Melbourne International Comedy Festival

If you love stand-up comedy or like to laugh, come to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to witness Australia’s largest comedy festival and the world’s third-largest festival.

Melbourne has hosted the event since 1987. It runs for four weeks each year, beginning at the end of March and continuing into April.

Melbourne Comedy Festival 2025 Dates, Program Schedule & Lineup

This annual festival is one of the most popular events on Melbourne’s event calendar. Live shows are held at many comedy clubs, pubs and bars throughout the CBD, with some in the suburbs just outside the city. The iconic Melbourne Town Hall is the major host of the event and has served as the festival hub for nearly three decades.

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival hosts hundreds of shows throughout its run, with the list growing yearly to over 700 shows. The Festival includes award-winning performances by famous comedians, debates, comedy performances, and an opening night comedy gala.

In previous years, there have been many headliners and seasoned regulars, including Stephen K Amos, Akmal, Wil Anderson, Rich Hall, David O’Doherty, Arj Barker, Ross Noble, Paul Foot, Tom Green, Celia Pacquola, Hannah Gadsby, Joel Creasey, Judith Lucy, Matt Okine, Tom Gleeson, Peter Helliar, Sarah Kendall, Dave Thornton, Dave Hughes, Carl Barron, Charlie Pickering, Fiona O’Loughlin, Felicity Ward and Lawrence Mooney – to name a few.

The Gala

The red carpet is once again rolled out for the biggest night on Australia’s comedy calendar.

Join us as the Festival’s brightest stars gather on the iconic Palais stage for a one-off, never-to-be-repeated night of nights. The Gala is not just a comedy extravaganza; it’s a powerful force supporting Oxfam’s mission to eliminate poverty and tackle global inequality.

It’s the comedy event of the year, so tickets won’t be around for long. Book now to be part of the magic and to support Oxfam, which is changing the world by empowering communities to tackle poverty.

Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow

Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow is the ultimate kick-off to nearly four weeks of uninterrupted comedy brilliance! Prepare to be dazzled by a star-studded line-up featuring comedy royalty from around the globe and a special few of the soon-to-be-stars guaranteed to be making waves in April.

It’s the most sought-after ticket in town for one night only at the iconic Palais Theatre. It is guaranteed to sell out quickly, so book your tickets now!

The Annual Great Debate

Knowledge is power, except in The Great Debate, where knowledge is optional, and power lies with the moderator.

As is tradition, six comedic heavyweights will take to the stage for an epic showdown this year, debating whether AI is OK. There’ll be underdogs, overenthusiasm, and all-around laughs.

RAW Comedy National Grand Final

For the past 28 years, emerging comedians from all corners of Australia have gathered to showcase their comedic prowess in RAW Comedy, the nation’s largest and most prestigious open-mic comedy competition.

This year is no different, as countless up-and-coming comedians from across Australia have triumphed over their rivals and stormed their way into the finals to emerge as the ultimate “hidden gem” of the comedy world. The question on everyone’s mind: Who will emerge triumphant and take the 2025 RAW Comedy Crown?

Join to discover who claims the highest honour in Australia’s largest and most esteemed open mic competition!

RAW Comedy National Finalist alumni include Anne Edmonds, Hannah Gadsby, Ronny Chieng, Matt Okine, Becky Lucas, Aaron Chen, Sarah Kendall, Sam Simmons, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregor, Rhys Nicholson, Tom Ballard, Sam Campbell, Georgie Carroll, David Woodhead, Cassie Workman and more.

So, if you love live comedy, come and experience this exciting event with thousands of others who flock to comedy shows all over Melbourne. Please check out the official website at https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/ for a full list of artist dates, times, ticket prices and venues.