Top 10 Comedy Festivals in the UK
Fancy seeing all your favourite comedians come together for a week, weekend, or even a full month full of laughter? Then your best bet is to attend one of the UK's many amazing Comedy Festivals!
Last updated: 2nd Jul 2025
Originally published: 3rd Mar 2023
Whilst we are all more than used to going to see all our favourite live music at festivals around the globe, from the world's biggest touring acts to the smaller up-and-comers; but what many don't realise is that the exact same thing happens to comedy! Unlike those that cater to music, Comedy festivals don't have a particular season and happen all year round, they don't need the sun and often the Comics actually enjoy it when it's a bit duller outside; Comedy works better on people who are down after all, as laughter is the best medicine.
From sprawling, city-wide, month-long festivals that shape the careers of aspiring comics, and also showcase so much more than comedy, to intimate day festivals celebrating subsections of the comedian community, to weekend-long festivals featuring the biggest and best names in the comedy scene from the telly to those selling arenas to the ones that'll be doing both in years to come.
So, if you're a comedy fan, then why not diversify your festival calendar this year, and attend one of these incredible comedy festivals in the UK below? Who doesn't want to split open their sides and be left in stitches due to laughing so much? We know we do!
When: Throughout the whole month of August 2025
Where: Various venues around Edinburgh
We had to start with the unabridged classic. Edinburgh Fringe Festival is known the world over for being THE place on the global scene to see the very best comics, as they spend the entire month of August doing almost daily sets of their latest shows. The entire city of Edinburgh comes alive during the Fringe, with not only comedy happening, but with incredible Theatre, Burlesque, Spoken Word, Improv, and a whole diverse range of entertainment on show.
Yet, the main attraction for many is comedy, and it's no surprise as to why. Last year, the Fringe saw huge names like Sara Pascoe, Mark Watson, Dara O'Briain, Adam Hills, and more take its stages, alongside some of the biggest rising stars in the game like AJoe Kent-Walters, Dan Tiernan, Jin Hao Li, and Ian Lockwood.
If there is ever a comedy festival for you to attend, it's this one; it should be on every comedy fan's bucket list, and we want to attend every year we can.
When: 15th - 26th July 2025
Where: Creatures of the Night Comedy Club in Manchester
One of Manchester's best comedy clubs, Creatures Comedy Club, is returning with it's festival, Creatures Comedy Festival, bringing some of the most exciting names in the Uk comedy scene to their basement club across a frivolous fortnight of hilarious proprotions.
From local acts to shows from across the globe, there are back to back shows every single night of the week, all day programming on the weekends, and they've turned it up a notch this year, with even more shows over at Lost Cat NQ on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday. It's going to be a belter, click on the link below to find a list of shows and tickets.
Shows at, and tickets for, Creatures Comedy Festival 2025 - HERE
Comedy at the Castle - Warwick & Devon
When: 23rd - 25th May 2025 (Warwick) & 18th - 19th July 2025 (Devon)
Where: Warwick Castle in Warwick & Powderham Castle in Exeter
Following two massively successful years since it debuted in 2023, Closeup Comedy, the Midlands' best comedy night, is bringing you not one, but two comedy extravaganzas in front of the picturesque backdrop of a Castle. This year sees them branch out from their Warwick Castle home and bring the funnies to Powderham Castle in Devon too!
Such names coming to the 2025 editions include Paul Smith, Adam Rowe, Seann Walsh, Carl Donnelly, Frankie Boyle, Freddy Quinne, Hayley Ellis, Helen Bauer, Josh Pugh, Gary Delaney, and more (Warwick). As well as Freddy Quinne, Russell Kane, Kane Brown, Larry Dean, Laura Smyth, Joel Dommett, and more (Devon).
To find tickets, FAQs and more information on Comedy at the Castle, check each day out on Skiddle below:
Comedy at the Castle: Warwick - HERE
Comedy at the Castle: Devon - HERE
Find more events courtesy of Closeup Comedy - HERE
Brighton Fringe
When: Throughout the whole month of May 2025
Where: Various venues around Brighton
England's main rival to the Edinburgh Fringe, and a mighty good weekend in its own right, Brighton Fringe is the Southern city's annual celebration of all things Comedy, Theatre, Drag, Burlesque and almost everything onstage entertainment-wise. Welcoming hundreds of thousands of people over its month-long run in May, the festival is a celebration of all the local talent Brighton has to offer, as well as providing a place for many others to get noticed and potentially poached for bigger runs at Edinburgh.
It's one of the biggest fringe festivals in the world, and the city of Brighton comes to life in the month it runs, both in the streets and inside the many venues that host the talent. It's a fantastic weekend of comedic entertainment and one that you can catch that little bit more than comedy, too, if you get bored of your sides splitting. A must-visit for any Southern comedy fan who doesn't want to make the trek up to Edinburgh.
