Contents
Key Details
- Expected Dates: Wednesday 25 March to Sunday 19 April 2026
- Occasion: 40th Anniversary Festival
- Scale: Over 3 weeks, hundreds of shows across Melbourne
- Main Venues: Melbourne Town Hall, The Forum, Arts Centre, Trades Hall and more
- Highlights: Stand-up, cabaret, street performance, theatre, live podcasting, film, TV, radio, visual art
What is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival?
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) is Australia’s largest ticketed cultural event and one of the top three comedy festivals in the world.
Alongside Montreal’s Just for Laughs and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, it holds global recognition for launching talent, hosting comedy icons, and filling the city with laughter every autumn.
What makes the 2026 Comedy Festival special?
2026 marks the 40th edition of the festival, promising its biggest year yet with more venues, shows, and international talent than ever before.
It will be a full-city celebration of comedy in every form — from stand-up and satire to sketch, street theatre, cabaret, and digital media.
Where does the festival take place?
Shows will take place all across Melbourne, including Melbourne Town Hall, Trades Hall, The Forum, Arts Centre Melbourne, and dozens of pubs, theatres, comedy clubs and pop-up spaces citywide.
You will also catch roving performers on the streets and laneways, especially around Swanston Street and Federation Square.
What can I expect at MICF 2026?
Expect comedy in every format imaginable, plus a few surprises. The 2026 program is likely to include:
- Local and international stand-up acts across hundreds of shows
- Cabaret, sketch comedy, and live improv theatre
- Street performances and pop-up comedy gigs
- Live podcast recordings and comedy debates
- Comedy films, visual arts exhibitions, and radio broadcasts
From rising stars to comedy royalty, there is a show for every sense of humour, whether you like it loud, weird, witty or deeply satirical.