Comedy in the Vines returns to CherryHill Orchards, bringing the biggest comedy lineup in the festival's history to the Yarra Valley.
Pour yourself a glass: Comedy in the Vines is coming back to CherryHill Orchards for four huge days of comedy, wine and non-stop fun, running Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 October in Coldstream.
This year’s edition is the biggest the festival has ever put together, with more than 25 comedians, 20-plus Yarra Valley wineries and a full program of music, masterclasses and one-off events spread across the grounds, cementing its place as the world’s biggest comedy and wine festival.
The festival has confirmed its 2026 headliner: UK comedy sensation George Lewis, dubbed “the funniest dad on Instagram,” will make his Australian debut exclusively at Comedy in the Vines after selling more than 125 shows across the UK and Ireland.
Comedy in the Vines 2026
- When: Thursday 22 – Sunday 25 October
- Where: CherryHill Orchards, 739 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream, Victoria
- More than 25 comedians including George Lewis (UK), Lano & Woodley, Mel Buttle and Dave Hughes
- 20+ Yarra Valley winemakers pouring at the Meet Your Maker Bar Inaugural
- Comedy DJ Battles on Saturday night
- Age requirement: 18+ with valid ID
- Tickets on sale now
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
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A comedy lineup unlike anything else in wine country
George Lewis is joined by more than 25 of Australia’s most loved comedians, headlined by the legendary Lano & Woodley alongside Mel Buttle, Sammy J, Dave Hughes, Geraldine Hickey, Claire Hooper, Tom Ballard, Lloyd Langford, Lizzy Hoo and dozens more.
The rest of the bill runs deep, too. Sri Lankan-born comic Sashi Perera brings her globally-minded stand-up, Heath Franklin returns as his iconic hard-man character Chopper, and Taskmaster Australia champion Lloyd Langford brings his sharp joke-writing to the mix.
Dave Thornton, Ben Knight, Harry Jun, Nikki Britton, Dan Rath, Urvi Majumdar and Frankie McNair round out a lineup Comedy in the Vines is calling the biggest in its history, with Claire Hooper stepping up as Saturday’s MC and Alex Ward hosting Sunday.
Dave Thornton, Ben Knight, Harry Jun, Nikki Britton, Dan Rath, Urvi Majumdar and Frankie McNair round out a lineup Comedy in the Vines is calling the biggest in its history, with Claire Hooper stepping up as Saturday’s MC and Alex Ward hosting Sunday.
Festival Director Rowan Smith called it the biggest lineup Comedy in the Vines has ever assembled, with more than 25 comedians and 20 winemakers across four days of entertainment.
Meet the people behind the wine
Wine is just as central to the festival as comedy.
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More than 20 Yarra Valley wineries will pour at the Meet Your Maker Bar this year, hosting exclusive tastings, masterclasses and cellar door experiences throughout the weekend, giving festivalgoers direct access to the people actually making the region’s best drops rather than just pouring them.
Wine lovers can go deeper at Learn to Taste Wine Like a Pro, a masterclass with Master of Wine Meg Brodtmann that walks guests through the fundamentals of tasting alongside Merrick Watts.
Watts is also running a separate masterclass of his own this year with acclaimed winemaker Sarah Crowe, giving festivalgoers a rare chance to taste and learn from one of the Yarra Valley’s most respected names.
For those who’d rather work up a thirst than sit through one, the iconic 5km Wine Run sends participants through the cherry orchards on Sunday morning, with wine tastings waiting at every kilometre along the way.
Live music with a comedy twist
The festival’s music program brings together comedians and full-time performers alike.
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Sammy J and Gillian Cosgriff both bring musical sets to the main stage, cabaret pianist Dr Trevor Jones keeps the crowd singing between shows, and DJ Pedro Moshman soundtracks the gaps.
New for 2026 is the inaugural Comedy DJ Battles on Saturday night, with comedians going head-to-head behind the decks and the audience deciding who’s crowned the festival’s first DJ champion.
More than just stand-up at Comedy in the Vines
Beyond the main stage, Merrick Watts sits down with comedy icon Santo Cilauro for In Vino Veritas (In Wine Lies Truth), an intimate live conversation drawing on more than 30 years at the forefront of Australian comedy.
Gillian Cosgriff brings her cabaret gameshow There’s Nothing Like a Game to the grounds, and Nikki Britton leads Wine Aerobics, a gloriously ridiculous Sunday-morning session for anyone keen to earn their first pinot of the day.
A one-night-only dinner unlike anywhere else
New for 2026 is an exclusive one-night dinner experience at Jayden Ong Winery & Cellar Bar, bringing together standout comedy, exceptional food and award-winning wine.
Guests will dine inside a working urban winery, surrounded by towering tanks, oak barrels and industrial winemaking machinery, for a specially curated three-course banquet interwoven with live comedy performances throughout the night.
The perfect excuse for a Yarra Valley escape
For Victorians, Comedy in the Vines is a built-in reason for a regional getaway.
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The Yarra Valley is home to some of the country’s best accommodation, cellar doors, restaurants and luxury activities, making it easy to turn the festival into a longer trip either side of the weekend.
Coldstream sits under an hour from Melbourne’s CBD, making the festival an easy day trip, but the region rewards a slower visit. Beyond the festival gates, the Yarra Valley is dotted with award-winning cellar doors, hot air ballooning over the vines at sunrise, day spas tucked into the hills, and some of regional Victoria’s best dining, from long lunches at winery restaurants to more casual stops in Healesville and Yarra Glen.
With more than 20 wineries already taking part in the festival itself, there’s no shortage of reasons to stay on and keep exploring once the comedy wraps for the night.
Accommodation across the valley ranges from boutique guesthouses to luxury lodges, and given the festival’s growing profile, rooms tend to book out well ahead of October.
More artists, wineries and experiences are still to be announced in the coming months.
For more information, head here.
This article was made in partnership with Grapes of Mirth.
