Brisbane Comedy Festival Has Dropped Their 2026 Lineup And It’s 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 that brought in 90,000+ attendees across 420+ performances, but we think this lineup is up for the test. 

Image credit: Denise Scott | Brisbane Comedy Festival

So who’s taking the mic? This year you can expect beloved Aussie icon Denise Scott, celebrated voice Melanie Bracewell, Scottish breakout Connor Burns, legend Dave Hughes, Brisbane favourite Anisa Nandaula. There’s also nurse-turned-comedian Georgie Carroll, South Africa’s Schalk Bezuidenhout, the absurd Ray O’Leary and the witty Tom Cashman. 

Plus, it’s not just stand-up on the cards, with the ever-popular Brisbane Comedy Festival Opening Gala kicking off the 2026 season, Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare, and even comedy under hypnosis. 

Image credit: Anisa Nandaula | Supplied

The full 2026 program will drop in March and we hear it’ll have a slew of international debuts, homegrown heroes, late-night takeovers and all-ages shows. There’ll also be kid-friendly things to do, special one-off shows and free outdoor events—watch this space. 

General tickets are on sale now here. Or, for more of what’s on in Brisbane, head here.

Image credit: Ray O'Leary | 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