A barrel of laughs – Brisbane Comedy Festival returns for its biggest season yet
Back for its 17th year, Brisbane Comedy Festival is amping up to return next April for a month-long celebration of comedy that is set to tickle funny bones across the city. Taking over some of Brisbane’s favourite entertainment venues and bringing a star-studded line-up of joke-slingers, this city-wide festival just dropped its first lineup for 2026. Here’s what we know …
From April 24 to May 24 2026, Brisbane Comedy Festival will bring big laughs, bold voices and a massive month of comedy to some of our most cherished venues, including Brisbane Powerhouse, The Fortitude Music Hall, The Tivoli and The Princess Theatre.
Established in 2009, Brisbane Comedy Festival celebrated a record-breaking year this year by drawing a crowd of more than 90,000 across 420+ performances. To celebrate its 17th birthday, the festival is preparing for its biggest year yet by bringing even more international stars, local legends and fresh talent than ever before.
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The 2026 season will kick off with the Brisbane Comedy Festival Opening Gala, taking place at The Fortitude Music Hall on Friday April 24 for a special one-night only showcase of the program’s biggest personalities.
Joining the troupe in 2026 are the likes of beloved Aussie icon Denise Scott, the chaotically hilarious Melanie Bracewell, Scottish breakout Connor Burns, brutally honest Dave Hughes and Brisbane favourite Anisa Nanduala. Brisbanites can also see performances by nurse-turned-comedian Georgie Carroll, Shitfaced Shakespeare, the Umbilical Brothers, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Ray O’Leary, Tom Cashman, Bron Lewis, Guy Williams, Chris Parker, Joanne McNally, Colin Mochrie, Jack Ansett and Marty Sheargold.
Pre-sale tickets go on sale on Thursday November 13, with general tickets available from Friday November 14. Click here to book now.