Brisbane Comedy Festival 2026

Brisbane Comedy Festival is back with a packed line-up of festival favourites and fresh new faces, flocking to Brisbane for a massive month of comedy from April 24 to May 24. 

Now in its 17th edition, the festival once again takes over Brisbane Powerhouse, The Tivoli, Fortitude Music Hall and The Princess Theatre, delivering a city-wide comedy takeover for its biggest season yet!

Fresh off a record-breaking year, Brisbane Comedy Festival 2026 is serving far more than stand-up. The jam-packed program also features bold solo shows, late-night chaos and genre-bending performances, from salacious satire, outrageous silliness to big-hearted storytelling and everything in between.

The Brisbane Comedy Festival Opening Gala kicks off 2026 with comedy heavyweights, fresh voices and a city-wide laugh-out-loud launch at Fortitude Music Hall. 

A highlight of this year's festival is the triumphant return of the Brisbane Comedy Festival Showcase, with a stacked lineup of comedy heavyweights and rising stars taking over The Tivoli for a one-night laugh-fest that hits hard and sells fast.

Looking for something looser? After Hours is where comedians drop the script, test new material and let chaos reign in a late-night variety show format. 

Australia’s leading female comedians will unite for a powerful afternoon of laughter and solidarity, supporting ActionAid’s mission to promote women’s rights worldwide in Frocking Hilarious (May 24), hosted by Claire Hooper. 

The wildly popular Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare: Hamlet promises unpredictable hilarity night after night, as cast members tackle the spoken word whilst under the influence. 

The 2026 line-up includes over 140 acts including powerhouse performers Rove McManus, Celia Paquola, Sammy J, Stephen K Amos, Emma Holland, Olga Koch, Reuben Kaye, Sam Taunton, Lizzy Hoo, Tom Sainsbury, Urvi Majumdar, Ting Lim, Georgie Carroll, Rapha Manajem, Rowan Thambar, Elaine Crombie and dozens more across the full program. 

Other festival favourites return in full force, with cult hits and ensemble chaos lighting up stages across the city. Best of Edinburgh Fest brings standout acts direct from the world’s biggest comedy festival, while Aboriginal Comedy Allstars delivers five-star laughs from Australia’s leading First Nations comedians. 

With international debuts, homegrown heroes, late-night takeovers and festival favourites all sharing the spotlight, Brisbane Comedy Festival 2026 continues its tradition of celebrating comedy in all its forms.  

So start planning your month of laughs now. Seventeen years in, the jokes just keep getting better, and with a massive program on offer, there’s truly something to tickle every funny bone! 

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