Brisbane Comedy Festival is back for a huge month of city-wide laughs

Now in its 17th year, the festival returns with a packed program that spans big-name solo sets and riotous late-night variety acts to improvised whodunnits, hilarious PowerPoint presentations and inebriated Shakespeare productions.

The sold-out Opening Gala will set the tone at Fortitude Music Hall with a mix of big names and fresh faces, while the ever-popular Brisbane Comedy Festival Showcase returns to The Tivoli smack bang mid-festival for a one-night-only burst of rapid-fire punchlines.

Across the program, a handful of standout shows are already drawing attention. Bogan Villea delivers a high-voltage blend of rock, drag and Blak pride, led by the magnetic Ben Graetz. Frocking Hilarious is back with a powerhouse line-up of female comedians for an afternoon of laughs in support of ActionAid, while Thank God You’re Queer puts a fun twist on the iconic television show, led by Brisbane’s finest LGBTQI+ improvisers.

The program, which is stacked with 145 acts – the festival’s biggest line-up to date – also features crowd favourites like Melanie Bracewell, Geraldine Hickey, Josh Thomas, Bron Lewis, Pete Helliar, Reuben Kaye, Lizzy Hoo, Stephen K Amos, The Umbilical Brothers, Alex Ward, Ray O’Leary and plenty more.

The must-see Aboriginal Comedy Allstars assembles a powerhouse bill of First Nations comedians – Andy Saunders, Elaine Crombie, Janty Blair, Jay Wymarra, Kevin Kropinyeri and Sean Choolburra – for two huge shows stacked with unfiltered belly laughs. Meanwhile, Grief, Love and Lead Balloons sees proud Pitjantjatjara, Warrigmal, South Sea and German descendant Elaine Crombie step into a personal and delightfully chaotic lane, unpacking a season of grief with her signature storytelling style, razor-sharp comic timing and powerful singing voice.

Free Comedy Friday is also back at Brisbane Powerhouse during the festival, with weekly Knockoff shows to feature a rotating line-up of local and festival comedians – the perfect way to lean into the weekends and discover new comedy favourites.

In a fitting festival finale, The Last Laugh at the Thomas Dixon Centre will bring together some of the most talked-about acts of the season for one last hit of punchlines.

With international acts, homegrown favourites and plenty of late-night antics in the mix, there’s every reason to start mapping out your month now. Once you’ve locked in your must-sees, it’s worth checking what else is on the same day – it’s easy to turn one booking into a full day (or night) of comedy.

Tickets are on sale now via the Brisbane Comedy Festival website – and if past years are anything to go by, they won’t last long.

This article was written in partnership with our friends at Brisbane Comedy Festival.