Comedy superstars past, present and future headline epic Melbourne International Comedy Festival anniversary show.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival turns 40 this April, bringing together legends for one unmissable night.
Since kicking off in 1987, Melbourne International Comedy Festival has evolved from a scrappy local gathering into one of the three biggest comedy festivals on the planet. Each year, it transforms the city into a comedy wonderland, with hundreds of shows taking over venues everywhere; from cramped backstage bars to the fanciest theatres in town. Last year’s festival alone packed in more than 600 shows and pulled over 800,000 punters through the doors, proving Melburnians can’t get enough of a good laugh.
This 40th anniversary edition is shaping up as the biggest celebration yet. Expect everything that’s made the festival an international comedy powerhouse; intimate pub gigs, theatre spectaculars, emerging local talent and global superstars all sharing the same stages. It’s a proper homecoming for the acts who’ve cut their teeth here and gone on to conquer the world.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
- 25 March to 19 April 2026
- Various venues across Melbourne
- Tickets on sale here
Check out our gig guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
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International performers include Sam Nicoresti from the UK, winner of the 2025 Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show, plus Edinburgh nominees Ian Smith from the UK and Sam Jay from the US. Other international acts include Daniel Sloss from Scotland, Joanne McNally from Ireland, Phil Wang from the UK and Malaysia, Jason Leong from Malaysia, Douglas Lim and Fadzri Rashid from Singapore, and Zainab Johnson from the US.
Australian and New Zealand performers include Kitty Flanagan, Tom Gleeson, Tommy Little, Wil Anderson, Dave Hughes, Nazeem Hussain, Celia Pacquola, Dilruk Jayasinha, Lizzy Hoo, Denise Scott, Lano & Woodley, The Umbilical Brothers, Sammy J, Guy Williams, Melanie Bracewell and Urzila Carlson. First Nations artists Kevin Kropinyeri, Leon Filewood, Steph Tisdell, Tarsh Jago, Kylan Ambrum and Elaine Crombie will perform, with many coming through the Deadly Funny development program.
Family entertainment includes Comedy Club for Kids, The Listies, The Tricky Nick Magic Show, Trash Test Dummies and Winni Wizard and Her Magical Smells during the Easter school holidays. Federation Square’s expanded outdoor program promises free entertainment with street performances and surprise pop-ups throughout the festival.
Federation Square will host an expanded outdoor program, while Funny Shorts brings back the festival’s comedy short film competition for the digital age.
Beyond the main festival action, Melbourne International Comedy Festival keeps the laughs rolling year-round through its development programs. RAW Comedy continues digging up fresh stand-up talent straight from open mic nights, Deadly Funny shines a spotlight on First Nations comedians, and Class Clowns brings comedy workshops to schools nationwide. The festival’s touring Roadshow also hauls a selection of acts to regional centres across Australia and internationally, spreading Melbourne’s comedy love far beyond the CBD.
Sitting alongside Edinburgh and Montreal as one of the comedy world’s big three, the festival has become a launching pad for countless careers. The anniversary celebrations promise special retrospective moments alongside the usual chaotic mix of stand-up, sketch, cabaret, musical comedy and experimental performances that make this festival such a diverse playground for comedy lovers.
Whether you’ve been attending since day one or you’re looking for the perfect introduction to live comedy, this 40th birthday spectacular is shaping up as the show of the year.
For more information, head here.
