to Sunday 28th July
A three-day festival in Sheffield, including music and comedy.
Kirkstall Abbey Comedy Festival (Leeds)
Sunday 28th July
The first large-scale, open-air comedy festival to happen in Leeds.
The Camden Fringe (London)
Monday 29th July to Sunday 25th August
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
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
A festival at Lowther Deer Park in The Lake District.
Y Not Festival (Derbyshire)
Friday 2nd August to Sunday 4th August
'Y Not?' is a Peak District music festival which often has some great comedy names also performing.
Rewind North (Macclesfield)
Friday 2nd August to Sunday 4th August
A three-part series of festivals covering the UK. This is the Northern instalment, taking place in Macclesfield.
Fringe By The Sea (North Berwick)
Friday 2nd August to Sunday 11th August
A festival held in the Scottish seaside town of North Berwick in August.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Friday 2nd August to Monday 26th August
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
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
A second Camp Bestival, held at Weston Park.
Rewind South (Henley-on-Thames)
Friday 16th August to Sunday 18th August
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
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
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
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
Victorious Festival launched its first comedy tent in 2018.
Women in Comedy Festival (Manchester)
Thursday 3rd October to Sunday 13th October
A Manchester-based festival featuring female acts.
Birmingham Comedy Festival
Friday 4th October to Sunday 13th October
Over 70 comedy performances take place across the city each October.
Aberystwyth Comedy Festival
Friday 4th October to Sunday 6th October
A new-ish comedy festival from the team that organise Machynlleth.
Brighton Dome Comedy Festival
Thursday 24th October to Sunday 27th October
A comedy festival held at the Brighton Dome.
Leicester Comedy Festival
Wednesday 5th February to Sunday 23rd February 2025
One of the country's biggest comedy festivals.
Other festivals to look out for
The following festivals have yet to confirm their next dates.
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.
UK Kids' Comedy Festival
Normally February
A children's comedy festival which forms part of the Leicester Comedy Festival.
Edinburgh International Improv Festival
Normally February
Scotland's first and only festival of improv.
Fashion Loves Comedy Festival (London)
Normally March
With its roots in International Women's Day, this festival sees comedians demonstrating their modelling prowess on the runway and performing a short set.
The Laugharne Weekend (South Wales)
Normally March
Arts festival, including comedy, held in Laugharne in South Wales.
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.
WeGotTickets Independent Comedy Festival
Normally April
A series of gigs across England as part of a festival organised by the website WeGotTickets.
Cambridge Fringe Comedy Festival
Normally April
The Cambridge Fringe is a comedy festival, part of the Sound and Vision Convention.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Standon Calling (Hertfordshire)
Normally July
A festival of music, comedy and family-friendly entertainment.
Ealing Comedy Festival
Normally July
The Ealing Comedy Festival takes place over several nights in July, in Walpole Park.
Greater Manchester Fringe
Normally July
The Greater Manchester Fringe normally takes place across July.
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.
Roundhouse Comedy Festival (London)
Normally August
A month-long comedy festival held at the Roundhouse venue in London.
Ludlow Fringe Festival
Normally August
A bunch of comedy shows to enjoy in the Shropshire market town.
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.
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.
Greenwich Comedy Festival (London)
Normally September
One of London's biggest comedy festivals, with lots of well-known acts performing each year.
Southport Comedy Festival
Normally October
Featuring top acts, a Children's Comedy Festival, a competition for new comedians, and more.
Birmingham Improv Festival
Normally October
Established in 2016, this is an annual week-long festival of improvisational comedy. Next festival planned for 2024.
Leamington Spa Comedy Festival
Normally October
The Leamington Spa Comedy Festival takes place in October.
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."
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.