About Birmingham Comedy Festival
We're an independent award-winning annual city-wide arts festival.
We've been drawing attention to Birmingham's vibrant (and often unsung) comedy scene since 2001.
With a line-up that combines local talent with big-name acts, previous guests have included Peter Kay, Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre, the cast of cult TV sketch series The Fast Show, Ross Noble, John Bishop, Miranda Hart, Jimmy Carr, Alan Carr, Sean Lock, Al Murray The Pub Landlord, Sarah Millican, James Acaster, Jack Whitehall, Sandi Toksvig, Stephen Merchant, Romesh Ranganathan, Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, Harry Hill, Greg Davies, Impractical Jokers and "Weird Al" Yankovic. Plus Ad' Fab' star Joanna Lumley, and legends Pam Ayres, Dr. John Cooper Clarke, the late Ken Dodd and Barry Cryer.
We've also welcomed the very best Brum and West Mids' talent, including Joe Lycett, Lenny Henry, Jasper Carrott, Stewart Lee, Darren Harriott, Guz Khan, Gary Delaney, Mrs Barbara Nice, Shazia Mirza, Josh Pugh, Gary Powndland, Natalie Hayes, Jo Enright, The Nightingales, Ted Chippington, Foka Wolf, Tat Vision and Lindsey Santoro.
There's also been celebrations dedicated to Red Dwarf, Tony Hancock, Ealing Studios, Laurel and Hardy, Monty Python and The Goon Show.
The festival is the recipient of five What's On Readers' Awards for Best Festival.
Find out more about how the festival began: How did Birmingham Comedy Festival start?
The Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award
Celebrating new and emerging comedic talent from across the West Midlands.
Previous winners:
- 2014: Andrew McBurney
- 2015: Josh Pugh
- 2016: Harvey Hawkins
- 2017: Kai Samra
- 2018: Laura Monmoth
- 2019: Celya AB
- 2020-21: Award postponed due to Covid
- 2022: Hannah Weetman
- 2023: Hasan Al-Habib
- 2024: TBA
Festival Projects
Alongside the festival, we also do special shows, projects, and collaborations.
These have included the very first stage adaptation of The Goon Show, the debut performance of a previously lost Tony Hancock sitcom (as The Lost Hancocks: Vacant Lot), and various Laurel and Hardy screenings. We've also worked with numerous other arts organisations, ranging from Moseley Folk and Arts Festival, Birmingham Hippodrome and Ikon Gallery to Black Country Living Museum and Creative Black Country.
Birmingham Comedy Festival
Friday 4 to Sunday 13 October 2024
Festival brochure (coming Summer 2024).