Brisbane Comedy Festival’s 2026 Lineup Is A Joke In The Best Kind Of Way

Get ready to giggle, chuckle and guffaw because a massive month of comedy is on the cards with the return of Brisbane Comedy Festival in 2026. Back with a city-wide celebration designed to tickle your funny bone, the stakes are high following the record-breaking 2025 season—but we think this lineup holds up, stacked with comedy heavyweights, fresh voices and more. 

So who’s taking the mic? The list is lengthy but highlights on the stand-up front include the beloved Denise Scott, talk show icon Rove McManus, multi award-winning Celia Pacquola, celebrated voice Melanie Bracewell, Taskmaster’s Tom Cashman, local legend Anisa Nandaula and the loveable Josh Thomas. There are also plenty of faces you’ll recognise from your doomscrolling, including Tilly Oddy-Black, Nick White, Will Gibb, and The Fairbairns. 

Image credit: Rove McManus | Supplied

Plus, if you believe in the more the merrier, you’ll be stoked to know the Brisbane Comedy Festival Showcase is making its triumphant return for a one-night laugh-fest, as well as festival favourite Frocking Hilarious, the wildly popular  Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare doing Hamlet and late-night variety show After Hours where comedians drop the script and test new material. 

From international debuts to homegrown heroes, get LOLs not FOMO. Many shows have already sold-out, so be sure to check out the full program here and save your spot. Or, if you find yourself with some free time over the next month, you can snag two-for-one tickets on selected shows at the box office one hour before they begin—simply check out the hot list every week here.

Image credit: Tilly Oddy-Black | Supplied

The Details

When: 24 April to 24 May 2026
Where: Brisbane Powerhouse, The Fortitude Music Hall, The Tivoli and The Princess Theatre
Find out more here.

Main image credit: Brisbane Comedy Festival Opening Gala | Supplied