Glasgow International Comedy Festival
When: 12th – 31st March 2025
Where: Various venues around Glasgow
Whilst Edinburgh flies the flag for Scotland's comedy festival scene, their noisy neighbours in Glasgow do a mighty fine job in trying to match the influence on the comedy scene, with their month-long festival, happening in March, the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.
The acts billed here are no joke, with it hosting some of the biggest names in the Biz, plus, unlike the Edinburgh Fringe, it is entirely focused on Comedy and getting the most laughs possible out of the attending crowd.
It's a great, more comedy-focused alternative to the Edinburgh Fringe, particularly as it gets more and more expensive to go, plus, the people of Glasgow are amongst the best comedy crowds in the UK.
Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival
When: 9th - 13th July 2025
Where: Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury
Taking place over a long weekend in July, the Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival is a standout amongst the smaller-sized comedy festivals in the UK, mainly down to the calibre of acts that grace its stages. Happening throughout a multitude of venues in the northern town, with the best acts taking the stage during their Gala Show at Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury comes alive with laughter every time it comes to town, and if you live somewhat locally, it's the perfect weekend away.
Already announced for this year are the likes of the Macunian bundle of campness and joy Josh Jones, the wry and excellently observant Yorkshire funny man Scott Bennett, and the fiercely funny Lindsey Santorno. Alongside will be a whole host of amazing acts still to be announced for the rest of the festival, you just know that it's going to be a top weekend, and we can't wait to see you down there!
Laughterama
When: 3rd - 7th September 2025
Where: Castlefield Bowl in Manchester
One of the newer edition to the comedy festival circuit, but one that we are certain will be a mainstay for years to come, Manchesters Laughterama takes over the site of Castlefield Bowl, the place where the city's coveted Sound Of The City gigs happen annually, for a weekend of some of the biggest names about, with a huge crowd whose laughter is bound to be heard far and wide.
This years edition see's bills headlined by the likes of Ed Gamble, Phil Wang, Fern Brady, Rob Delaney, Sam Campbell, and Frankie Boyle, with each having a supporting cast that feature the likes of Jamali Maddix, Fatiha El-Ghorri, Josh Pugh, Fin Taylor, Rhys James, Nish Kumar, Lou Sanders, Sarah Keyworth, Jen Brister, Tim Key, Lucy Beaumont, Tom David, Rosie Jones, and many more.
Make sure to watch out for this one as sells out every year, and looking at the bill, who's surprised?
Greenwich Comedy Festival
When: 17th - 21st September 2025
Where: National Maritime Museum in London
This open-air comedic extravaganza out of Greenwich has established itself as a staple on the UK comedy festival circuit and for good reason. Welcoming its crowd to the stunning grounds of the National Maritime Museum and treating them to a curated selection of some of the funniest people in the UK, it's probably the number one stop when it comes to seeing a huge comedy lineup in London.
This year, the lineup is STACKED. We're talking, Frankie Boyle, Ed Gamble, Sara Pascoe, Sam Campbell, Fern Brady, nish Kumar, Phil Wang, and many many many more. With names like that, there's a guarantee you'll be leaving home with the best kind of aching sides. Head over to their site for tickets and more info!
Women In Comedy Festival
When: 2nd - 12th October 2025
Where: Various Venues in Manchester
The defiant hilarity that always eminates from Manchester's Women in Comedy Festival is always one that delivers, and with ti returning for its 12th year in 2025, The importance of this festival is more significant than ever as undiscovered talent, especially those that are women, have had limited outlets and exposure for nearly 4 years now and the lack of many festivals recently.
This worthy growth has seen the festival expand to encompass showcases, galas, networking events, training, panels, debates and workshops. The Women In Comedy Festival also offers training and mentorship opportunities with industry professionals and other leading creative organisations.
An inspiring festival for both female fans of comedy and aspiring female comedians, as well as just being ten days of pure unabridged laughter, Manchester's Women In Comedy Festival is a must-visit and easily one of the best in the UK.
Wells Comedy Festival
When: 23rd - 25th May 2025
Where: Various venues in Somerset
The South East's primary spot for all things funny, Wells Comedy Festival in Somerset is an annual belly-shaking event filled with incredible comics and huge laughs, that any Comedy punter in the region can't afford to miss. Founded in 2015, the event brings the finest comedians in the country to the heart of the idyllic town for one jam-packed weekend of giggles.
Running for one weekend only in May, the 2025 edition of the festival is bringing the likes of Simon Amstell, Sara Pascoe, Rosie Jones, Rhys James, Glenn More, Chatherine Bohart, and so many more to various venues around the town, and we can all but guarantee that Somerset will be brought to life in choruses of laughter as the weekend goes on.
Comedy doesn't happen in cities as pretty as this very often, so if you like your events to have slightly more class to them than usual, then check out Wells Comedy Festival; you won't be disappointed.
Has all the talk of Comedy got your funny bone itching? Well then, check out the UK Comedy Guide on Skiddle by clicking or tapping - HERE
Check out what comics we think are the best up-and-coming in the country - HERE
Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.
