Questions, answered · Festivals to know
What are the oldest comedy festivals?
The short answer
Of the festivals on the Guide whose own sites give a founding year, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe goes back furthest, to 1947. Then come the Melbourne Fringe Festival (1982) and the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival (1982). Ten of the 28 began in 2015 or later.
By the year each began
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe · 6–30 August 2027 · Edinburgh, Scotland · Fringe · since 1947
- Melbourne Fringe Festival · 29 September – 18 October 2026 · Melbourne, Australia · Fringe · since 1982
- Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival · 12–22 August 2027 · Edmonton, Canada · Fringe · since 1982
- Melbourne International Comedy Festival · 24 March – 18 April 2027 · Melbourne, Australia · Stand-up · since 1987
- NZ Fringe · 12 February – 6 March 2027 · Wellington, New Zealand · Fringe · since 1990
- Cologne Comedy Festival · 20 October – 8 November 2026 · Cologne, Germany · Stand-up · since 1991
- NZ International Comedy Festival · 30 April – 23 May 2027 · New Zealand · Stand-up, Sketch, Improv · since 1993
- Jive Cape Town Funny Festival · 24 May – 20 June 2027 · Cape Town, South Africa · Stand-up · since 1997
- Dunedin Fringe Festival · 4–14 March 2027 · Dunedin, New Zealand · Fringe · since 2000
- SF Sketchfest · 14–31 January 2027 · San Francisco, CA · Stand-up, Improv, Sketch · since 2001
- Winnipeg Comedy Festival · 26 April – 2 May 2027 · Winnipeg, Canada · Stand-up · since 2002
- Prague Fringe · 28 May – 5 June 2027 · Prague, Czech Republic · Fringe, Stand-up, Improv · since 2002
- New York Arab American Comedy Festival · 15–17 October 2026 · New York, NY · Stand-up · since 2003
- Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival (TOsketchfest) · 3–14 March 2027 · Toronto, Canada · Sketch · since 2005
- Sydney Comedy Festival · 12 April – 16 May 2027 · Sydney, Australia · Stand-up, Sketch, Improv · since 2005
- Out To Lunch (Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival) · 8–30 January 2027 · Belfast, Northern Ireland · Stand-up · since 2006
- SXSW Comedy Festival · 17–20 March 2027 · Austin, TX · Stand-up, Improv · since 2008
- Nottingham Comedy Festival · 30 October – 8 November 2026 · Nottingham, England · Stand-up, Improv, Sketch · since 2009
- Wells Comedy Festival · 28–30 May 2027 · Wells, England · Stand-up · since 2015
- Flyover Comedy Festival · 11–15 November 2026 · St. Louis, MO · Stand-up, Improv, Sketch · since 2017
- DC Comedy Festival · 7–10 April 2027 · Washington, DC · Stand-up · since 2017
- Plano Comedy Festival · 10–15 November 2026 · Plano, TX · Stand-up · since 2018
- Comedy is Art · 22–24 October 2026 · Toronto, Canada · Stand-up, Sketch, Improv · since 2019
- Tower City Comedy Festival · 28–30 January 2027 · Paris, TX · Stand-up · since 2019
- Great Outdoors Comedy Festival · 16–18 July 2027 · Canada · Stand-up · since 2021
- Fountain City Comedy Festival · 23–24 October 2026 · Kansas City, MO · Stand-up · since 2022
- Montclair Comedy Festival · 14–21 November 2026 · Montclair, NJ · Stand-up, Improv, Sketch · since 2025
- HarCo Comedy Festival · 2–8 March 2027 · Harford County, MD · Stand-up · since 2026
Sources
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe: edfringe.com/about-us ↗
- Melbourne Fringe Festival: melbournefringe.com.au/about-us/history ↗
- Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival: fringetheatre.ca/about-us ↗
- Melbourne International Comedy Festival: comedyfestival.com.au/about-us ↗
- NZ Fringe: fringe.co.nz/about-us/about-fringe-festival ↗
- Cologne Comedy Festival: comedy.cologne/festival-info ↗
- NZ International Comedy Festival: comedyfestival.co.nz/about-us ↗
- Jive Cape Town Funny Festival: funnyfestival.co.za/about-us ↗
- Dunedin Fringe Festival: dunedinfringe.nz/fringe/dunedin-fringe-festival ↗
- SF Sketchfest: sfsketchfest.com/about ↗
- Winnipeg Comedy Festival: winnipegcomedyfestival.com/about-us ↗
- Prague Fringe: praguefringe.com/artist-info/26th-prague-fringe-may-2027-artist-applications-open-august ↗
- New York Arab American Comedy Festival: arabcomedy.com ↗
- Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival (TOsketchfest): torontosketchfest.com/about ↗
- Sydney Comedy Festival: sydneycomedyfest.com.au/about ↗
- Out To Lunch (Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival): cqaf.com/history ↗
- SXSW Comedy Festival: sxsw.com/comedy ↗
- Nottingham Comedy Festival: nottinghamcomedyfestival.co.uk/about-me ↗
- Wells Comedy Festival: wellscomfest.com ↗
- Flyover Comedy Festival: flyovercomedyfest.com/sponsorships ↗
- DC Comedy Festival: dccomedyfestival.com/about ↗
- Plano Comedy Festival: planocomedyfestival.com/about ↗
- Comedy is Art: theatrecentre.org/comedy-is-art ↗
- Tower City Comedy Festival: towercitycomedyfestival.com ↗
- Great Outdoors Comedy Festival: greatoutdoorscomedyfestival.com/about ↗
- Fountain City Comedy Festival: fountaincitycomedyfest.com/about ↗
- Montclair Comedy Festival: montclaircomedyfestival.org ↗
- HarCo Comedy Festival: harcocomedy.wixsite.com/harcocomedyfestival ↗
More questions
- What is the next comedy festival?
- What are the longest comedy festivals?
- Which comedy festivals last just one day?
- What comedy festivals are in Australia?
Facts as of 16 October 2026. Festivals change their plans: confirm on the festival's own site before you book. Every question