Creatures Comedy Festival 2026: lineups, venues and what’s new
Returning to the 'Worker Bee' city for its third instalment, read more about this year's mixture of international and local names, as well as the introduction of festival passes.
Date published: 9th Jun 2026
Ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe (Friday 7th to Monday 31st August 2026), Manchester-born Creatures Comedy Festival returns for its third edition. Presented by NOMAD and Creatures Comedy Club, the festival is set to commence on Thursday 23rd July, all the way through to Saturday 1st August.
This year's edition will see attendance from a standout mixture of both international icons and local legends, including Catherine Bohart, Chris Grace, Yvette Segan, Paul Foot, Micky Overman, and a top secret Taskmaster star. With Manchester's local scene being at the forefront, on Sunday, 26th July, there will be a special Northern Takeover.
The day will spotlight the region’s best, including Rob Auton, Hatty Preston, Kay Nicholson, and Eric Rushton, alongside shows in the days leading up to this from Brennan Reece and Dan Tiernan. That Sunday will also see the Creatures Comedian of the Year final, offering a major career boost for emerging Northern talent.
Creatures Comedy Festival's ethos is rooted in creating a space outside of London for acts to preview right before the world’s biggest arts festival, which also gives Manchester residents exclusive access to shows before they hit Edinburgh Fringe.
Festival producers, Chelsey Weisz and Jess Johnstone, spoke about the third edition, saying, "Manchester is the next big comedy destination, not London, not Edinburgh. We want to showcase the incredible talent coming out of the North while bringing some of the most exciting international acts right to local audiences."
The 2026 edition will also, for the first time, introduce the 'Festival Pass', an affordable way for audiences to experience multiple shows across the festival. The pass incentive is to encourage Mancunians to take a chance on both big names and breakthrough acts as the festival takes over venues across the city, including Lost Cat and The Fitzgerald.
And with limited availability for the pass, you can find more information on their Instagram at @CreaturesComedyFestival.
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Header image credit: Creatures Comedy Club / Instagram.com